Athletes

Youth

Youth rowers may be brand new to the sport or following in the footsteps of a parent, sibling, or an elite athlete. Whether they’re racing for medals or just learning to feather, youth rowing builds teamwork, confidence, and lifelong friendships.

Racing Opportunities

USRowing hosts regional championships, national championships, and participates in elite regatta worldwide allowing Youth athletes to participate in a variety of levels of competition. Learn more about these racing opportunities below!

Camp Opportunities

USRowing offers a variety of camps based on the skill set of the Youth athlete. Below is a breakdown of the camps offered and who they serve.

U19 High Performance Winter Camp: Identifying and developing athletes for the 2025 U19 National Team by invitation only.
U19 Selection Camp: Comprised of athletes identified and invited to race at the U19 World Rowing Championships.
U19 Selection Development Camp: Focused on helping athletes build the skills they need to achieve their rowing aspirations while competing at the International Rowing Challenge.
U19 Pathways Development Camp: Developing athletes in the safest, most productive way possible by providing athletes with challenging, yet developmentally appropriate opportunities.
U19 ID Camp: Open to all U19 age eligible athletes, this camp consists of an on-land program including short distance erg testing, functional movement instruction, national team technical instruction, coxswain specific educational programming and information about USRowing U19 Summer Camps including the U19 Team Selection Camp.

Find a Camp

American Development Model

The current version of the American Development Model (ADM) offers youth and collegiate athletes a sustainable roadmap towards life-long participation in our sport, whether it be recreational, competitive, or high performance. The ADM addresses the central issue facing every developing rower: while maintaining enjoyment of the sport and holistic well-being,” or something more positive than “sacrificing”. To provide athletes with the best opportunity for success as they define it, rowers, coaches, parents, and other stakeholders should understand how chronological age, developmental age, and training age influence appropriate athlete development at each stage of physical, mental, and social maturation.

Future enhancements to the ADM will include dedicated pathways for both masters and adaptive athletes.

The ADM, originally conceived by the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee, is “designed to create a healthy sport experience and support an athlete’s advancement based on their physical, mental and emotional level, and potential for growth.” USRowing has adapted the USOPC’s ADM model extensively for our sport-specific use cases.

Stages

Discover, learn, and play.
Participate, develop, and challenge.
Train and compete.
Perform and excel.
Row for life.

Core Principles

Universal access to create opportunity for all athletes.
Developmentally-appropriate activities that emphasize motor and foundational skill development.
Encouragement of multi-sport participation.
A fun, engaging, and challenging environment.
Quality coaching at all levels.

Goals

Grow the general athlete population and the pool of elite athletes for selecting future U.S. Olympians and Paralympians.
Develop fundamental skills that transfer across sports.
Provide appropriate avenues to fulfill an individual’s athletic potential.
Create a generation of life-long athletes that love sport and physical activity, and transfer that passion to the next generation.

Get Recruited

As the college recruiting partner of USRowing, NCSA offers athletes and families the a simple and competitive path for Youth athletes to join the collegiate space.

To access your free NCSA benefit as a USRowing member, log into your USRowing Member Portal account using your member number and password. Once logged in, click Edit Profile and opt-into NCSA. You will then receive an email directly from NCSA connecting you with your own personal recruiter.