Dave Frost, Board Member, Community Rowing of San Diego

Community Rowing, the George Pocock Rowing Foundation, and San Diego’s Unified Port District have teamed up to keep San Diegans moving and thriving during the pandemic through the enjoyment of “socially distant” sports and activities on the water.

• Last June, Community Rowing hosted a virtual Learn to Row Day for 25 San Diegans enabled by a San Diego County Community Enhancement Program (CEP) grant. This free community event brought students and coaches together for indoor rowing and floor exercises using proper techniques. It culminated in remote rowing competitions and free prize drawings. 
• In July and August of 2020, Community Rowing co-hosted Scholastic Rowing camps with Elite Academy at the Port’s Aquatic Center in National City. They safely combined rowing/kayaking/stand-up paddleboard lessons with academic instruction for 50 youth. 
• In the fall, Community Rowing managed a 10-week Fall Rowing Camp at Fiesta Island’s Youth Aquatic Center for 55 high school student-athletes. In addition, as good stewards of our coastal environment, 15 Community Rowing volunteers cleared many bags of debris and trash from the Sweetwater Channel.
• They completed successful Summer and Fall Aquatic Camps for 110 youth with zero reported COVID-19 incidents.
• In February 2021, Community Rowing began its Winter afterschool rowing lessons for individuals, again with a stringent focus on social and physical distancing.

As an increasing number of residents start to get out more, Community Rowing of San Diego and its partners can help residents to be healthy, safe, and thrive. San Diegans and visitors can take aquatic lessons under stringent COVID-19 safety protocols at the National City Aquatic Center, an ideal gateway to the wonderful waters of South San Diego Bay. Individual or small group lessons are available in kayaks, rowing craft, or on standup paddleboards. 

Visit the Community Rowing website for standard lesson prices.  Scholarships are available. Community Rowing is fortunate to have formal partners and charitable contributors to keep its operational costs low. Learn more about how you can participate, volunteer, or support Community Rowing of San Diego, by clicking here.