From the President: Board Meeting Tonight, July 11, where Youth Rowing Program Will Be Discussed

Editor's note: there have already been two responses to this proposal that have been delivered to the membership via email, one from Ann Boucher and one from Norm Thetford. Both are long-term members of the club, and each has a different perspective that you might find useful to consider, particularly if you are coming to tonight's meeting. Please check your email in box, as an in-house discussion between the membership ought not to be broadcast to the entire internet. If you have not received these emails, please contact John Poole about getting on the Yahoo newsgroups. We have also edited the legal advice on zoning and liability from the original email sent out by Eric Danneman, since advice informally given also ought not to be publicized; talented friends who give us advice need some guarantee of confidentiality. That legal advice can be easily obtained from the original email, which as a club member you should have received via the newsgroup.

To: NHRC members
From: Eric Dannemann, President
RE: Youth Rowing Proposal from Hopkins School

As you may know, your Board has been discussing the issues regarding a proposal from the Hopkins School in New Haven to establish a youth rowing program at our boathouse. Although a majority of the board thinks this is a good idea, there are differing viewpoints on this issue and the Board feels it would be appropriate to get a sense of the membership about the issues.

A formal youth rowing program would entail more structure than the informal junior rowing activities or the Learn-to-Row programs we have had in the past. The students would row in the afternoons, have their own coach and, eventually, their own equipment. They would likely go to some regattas, especially in the fall, and participate in some club activities, such as staffing the Derby Sweeps and Head of the Housatonic regattas. There is also the possibility that a Hopkins coach might be interested in coaching at NHRC. Hopkins is proposing to handle the logistics itself and pay us $20,000 per year for the use of our equipment and facilities.

During the Board discussions, several key issues have been identified:

[Two issues removed here]

Operationally, the impact should be minimal: the students would be rowing on weekday afternoons and late morning on Saturdays and using boats such as the LIGI or the ‘88 that are not normally used by the club. Hopkins would be responsible for repairing any damage to equipment. Members of the Club have agreed, on a voluntary basis, to be on hand to let the students in and supervise them while they are on site, until such time that the Board feels comfortable with the Hopkins coaching staff. The students would not be using the showers or locker rooms and would be limited to toilets and the ergs, if needed.

In addition to the obvious benefit of additional revenue, the club might stand to benefit from several indirect effects. In time the school might be expected to acquire new boats and may be willing to share their use during the off-season, in much the way that we use the two fours from Choate during the summer. The parents of the students might become interested themselves and take up rowing, helping to build our membership, however you should know that some members of the Board have expressed reservations about this, thinking that parents who join the club could exert undue influence were they to join and become Board members. If this were a general concern, we might restrict parents of student members from serving on the board.

Several other clubs successfully have combined active youth programs with masters rowing programs. Some examples are the Cambridge Rowing club in Boston, and the Saugatuck, Norwalk River and Maritime rowing clubs in Connecticut. In each case the members feel that the club has benefited from the school program.

In conclusion, hosting a youth rowing program is a change from the way the club has operated in the past; there are benefits, both tangible and intangible, and legitimate risks and concerns. Please contact me with your approval or disapproval at your earliest convenience. I would like to have responses from a majority of the members by the end of July. If you wish to discuss any issue in more depth, you may contact me or any member of the Board.

Depending on your response, after a few weeks of such discussion, I will ask the Board to vote on this proposal.

There will be a board meeting on Wednesday the 11th, and this subject will be on the agenda. As usual, all members are invited to attend Board meetings.

Thank you for your willingness to consider this important issue.

Eric Dannemann
President