In the sport of rowing, you may be recruited in one of three ways: You may be recruited as a rower/coxswain, recruited as an athlete, or by walking onto a team.

Some tips if you are currently a rower or coxswain:

• Be active in your search and be your own advocate. Do not wait for schools to contact you. Let coaches know that you are interested early on and showcase your potential.
• See if your high school coach has any connections to a collegiate program that you're interested in.
• Keep your grades up! Crew programs have extremely high standards when it comes to academics.
• If invited, attend the USRowing Junior National Team Selection Camp or a regional development camp. This is an indicator that you could become a top rower/coxswain.
• A major advantage in the recruiting process is to send a highlight video to coaches. A surprisingly large amount of rowers do not send video. This could set you apart.
• As a rower, always list your 2K times in your first correspondence. Continue to send updates if you pull faster times.

Some programs will recruit individuals who excel as an athlete and train them to be a rower.

• Make sure this is something you are fully willing to commit to! Ask yourself this… “If I didn't row here, would I still like this college?”
• To be recruited as an athlete, start by sending emails to various coaches asking about their programs. You may begin as early as the summer before your senior year.
• If you don't have 2K test times to send to a recruit, it will be best if you send other tests that you've completed. For instance, a timed mile.
• If you decide to commit, you could be put on the novice team to develop your skills as a rower.

Lastly, being a walk-on is a popular way of joining a crew team. 

You'll be required to try out for the novice team to assess what skills you currently have.

• Your time in the novice program will begin to develop your skills so you can continue on to varsity.
• Assistant coaches typically run the walk-on program. If you are interested, reach out to coaches and let them know you're interested in joining and learning the next steps.
  • If you fully intend to join early on, contact coaches before your fall semester begins! This way you'll be cleared with the NCAA sooner. The process is terribly long if you don't get official documents before practice starts.
• The novice team actively looks for recruits throughout the year. Look for information sessions on your campus, if you decide not to join before the semester begins.

* Originally published on September 20, 2016, by LRT Staff