Numerous studies have show that in our daily lives we function much better if we have regular exercise.  A sedentary lifestyle has even been shown to shorten our life span.  The relationship between exercise and our ability to work and create more productivity is no longer questioned.

So it is no surprise that businesses around the world sponsor all manner of activities, from softball teams and 10k runs to on-site tai chi and fully equipped fitness centers.  Some progressive companies even encourage employees to exercise on work time!  Business knows that providing regular exercise opportunities benefits both an employee and an employer.

Anyone who rows regularly knows that it is among the healthiest athletic activities for mind, body, and spirit.  Companies may find rowing and attractive activity because of all the explicit connections to the experience of teamwork and cooperation.  Image-conscious businesses appreciate that the visual appeal of a shell gracefully sweeping across a body of water set against almost any background is a sight pleasing to just about everyone, including the media.

The resurgent interest in rowing in communities all around this country has engendered corporate rowing programs, and these programs will become more popular in the years ahead.  This article reviews how two community-oriented rowing clubs operate their corporate rowing programs:  the Three Rivers Rowing Association in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and the Bayside Rowing Club in Toronto, Canada.

The Three Rivers Rowing Association began its corporate rowing program in 1992.  Its program follows a somewhat traditional route in that its main objective is to create a year-round health and fitness activity that offers participants opportunities for recreation and competition.

Though members of a corporate crew may scull and even kayak, corporate rowing at TRRA focuses on sweep rowing.  At least five individuals from the same business are required to form a corporate crew.  Membership in TRRA (at $240 a year) follows the corporation, that is, if one person drops out for any reason, another person can take over the membership.  So in a way, there is satisfaction guaranteed!

Membership provides access to all club shells, indoor equipment (weight room, ergs), lockers, and showers.  Club shells include six 8 + ‘s, four 4 + ‘s, two 4x's, and more than a dozen singles and doubles.  The boathouse, located on a beautifully redeveloped island in the Allegheny River only minutes from downtown Pittsburgh, provides more than 15,000 square feet of boat storage space.  It is home to five college and university crews and 11 high school rowing programs.  Corporate crews have the opportunity to be exposed to all levels of rowing.  Many corporate members have children rowing on one of the other crews!

During a corporate member's first year there is about a 35 percent discount, which helps to promote the program.  A package includes the annual membership, a dedicated locker for each member, an orientation tailored to the company's schedule and sweep rowing lessons (eight one-hour sessions).

During the second year of rowing, the corporate membership renewal is about 20 percent off the regular price.  The corporate crew may hire a coach on its own or find one through the apprentice coach program of TRRA's Coach's and Coxswain's Institute.

Members of a corporate crew generally have at least three outings per week.  After their novice year, they are encouraged to row once or twice a week with the masters men's or women's programs and have at least one outing per week as a corporate crew with a specific coach.  In this way, skills may be improved for both the individual rower and the entire crew.

Corporate crews are designed to function year-round and may compete for corporate cups in three TRRA-sponsored events: the Pittsburgh Indoor Rowing Championship in February, the Lottie McAlice Stake Race in July, and the Head of the Ohio in October.  During June, July, and August, corporate crews may compete against each other in a series of match boat sprints where points are earned and prizes awarded.

TRRA would eventually like each corporate crew to help sponsor one of the other TRRA programs designed for special populations, that is, adaptive, blind, senior, Special Olympics, or youth rowing programs.

The diversity of corporate crews at TRRA is interesting.  Currently, the crews are from Bestall Upholstery, Mercy Hospital (our partners in running the Head of the Ohio), federal employees mostly from the FBI and the attorney's office (the Federales), the Pittsburgh Ballet (no females yet as their dance master is afraid their shoulders will get too big!), the Mattress  Factory (a nonprofit installation art gallery), and Heinz (currently the dominant crew helped along by excellent coaching, and because of their proximity to the boathouse, the opportunity to row during the lunch hour).

Bayside Rowing club in Toronto, Ontario, has built its success on corporate rowing.  In its short history, Bayside has become the third-largest rowing club in Canada with a membership of more than 1,200.  Begun in 1993, Bayside's corporate program helps to fund other club programs, including the entire youth rowing program that serves more than 300 less fortunate young people from age 11 up-many of whom live in the inner city.

All of Bayside's shells have been purchased through the corporate rowing program.  Club equipment, which serves the master's programs as well as the youth programs, currently includes fourteen 8+s, eight 4+s, ten doubles, and more than a dozen small boats.

Bayside is located on the industrial side of Toronto. Members row in a basically defunct shipping channel about 2,500 meters long, straight, and wide enough for six lanes!  Though they currently store their equipment on outdoor racks, Bayside will soon have a brand new boathouse.  Dominic Kahn, former coxswain and rower, is Bayside's director and gained a lot of his experience from managing a squash club.  During the first year of the corporate program, they expected 100 people to show interest.  When more than four times that number signed up, they knew that they were on to something good.  All of Dominic's managing experience would be called upon to make the program successful.

Bayside's corporate rowing program is more like a summer softball league in its organization than a typical rowing program.  Rowing clubs that are tradition-bound may have a little problem with the Bayside model as it tends not to produce "serious rowers."  Out of 700 corporate rowers, only about 30 will stick with rowing year-round.  However, 90 percent of the 40 corporate teams will be back next summer for another once-a-week rowing experience.  These participants will sell corporate rowing to most of the new programs that will start.  Who can argue with success?

Bayside charges $165 per rower for the ten-week program.  To form a corporate crew, it requires that fourteen individuals from the same organization sign up.  Beginning in May and usually concluding at the end of July, crews show up once a week for one of three daily time slots beginning at 5:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday.

For the first five weeks, the crew will learn to row under the direction of an experienced coxswain.  Up to fourteen 8 + ‘s may be out at about the same time and will receive instruction from three coaches who work among the crews on the water.  The next five weeks will be spent racing against the other corporate crews and competing for points and overall trophies and medals.

The results are posted and become the object of great scrutiny and comparison!  After each evening's row, the corporate crews may take advantage of an optional barbecue and the opportunity to engage in a process not unfamiliar to any other rower: dissecting the row and planning strategy for the next race.

According to Dominic, there are three basic rules: (1) safety first, (2) rowing must be fun, and (3) everyone must help.  Coxswains and coaches are volunteers from the club and are essential for such a huge effort to be successful as it is.  Apart from the satisfaction of their jobs, the volunteers, most of whom are masters rowers, recognize that the growth and success of their entire organization is due in large part to the corporate rowing program.

As for the corporate participants, Dominic freely admits that their rowing may not be pretty, but they have a great time. Furthermore, as the program continues to grow and more members return or join the masters programs at Bayside, the overall skills and competitive success against other clubs will improve.

The biggest drawback is that with limited dock space there is a wait while the beginner crews prepare to shove off.  Somehow one gets the impression that Bayside's rather congested docks (clearly a measure of the corporate program's success) is a problem that these enthusiastic and innovative Canadians will soon solve.  Bayside's corporate program is one that is available for consultation: 416-345-9175.

Anyone who would like to exchange information about their corporate rowing programs are encouraged to send e-mail to mplambert@aol.com.

With your permission, we will post your information on the Three Rivers Rowing Association Web site (http://www.maya.com/local/mazur/trra.html) which is also linked to our corporate rowing Web site (http://www.nauticom.net/www/salesman). Your comments, suggestions, and ideas will be appreciated by those who have a corporate rowing program or plan to develop one.