“I feel like Wonderwoman!” she said, flexing…
By Alexander Dworkowitz
After practicing rowing drills in a narrow 40-foot boat on Meadow Lake, 13-year-old Laura Regester of Flushing climbed out of the vessel, gathered on the dock with her new-found friends and flashed a smile.
“I feel like Wonderwoman!” she said, flexing her muscles.
Regester is one of seven participants in the pilot rowing program run by the Flushing YMCA Beacon Center at JHS 194 in Whitestone.
Called Girl’s Row New York, the new program provides rowing instruction to pre-teen and teenage girls.
Twice a week, instructors Amanda Kraus and Emily Auchincloss take the girls out to Flushing Meadows Corona Park to teach them the basics of the sport. The program, which began in mid-July, lasts six weeks.
After participating in a similar program called Girls Row Boston, Kraus, who rowed at Harvard University, came to New York City. At a rowing event along the Harlem River, she met officials from NYC2012, the organization seeking to make New York home of the 2012 Olympics. NYC2012 put Kraus in contact with the Flushing YMCA, and Girls Row New York was launched.
“I thought this would be an amazing activity to start here,” Kraus said at an instructional session last Thursday on Meadow Lake. “This is perfect place to start this program.”
Kraus hopes to soon have more students. The Flushing YMCA is currently working to raise funds to purchase rowing equipment and plans to expand the program in the fall.
At no cost to its participants, Girls Row New York is open to a segment of society that normally does not take an interest in rowing.
“The history of rowing has a lot to do with Ivy League schools,” said Wendy Hilliard, manager of the sports division of NYC2012. “This is really introducing kids to an opportunity they would never be able to have.”
As its name implies, Girls Row New York targets young women to improve their self-esteem.
“Especially in high school, when self-esteem is plummeting, rowing helps,” Auchincloss said. “You feel tough.”
Auchincloss pointed out that the teamwork inherent in the sport also adds to the confidence of the girls, noting her own grades improved in high school when she began rowing.
“It has a great effect of working as a team, she said. “You’re building to something instead of being individuals.”
Although none of them had ever rowed before, the girls were making quick progress, their instructors said. In their very first lesson, the young rowers got over their fear of tipping over and moved across the lake without any aid from Kraus or Auchincloss.
Following Kraus’s instructions to use their legs, back and arms, the girls felt a burn in their bodies after the drills.
“It’s a good workout,” said Megan Gueci, 13, of Whitestone. “It builds a lot of muscles.”
Tina Kreitlow, director of the JHS 194 center, thought the exercise would pay off for the young rowers.
“You are looking at the team for 2012,” she said.
Reach reporter Alexander Dworkowitz by e-mail at Timesledger@aol.com or call 229-0300, Ext. 141.
