A unique sport that requires strength and stamina, an activity valued by institutions of higher learning, a competition that revolves around a team working together, Crew is gaining popularity among Westport middle schoolers.

As there becomes a greater variety in the after school offerings in Westport, more middle schoolers are signing up for rowing at Saugatuck Rowing Club.

This sport is newly popularized and is growing quickly. Both boys and girls love to participate in the sport after school twice a week. Rowing, which is often referred to as Crew, is an ancient sport that originated in Egypt.

The boat, called a scull, can be a single, double, or can have up to eight people in it. The boat is propelled by an oar that forces the boat to move forward at up to 20 miles per hour. Westport is known for its rowing. Two of the girls teams at Saugatuck Rowing Club won nationals this June.

Brody Braunstein, an eighth grader who is in his second year participating in rowing at Saugatuck, says that he does rowing because it is different from the rest of Westport’s team sports. When asked what was fun about rowing, Brody answered, “The most fun thing for me about rowing is being part of the team. My experience on other team sports was different from rowing; it’s not like being on a traditional soccer or baseball team. You have to work together more.”

And working together it is. To be successful in rowing, everyone has to be in perfect sync. Brody says, “The most mentally difficult thing about rowing is memorizing the terminology.”

Kaela Dockray, also an 8th grader at Bedford in her second year of rowing, has a alternate opinion of the most difficult thing about rowing. “Rowing is an extremely difficult workout that requires immense strength in your upper and lower body. It is also scary to be on the water on cold or rainy days.”

Aside from rowing the boat, the kids who do rowing have to be in good shape. As a warm up, they are required to do a challenging number of push ups, sit ups, and burpies. Although Kaela’s point of view on the difficult parts of rowing were different from Brody’s, her reasoning for doing it was similar. “It [rowing] is a unique activity. It is different from hitting a ball or making a basket. Rowing being so unique is what makes me want to do it.”

New rowing participant Brett Levy has a different opinion on rowing, as he is in his first year.
“The main reason that I do rowing is so that I can get into a college of my choice.” said Levy. Colleges value rowing because it is different from other sports. One hundred and eighty-one schools from Washington to Florida all have elite rowing teams.