Temple University Athletics
Temple Rowers Organize Unity Regatta This Weekend
4.30.21 | Men's Crew, Women's Rowing
On Saturday May 1, in conjunction with the Bergen and Kelly Cup Regattas student-athletes from the Temple Women's Rowing and Men's Crew are organizing a Unity Regatta to play a part in the continuing conversation surrounding social inequalities in this country.
Prior to the event, on Friday there will be a panel discussion with key players in the rowing community that student-athletes and coaches from the competing teams will be invited to attend.
Lasse Grimmer and Rylie Hager from Men's Crew and Women's Rowing respectively, are representatives on Temple's Owls for Justice organization and were the originators of this idea.
"Rowing is a very homogenous sport; we look to the left and right and most of our teammates are white and economically privileged in some way" said Hager. "There has historically been a large lack of diversity in rowing and we wanted to bring awareness to that."
The NCAA has conducted diversity studies that add validity to Hager's words. From 2011-2020, on average 75% of women's collegiate rowers were white. Over the same period, 92% of Assistant and Head Coaches (men and women) of women's collegiate rowing teams have been white.
The idea arose from other sports holding similar events. When the student-athletes came to this idea, they brought it to their coaches before sending an email to the teams scheduled to compete at the Bergen/Kelly Cup. Following the initial outreach, they hosted a kickoff call with other schools that had over 30 participants.
"Everyone was overwhelmingly interested and wanted to be involved," said Hagar.
The Friday evening panel will consist of the host of the 'Rowing in Color' Podcast Denise Aquino, Author of 'A Most Beautiful Thing' Arshay Cooper and Vice Chair of Philadelphia City Rowing Catherine Reddick. The panel will be moderated by Isake Smith who is an innovation and quality consultant and the former Head Coach of Harlem River Community Rowing.
The panel is just the start of Unity Regatta. All student-athletes will be wearing the same t-shirt that displays 'rowing towards change' during their warmups. The days racing will be used to promote diversity in the sport.
"We did not want it to be just a one-off at the event and that is why we added the panel" said Hager. "Athletes can come and learn what it means to address the lack of diversity in rowing so that the actions moving forward the next day can have more depth to it."
One of the most important parts of the actions taken by Owls for Justice and others looking to promote equality is to keep the conversation going. "We have encouraged everyone to continue the discussion" said Grimmer. "We have to make this more than a one-day event."
The leaders that are organizing this event have ensured that there are specific actionable items to move forward. "The men's and women's rowing teams have both updated their team contracts to create a more inclusive environment, so we are going to encourage other teams to take a look at their contracts," Hager cited as an example.
The student-athletes of the Philadelphia rowing community is a major step forward in starting and continuing the conversation around the lack of diversity in the sport. Events like this are the start towards actionable change.
#UnityRegatta2021
Players Mentioned
