Belmont youth rowing club headed to Florida for regional competition
After several recent competitive successes, a Belmont youth rowing club is headed to Sarasota, Florida, to compete in the U.S. Rowing Southeast Youth Championship from May 10-12.
According to 15-year-old team member Brennan Phillips, the team’s success at competitions is largely thanks to the strong friendships they have built.
“You have to be great friends with everybody in every seat so that you can be synced up with them and rowing as one instead of a bunch of individuals,” Phillips said. “It’s a team sport so, you get to make friends on the team, you get to be in other boats with new people, see who you row best with and make some really great friends along the way.”
Several members of the team come from cities an hour away to practice, he added.
Not only has the club given dedicated students a place to row, but it has also allowed the players to make friends that they would not have met otherwise.
“I think there’s only one person who goes to my school, and I didn’t even know her, so I’d consider all 21 other rowers on the team my friends now,” Phillips said.
Working with former Cornell rower Maria Wothe, the team has received gold, bronze and silver medals in recent competitions.
If the team advances in the regional competition this month, they will return to Sarasota June 6-9 for the U.S. Rowing Youth National Championship.
While Phillips has been part of the team for two years, the skill levels of the players on the team vary.
Phillips said new players join the team every year after coming to Belmont Rowing Center and finding a love for the sport.
According to Phillips’ dad, Scott Phillips, the Belmont Rowing Center is something of a hidden gem despite the youth team’s success.
BRC is a rather small club compared to others.
Many teams have 50 members or more, Brennan Phillips said.
The Belmont Rowing Center youth team currently has 22 members, composed of roughly 12 girls and 10 boys.
In addition to the youth team, BRC also has an adult team for sports enthusiasts 18 or older with an interest in rowing.
Summer rowing camps for both children and adults will be available this summer. Those interested in trying their hand can find more information at belmontrowing.org.
This article originally appeared on The Gaston Gazette: Belmont youth rowing club headed to Florida for regional competition
