Small Club Saturday: North Channel Community Rowing

General Club Information:

When was your club founded?

2021

What is the general background of the club?

Started by four New Trier High School coaches following George Floyd's death, BLM, and in step with USRowing's focus on improving DEI in the sport, there has never been a rowing program at any level in Evanston, Ill., focusing on under-represented community members, and we chose to address that with North Channel Community Rowing (NCCR). We work solely with sixth to eighth graders and teach sculling only. We provide everything for free, including swimming lessons and transportation.

What are your club's mission/goals?

As from our website: North Channel Community Rowing (NCCR) is a nonprofit organization committed to supporting diversity and access to the sport of rowing through youth programs targeting under-represented students in Evanston, Ill. NCCR aims to cultivate a passion for reaching one's highest potential through exposure to an exciting sport that instills lifelong values, camaraderie, and discipline.

Any motto or quotes your boathouse lives by?

Very simple – make sure the kids have fun every day.

Program Structure:

What initiatives has your club implemented to bring in students and athletes?

We have partnered with all sorts of local organizations – namely the local school district, the Parks & Recreation Department, and the YMCA (where we provide our swimming lessons) – to raise awareness of our program. This fall, we will be offering tutoring, and other wellness and enrichment services are in our plans.

How is your program structured, do you compete at a higher level or against other clubs, etc.?

We offer three separate one-week camps and continue to row in the fall, erg in the winter, and row again in the spring. We have yet to compete, but we're planning scrimmages with other local programs like ours (CRF & CTC, namely). If our graduating kids go on to row at Evanston Township High School (which is starting its first-ever program this fall), they will be able to compete in high school regattas.

Small Club Tips:

Can you talk about your fundraising efforts and how you do outreach throughout your community?

Networking is critical – don't be shy about calling/e-mailing anyone who you know who has an affinity for the sport and/or DEI and sports-based youth development. Stick your hands out to ask for donations and seek out social media opportunities to get organizations to publicize what you are doing.

What are some recommendations or strategies that have allowed your club to be successful in growing and maintaining members over the year?

Establishing relationships with the kids and their parents, making rowing and erging fun, and making everything free. We also discovered that many of our kids' parents had recommended our program to neighbors and friends, so word of mouth has been helpful.

Any tips to share that might help other small clubs do the same in their communities?

Starting a new program takes a lot of work. Seek a lot of help, and not just financial and not just local. So many other programs in the U.S. (STEM to Stern, Philadelphia City Rowing, CRI, etc.) provided us with tremendous advice. Participate in USRowing's DEI efforts (now led by Jennie Trayes). Put together an advisory council separate from your formal board/staff members. And, start raising money from day one.

See #1 again. Seek meetings with civic leaders to get known. Try to give back as much as you ask for, and try to offer something young kids or even adults can't find elsewhere.

Have you run into challenges with getting members? Any advice on how other collegiate clubs can combat?

Fortunately, not yet. Due the small size of our boathouse (shared with 6+ other clubs) and narrow waterway, we will only be 45-50 kids/year. We had 65 sign up this summer, so sadly had to turn a bunch away. And again, making everything free is always a draw.

Anything else you would like to share about your club that would be beneficial to other clubs and our members!

Know that there is a lot of support in the rowing community that can help you be successful. Our sport is so special and different and attracts such passionate, committed, and smart people at all levels. From USRowing's leadership on down, we can all make a difference in broadening the appeal of rowing!