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a row2k PSA: The Case for America's Rowing Community to Support our National Team Athletes, from the NRF

To the Friends of the NRF,

As the NRF's new Executive Director and one who has been fully engaged in our sport at all levels for nearly 48 years, I have reveled in the successes and felt the disappointment in the shortfalls of our international teams. And I have listened to many of the strongly held views on how we could do better. I firmly believe we have come a long way in recent years in terms of fairness, diversity and importantly, competitiveness. For confirmation, one only has to look at the performance of our senior team at last year's World Championships where we won 8 medals tying Great Britain, Germany and Italy. These results were achieved through positive changes in organization, team development strategy and commitment to increased funding.



As we at the NRF increase our support of our national team athletes in preparation for the 2016 Rio Olympics, it is important that you understand how these changes affect our teams and why there is no better time for you who have given much in the past to continue to do so going forward.



Who's Who

US Rowing is the National Governing Body (NGB) for rowing in the US. Today it is effectively organized into two separate divisions; one focused on domestic recreational and competitive rowing and the other, on the development, selection and competition of our high performance international teams.



The United States Olympic Committee whose goal is to maximize the country's performance as measured in medal potential, plays a large role in shaping the strategies and financial support of all the NGB's. There is a direct correlation between the USOC's support of our national teams and the level of its confidence in their potential to win medals.



The High Performance Committee of USRowing is responsible for the development, selection, and management of US Rowing's international teams including those that compete at the World Cup, World Championship, and the Olympic Regattas. This responsibility includes the Senior/Olympic, Junior, U23 and the Para-athlete teams. The HPC's mission is to field teams that will win medals on the international stage and most importantly at the Olympic Games.



The National Rowing Foundation is a fully independent, tax exempt, 501c3 organization that raises funds primarily from individuals to support the development, coaching, selection, travel and logistics of USRowing's high performance international teams. Its mission is to raise sufficient funds so that all the athletes selected to represent the US have the best opportunity to win. Every year, the NRF makes a negotiated "grant" to USRowing to support the HPC's strategic plan. In addition, the NRF facilitates and manages the donations made to those international teams and boats that that are outside the strategic focus of the HPC's annual/quadrennial plan (e.g., Olympic and non-Olympic boats such as the W1x, M4x, the U23 Team. . . )



There are nearly 200 Aspiring Athletes vying for the right to represent the US at the World Championships in Amsterdam this summer. Many are ensconced in the training centers of Princeton, Oklahoma City and Chula Vista. Others are training out of clubs like Cambridge and regional facilities like those at Craftsbury, G-Man sports or the California Rowing Club. All are making significant economic, family and career sacrifices to row for the US. Their commitment deserves our support.



The HPC's Senior Team Strategy: Concentrate Scarce Resources to Win

When compared to our major competitors, the resources available to develop our national team athletes and to have them participate competitively at the international level are substantially less. In 2012, GB spent $240,000 per athlete (largely through government sponsorship) who rowed in the London Olympics; the US spent $80,000 (largely through grants from the USOC and NRF and no government investment). The Brits won nine medals; the US won three.



Faced with constrained resources, the HPC implemented in 2013 a new strategy that concentrates its limited resources on the development, selection and international competition of seven Senior/Olympic boats that have over the recent past demonstrated the highest medal winning potential. These priority boats are the W8+, W4X, W2-, LW2X, M8+, M4-, and LM4-. This strategy was also designed to ensure that the senior team would represents the full breadth and diversity of US rowing:

17 men and 17 women;

4 women's boats and 3 men's boats;

5 heavy weight boats and 2 lightweight boats;

2 eights and 5 small boats;

5 sweep boats and 2 sculling boats.

In addition, the strategy funds those non-priority Olympic boats that demonstrate potential by finishing in the top four at World Cups II or III or makes the finals of the World Championships. These boats in essence earn the right to be funded.Unfortunately, limited resources force hard strategic choices; choices that constrain the potential of our athletes. Were there more funds available, highly desirable investments could be made to enhance the potential of our teams. We could provide greater financial support for our athletes who today struggle to make ends meet. We could invest in bio-mechanical assessments, high altitude training, and more international competition. These are the very investments that are being made for the rowers who will race for Germany, Italy, Canada and certainly Great Britain at this summer's World Championships in Amsterdam.This year the NRF has agreed to grant $1,200,000 to support the development, selection, travel and logistics of sending our Senior and Junior teams to their World Championships. Given the needs, it. The only way we will reach or exceed that figure is through your generosity and that of the US rowing community.The NRF and our athletes need everyone who has but a hand on an oar; every parent who has watched their sons and daughters flourish in the challenge and exhilaration of rowing; every master who revels in the memories of past races and old boat mates; and every national team rower from across the generations, to give this year's athletes a better chance to stand on the podium. They exceeded expectation last year in Korea. With your help they can do it again this summer in Amsterdam.Go to natrowing.org today and click on DONATE or click here for a PDF form you can mail to the NRF All the Best,

Charles B. Hamlin

Executive Director



