Artemis Rowing

My son started rowing with this club in 5^th grade; now, as a 9^th grader, he is already talking about colleges for which he wants to row. I can’t say enough about rowing for Artemis — these kids have an incredibly strong bond because of this sport and are truly a family to each other. For someone his age, my son’s level of fitness is unparalleled, as is his focus and diligence both on and off the water, which I credit to rowing.
Artemis is primarily a sculling club, which means rowers use two oars, creating a symmetrical effort through the body. The coaches are of the highest caliber — my son’s coach rowed through high school and was a top-​ranked rower at Harvard under the legendary coach Harry Parker; the girls’ team coach has been coaching elite rowers for years, including junior world champions, and most recently traveled to the world championships to coach a quad. And last spring, Artemis revived its middle school program, which is thriving and bursting at the seams with young rowers ready to get racing!
Artemis and its rowers represent the diversity — all kinds — of this city, truly dispelling the notion that it’s an elitist sport. If you’re looking for a rowing program where your child will thrive, feel supported, be challenged, and experience the thrill of pushing past his/​her perceived limits, look no further than Artemis.

Artemis Rowing is a great youth rowing program! When my children started rowing in middle school I focused on clubs that taught sculling (two oar rowing) since rowing in singles and doubles allowed them to develop excellent boat handling skills and balance. In addition, sculling works muscles more symmetrically than sweep rowing since it uses both arms in tandem. Artemis has great coaches who are adept at both sweep rowing and sculling and that have been successful at every level in rowing (high school, college, and national team). They are patient with the kids and really take the time to pass along their experiences. Another benefit of Artemis is the organization and responsibility aspect that kids are taught. I always marvel at how efficient they become at getting out on the water. With very little direction they all know to start moving the oars down to the dock, get their boat assignments, adjust the boats, and launch on their own. Amazing! I would highly recommend Artemis if you are in the East Bay and looking to get your kids started in the sport of rowing!

Artemis Rowing is a fantastic rowing organization. The coaches are very skilled and knowledgeable, and create an atmosphere that is supportive and encouraging to everyone involved with the program. These coaches give everyone the opportunity to develop their enthusiasm for rowing by pairing novice rowers with more experienced rowers during workouts. The team welcomes beginners with open arms, and also offers scholarships. They have done a lot of outreach into the community, bringing in kids from all over Oakland, Alameda, and Berkeley.
My daughter joined the team in 2011 when she was in 7^th grade, and has had very positive experiences with her coaches and teammates. The sport demands a lot of responsibility on the part of the athletes, and this has proved to be a character building endeavor for her. She has great respect for her coaches, and has learned that she is capable of setting and achieving goals.
If you want to get a feel for the team, come down the Jack London Aquatic Center any afternoon M-​F at about 4:00 when the kids are getting the boats into the water. Sit back and watch… You will be amazed at their skill in handling this equipment, and you will witness their joy, and also see for yourself how great the coaches are with the kids.
Much of this is due to our great coaches, Peter, Dan and James, who manage the team with love. They are extremely committed to the welfare and growth of the team, and of the sport in general. Crew is often thought of as an elite sport, but they are doing everything they can to dispel this notion.