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A 2020 testimonial from one of our Freedom Rowers:
I just wanted to tell you that I’ve been on the rowing machine consistently for the last month. It’s hard to remember what you taught me, but I’m trying hard to row correctly. After rowing with the club, I kept reading literature and research on rowing. This raised my interest a lot to get back in to rowing. I already knew rowing was a good exercise, but did you know that rowers have the highest VO2 Max of all athletes. I started getting interested in this topic after seeing a young man (Jovanni Stefani) of San Francisco emerge as one of the best cyclist in his area. After “Googling” him, I found out that he was a world competitor in rowing. Go figure!!! Anyway, would you believe I’m already seeing big results on my bike after rowing a month? Beside the bike, my body is feeling better, and I’m sleeping better. I guess the worst thing I’m going through is that I’m always hungry. Literally, I need to eat every hour! Well, needless to say, rowing put a new spin on my life. Knowing the health benefits, learning how to row from the club, and experiencing the beauty of rowing on the water, I actually see myself rowing, not cycling, the rest of my life. Pat, I will never forget what you taught me, and I will never forget all of the kind people I met. Thank you "I'm not thinking about, I AM 100% committed to supporting the work of DSC. I had no idea I was dropping into this great, super-charged organization when I started volunteering and rowing with DSC. I am constantly amazed at the scope and impact of the DSC programs. And, am awestruck by the dedicated, hardworking volunteers."   Valdez Washington, one of several adaptive rowers at the Delta Sculling Center, was a high school and community college track star in 200-, 400- and 800-meter races. Because of a serious injury, he suspended his track ambitions. But he was able, instead, to turn his athletic passion to sculling at DSC. When he first began his workouts on an erg (land rowing machine), he had difficulty walking and getting on to and off of an erg without losing his balance. Now he is not only becoming powerful on the erg, needing no assistance whatsoever, but he is also becoming confident on the water, rowing both in an Alden wide-bodied boat for beginners and in a MAAS double. He is considered an LTA rower, an adaptive rowing category that stands for “Legs, Trunk and Arms.” With all his accomplishments in just two months at DSC, he left the following note for Coach Pat:
“Pat, thank you so much for everything that you have done for me. I never thought I would love anything as much as Track; Rowing is definitely getting up there.” July, 2014 update: Valdez now rows a WinTech Explorer 21 without pontoons alone during practices and with pontoons during races! Duke began sculling only in January 2013. He's a natural! So natural that just about a month ago, so passionate about sculling, he purchased himself a used Kaschper single racing shell. He's finally been able to get himself into his shell, held back by a surgery. As soon as he is completely healed, nothing will stop him! Watch out sculling world - here comes Duke!  Duke MacGill is well on his way to being part of Concept2's "Million Meter Club" in less than a year from starting our sport. Last Spring he was walking his dog up a slippery boat ramp, slipped and tore his rotator cuff. He just had a surgical repair less than six weeks ago and his left arm is in a sling, 24-7! Here's how he's continuing to erg, not using his arms, just pushing with his legs (one a prosthesis, mind you) and swinging his trunk! I know plenty of folks rowing for a good long while who can't achieve a 2:47 split even using four intact extremities! P.S. That's Duke in the blue shirt in the right hand photo above! |
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