Letter from our CEO-February 2025

Dear USRowing Members, 

Happy February! Over the past few months, we’ve had the privilege of engaging in meaningful conversations with rowers, coaches, and stakeholders across the country. One question that consistently comes up is, “Why should I (or my rowing organization) be a member of USRowing?” Excellent question! 

We know that resources are limited, and we don’t take your investment in USRowing lightly. That’s why I want to highlight not only what we do — but why it matters for you, your rowing program, and the sport. 

USRowing’s mission is simple but vital: to steward, strengthen, and grow American rowing by championing performance and igniting new passion for the sport. Our work extends far beyond any one area. We aim to build and support the entire rowing community at every level, from grassroots to elite athletes representing our country on the world’s stage. 

Many of you are familiar with us through our benefits — maybe you’ve raced in a regional or national regatta hosted by us, perhaps you’ve joined a coaching clinic or convention or used our insurance coverage.  

Here are some other ways we work with the community that may be of interest to you:  

• Our learning and training platform, The Launch, has over 9,000 USRowing members actively taking courses in safety, coaching certification, club management, and financial operations.  
• Full-time staff design and manage a three-tier rowing coaching certification program, supporting coaches at every stage — from those just stepping into the launch to seasoned leaders shaping the sport.
• American Para-athletes receive free classification through USRowing.   
• We offer discounted background checks, rowing safety audits, and abuse prevention tools to help safeguard athletes and the broader rowing community.
• USRowing provides comprehensive training and certification of referees, ensuring a well-qualified and reliable officiating corps for regattas.  
• Members receive exclusive benefits from our partners. For example, just this month, we announced free access to Talkspace, a mental health resource for all.
• We invest over $200,000 annually in grants and scholarships to help athletes and programs grow through our United We Row initiative.
• For parents, we offer helpful resources like the “Get a Grip” guide, which breaks down rowing terminology and structure so they can better understand the sport their kids love. Now, when a young rower comes home and tells mom they’re “sitting in the engine room,” mom knows what that means.
• On the global stage, USRowing develops and supports the national team and its international success for U19, U23, Senior, Para, and Beach Sprint athletes.    

USRowing serves the community and unifies the sport through support, safeguarding, and standards that advance rowing for everyone. From advocating for the sport at the Olympic and Paralympic levels to collaborating with World Rowing, managing the Rules of Rowing, providing SafeSport resources, and helping rowers connect with clubs and competition, our work ensures that rowing continues to grow and thrive in the United States. This is the stewardship of our ecosystem. 

For example, our team worked diligently to secure reasonably priced, high-quality insurance for our members in a challenging market this year — one where some sports are facing the risk of becoming uninsurable. These favorable rates are a direct result of our community’s collective commitment to safety, coaching requirements, and background checks across the sport. While insurance may not always be top of mind for rowers or coaches, it quickly becomes a critical priority in the event of an incident requiring coverage. 

All this work requires infrastructure, and a dedicated team focused on competition, education, safeguarding, high performance, fundraising, and more. It is our privilege to do the work, and together, we will elevate our sport to new heights.  

We will continue to listen, learn, and build upon the value you’re getting as members. I hope you know the value of what you’re also giving to USRowing and why it’s meaningful. Your membership is a direct investment in the sport of rowing in this country — for young rowers, for Olympians and Paralympians, for not so young rowers, for new rowers,  and for everyone in the future who wants to sit in a boat, learn to set it up, and make it go fast.  Our collective strength is fortified by our common passion for rowing, our shared commitment to improving experiences in the sport, and your belief in the impact we make as the governing body of rowing. We are incredibly grateful for you, our members.  

Thank you for being a part of USRowing.  

Amanda Kraus