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Rowing is a fantastic non-impact workout, and now, especially, burning some extra calories is not only healthy for the body but also for the mind and soul. Although we are unable to hold water practices, we've been so grateful to find homes for our ergs (indoor rowing machines) throughout our community in Stockton. The machines have landed at the homes of several instructors in Stockton Unified School District, Aspire Public Schools and the homes of both Girls Row Stockton team members and Masters athletes from DSC. Weekly virtual indoor rowing practices are being held for our members to help them maintain or improve their fitness and rowing technique. And 20 ergs from the Erg Ed Grant have found a home with our great partner, Discovery ChalleNGe Academy. The young cadets have remained on campus during quarantine. We have been conducting Erg Ed with them using these machines every Tuesday and Thursday for the past four weeks. All of this is possible thanks to The George Pocock Rowing Foundation which gave the Erg Ed Grant to SUSD and Aspire Public Schools about three years ago. Although we are unable to continue to the implementation of Erg Ed among our schools due to the pandemic, we are thrilled that we can teach the content and work with Discovery ChalleNGe Academy to achieve our collective goal for youth to find, start and stay rowing! We were honored to be a part of The Pocock Foundation's newsletter this spring. Please take a look below at their write up: Students are facing the rest of this academic year from their homes, through home-schooling or online classes. But what if your school is your home? Discovery ChalleNGe Academy is a Community High School run by the National Guard. At Discovery, students live on-campus for five of their 17 months as part of the program. Discovery serves high-school aged students from 16 to 18 years old who are at high risk of dropping out of school or having a credit deficit. In light of the COVID-19 outbreak, Discovery ChalleNGe Academy made the decision to keep all their live-in students on campus during the pandemic. Shortly before the state-wide, shelter-in-place order went into effect, 20 rowing machines had been delivered to DCA in preparation for Erg Ed. DCA requested to continue with Erg Ed as it is something that students look forward to every year and they are doing their best to continue their service and commitment to the students despite the pandemic. Pat Tirone, the Stockton Erg Ed Lead, is working with DCA to continue to teach students every Tuesday and Thursday. Armed to the teeth with personal protective equipment and cleaning supplies, Dr. Tirone and Dr. Oprandy (coaches at Delta Sculling Center) go to the school to teach and continue to serve their community during this time. Thank you to Dr. Tirone and Dr. Oprandy, and all service personnel who continue to do their jobs for others during this time! Our partners are SO important to us always, and especially during this time of social distancing. We will come out of this just as strong and focused, with enough momentum to continue to grow our mission: to make the sport of sculling accessible to everyBODY in our community, no matter the specific challenge they face, so that they can reap the physical, cognitive, emotional and spiritual benefits that the sport has to offer! If you or someone you know is searching for a recreational and fitness-focused community in San Joaquin County or perhaps in the town or city where you reside, please contact us! It is always great to connect with like-minded individuals who share in our same goals. - Bob and Pat   Comments are closed.
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