After losing his vision to cataracts in his 30s, Dammie Onafeko wanted to get involved with a specialized sport. He was introduced to Capital Rowing Club’s adaptive program at the Anacostia Community Boathouse in Washington, D.C. where he quickly found success at regattas, and the support of his rowing family. And Dammie is hard to miss around the boathouse: at 6’5”, this Nigerian man is a presence.

Take a listen to our interview with him, which is full of his quietly profound perspectives on rowing and life.

Part erg review, part coaching advice - this episode is what you need to get connected and get moving on your rowing machine.

If you’re a rower – in a boat, with oars – it’s likely that your introduction to the erg was by way of supplemental workouts for race training and the dreaded 2k test. Most on-water rowers (aka oarsmen) roll their eyes at the mere mention of spending time on the erg.

Sarah Fuhrmann, CEO of UCanRow2 wants to flip the script and reshape the way people think about indoor rowing. She is passionate about sharing the sport with people who can benefit from its total body workout no matter their fitness or competitive athletic goals at any age.

Lisa Weise was a recipient of the Steady State Network Changemaker Instructor Scholarship in April 2021. With the scholarship, Lisa was able to attend a UCanRow2 online instructor certification course.

A note: UCanRow2 founder – and Sarah’s business partner – Terry Smythe, passed away from mucosal melanoma, a rare form of the skin cancer melanoma, in November 2018. While recording this interview it was clear that telling the story of UCanRow2 and indoor rowing was impossible without telling Terry’s story, too. Terry’s legacy lives on through Sarah and Lisa, UCanRow2/Concept2 instructors, fitness professionals, and enthusiasts they have worked with around the world.

GUESTS

Sarah Fuhrmann: CEO, UCanRow2

Lisa Weise: Founder, Rower’s Dream

When we spotted Corin Wiggins on Instagram (@TheBlackCoswain), we knew we wanted to hear her story. At just 16, this member of Atlanta Junior Rowing Association already has four years of coxing experience and the drive to connect the BIPOC rowing community.

We sat down to talk with Corin and invited two of her coxing influences: Coral Kasden (UCSB/NYAC), and Dustin Mara (UW/Everett Rowing Association).

These three young coxswain share their rowing origin stories, insights on coxing responsibilities and personas, influences and mentors, the importance of getting to know your crew, how to motivate your boat when it's clear you aren't going to win the race, and a whole lot more.

Stick around after the show: Rachel and Tara delve deeper into coxing, coaching the coxswain, evaluations, and motivating masters rowers to take their turn in the coxswain seat.

Steady State Podcast hosts Rachel and Tara together have more than 50 years of rowing, coaching, and coxing experience. That’s all been flat water rowing on rivers and lakes. So what do we know about coastal rowing? A little, but not a whole lot, so we sat down with four coastal rowers to talk wetsuits in winter, beach sprints and endurance races, a groundbreaking new coastal 1x boat design, surfing green waves, and running in the sand.

Coastal is slated to be a part of the 2024 Junior Olympics, and 2028 Olympic Games. USRowing established a coastal rowing committee in 2020 and is looking to identify U19 and U23 athletes for USRowing's upcoming 2021 Beach Sprints National Team Trials scheduled for June 19 in Sarasota, FL.

Besides ALL of that, coastal just looks plain fun and offers up exciting opportunities for experienced rowers and new rowers alike.

On March 21, 2021, we brought together some of the biggest names in rowing podcasting for the first time, at one big virtual table to talk rowing past your blades, the quest for the perfect stroke, podcasting, surprising answers from guests, and whether to drink coffee before or after a row.

Note: Due to an unfortunate technical glitch, we were unable to revive the video from the live recording. We've done our best here to bring you a clean audio version of the conversation.

GUESTS

• Broken Oars Podcast: Aaron Jackson

TIME STAMPS

0:00 - Welcome

4:30 - Introductions

14:40 - Roll Call

19:20 - Learning to row well

22:15 - Lightbulb moments in the boat

24:50 - The perfect stroke

30:25 - Rowing origin stories

33:50 - Podcast origin stories

41:55 - Podcasting surprises

47:45 - Dream Guests

53:00 - Rapid Fire Q&A

We’ve begun a semi-regular series spotlighting clubs around the world. On this week’s episode we’re heading South to spotlight Nassau Rowing Club in The Bahamas. With plenty of sunshine, gorgeous water, and social distancing measures, NRC offers learn to row, juniors, collegiate, and masters programs. We admit we’re pretty jealous… and curious.

Joining us are Head Coach and Executive Director KariAnne Kulig; founding member and Board President Kyle Shea; and Emily Morley, a member of the Board of Directors and past-President.

TIME STAMPS

0:00 - Intro

4:20 - Rowing origin stories

12:10 - About NRC

20:00 - Coastal rowing

21:53 - Opportunities for Caribbean rowers

27:20 - Inclusion from LTR to masters

32:00 - Looking back at 2020 and ahead to 2021

35:43 - Strategic planning

37:55 - Why club members should join the Board

To see photos of Nassau Rowing Club and links to the people, organizations, and events mentioned in this episode, visit www.steadystatenetwork.com/podcast.

Join our Patreon community, sponsor the podcast, register for our events, and submit your rowing-related writing and art at steadystatepodcast.com. Go Team!

Dr. Susannah Cass learned to row at Cambridge University where she says it was near impossible to make it through your degree without being dragged to a boathouse to give rowing a go. This self-titled accidental athlete is a scientist interested in plants and other wildlife whose love of “messing about in boats” opened her up to adventures like the Celtic Challenge (150km across the Irish Sea), Great Pacific Race (2,400nm), and Row2Rio (London to Rio). COVID-19 has put a damper on her travel, but Susannah is now looking for new ways to link her love of boats and biodiversity.

To see photos of Susannah and links to the people, places, and events mentioned in this episode, visit www.steadystatenetwork.com/podcast.

Join our Patreon community, sponsor the podcast, register for our events, and submit your rowing-related writing and art at steadystatepodcast.com. Go Team!

In 2016, Aisyah Rafa'ee became the first rower to represent Singapore at the Olympics. She was an athletic and competitive kid, finding her way onto Singapore's national netball team before being handpicked in high school to train in a 2x for the national rowing team. She eventually fell out of love with sculling, retired, and found herself in Boston, rowing sweep with masters women.

Aisyah's honesty about how rough training could be both mentally and physically is humbling, and refreshing. Today she's interested in mental skills and growth mindset, and is pursuing an athletic counseling degree.

See the full show notes at www.steadystatenetwork.com/podcast.

Join our Patreon community, sponsor the podcast, register for our events, and submit your rowing-related writing and art at steadystatepodcast.com. Go Team!