In a remarkable display of their commitment and dedication, the Oakland Strokes fielded a club record 69 athletes across nine boats in the US Rowing Youth National Championships. Six of those nine boats made the A final for their respective events, demonstrating the program’s quality across age categories and boat classes. This massive showing, the largest in the club’s history, saw them compete against over 8,000 athletes from 224 clubs across the nation.
On the Women’s side, the Varsity 8 finished 11th overall in the largest event of the competition, surpassing 20 other clubs. The 2V 8+ from the Strokes finished 7th overall, U17 8+ finished 6th, and U16 8+ finished 5th. Women’s Head Coach Allison Ray expressed her pride in the team’s performance, highlighting the depth of their strength and skill and the unwavering support they provided to each other. “The Oakland women have demonstrated the depth of our strength and skill. More importantly, we have witnessed how 36 athletes can support each other in every way. Building a team requires trust and passion. I’m immensely proud of all of them.”
On the Men’s side, the Youth 4- won the National title, posting a smashing time of 6:29.90 and besting the other 29 top clubs from the country. The Men’s Youth 8+ also reached the podium, finishing 3rd overall. The Men’s 2V 8+ finished 22nd, U17 2x finished 8th, and the Men’s U16 8+ finished 9th. Men’s Head Coach, Jovan Jovanovich, expressed his pride in the team’s performance, saying, “This victory is a testament to our athletes’ hard work and dedication. I couldn’t be prouder of them.”
Overall, the week was a resounding success for the club, a testament to the relentless efforts of these young athletes and the coaching staff throughout the year. With 37 Seniors graduating and embarking on their rowing journeys across the country at various D1, 2 & 3 programs, the future shines brightly. The younger crews are poised to build upon the experience and success of this year, and a new wave of rowers is set to join the High School program from the Middle School team. If you or someone you know is interested in learning more about rowing and how you can try it out, whether it is through one of our Learn to Row summer programs or testing it out in the fall, check out Oaklandstrokes.org for more information.
