S2E15 - Club Spotlight: Greater Columbus Rowing Association

GCRA has been on Tara's radar for a few years, after she saw adaptive rower Kristen Jackson powering through an erg piece on social media. Tara started following the club's really open and welcoming public group on Facebook, and has always been impressed with their camaraderie, presence at regattas, impassioned calls for volunteers, and shout-outs and high fives for each other.  

GCRA was founded in 1984 as a non-profit, volunteer-based organization dedicated to providing its diverse membership with safe sculling and sweep rowing opportunities. Today, it’s home to 145 members across masters and adaptive rowing programs.

GUESTS: GCRA Board President Laurie Gunzleman, LTR Coach Nicole Arrato, adaptive rower Kristen Jackson, recent LTR grad Cari Palmer, and rower and admin Sarah Stafford.

TIME STAMPS

0:00 - Introduction

4:30 - Speakmon Memorial Regatta / Cari falls in love with head racing / adaptive racing

10:45 - GCRA programs and events / LTR / Relentless Rowing Academy partnership

3:52 - What got Cari hooked during LTR

17:15 - What makes GCRA special

20:34 - How Laurie's son motivated her to learn to row

22:12 - GCRA para program thrives through COVID-19

27:25 - Learn to Row

48:40 - “Flat tire” friends

31:05 - Taking on leadership rolls

34:35 - Cari becomes an avid evangelist and roll model for her HS students

38:35 - Nicole’s perspective on rowing as a metaphor for life

40:20 - Lessons learned from rowing

41:55 - Land/water acknowledgement

46:00 - Rapid Fire Q&A