Community Rowing Adaptive Rowing Program
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There is really nothing so intoxicating as getting out on the water and rowing a boat! This is an experience that everyone should have - everyone. Differently-abled does not mean unable!

Welcome to the CRI Adaptive Rowing site. Consistent with our mission of “rowing for all,” Community Rowing provides specific programs for adaptive athletes who have physical or intellectual challenges. With the newly opened Harry Parker Boathouse our programs are expanding both in terms of range of participants who can be accommodated as well as breadth of programs.

Our Adaptive Rowing philosophy has been to establish programs designed to accommodate two fundamental participant groups: rowers with physical disabilities and rowers who are intellectually challenged. All our programs
do not require any previous experience.

The on-the-water programs utilize rowing shells - singles, doubles and fours - that are specially configured to accommodate adaptive athletes, as well as rowing “barges” that are also used for a range of disabilities, including visually impaired/blind rowers, and rowers with intellectual disabilities.

Program Structure

On the Water Programs

• Introduction to Adaptive Rowing: Rowers work with qualified instructors to learn the basics of adaptive equipment configurations, getting in and out of a rowing shell, and the fundamentals of the rowing stroke appropriate to the athlete’s capabilities. Adaptive athletes will row with a typical rower in a double rowing shell, with the goal of rowing independently in a specially configured single.

• Special Rowing: Rowers with intellectual disabilities will learn the fundamentals of the rowing stroke and generally utilize the training barge with multiple instructors. Depending on the rower’s progress and abilities, Special Rowing may also include rowing in regular four-person rowing shells with typically-abled rowers.

Indoor Programs

• Our indoor programs focus on learning the fundamentals of the rowing stroke, general strength and conditioning. We run this program during the winter season

• The indoor program is conducted at the Harry Parker Boathouse, utilizing Concept II ergometers that can be configured to accommodate the adaptive athlete. As is the case with the most experienced rowers, the “erg” provides a great instructional mechanism as well as physical conditioning, and makes the transition to water that much smoother for all.

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For more information on all of CRI’s Adaptive Rowing programs please contact adaptive@communityrowing.org