SLRC NEWSLETTER
September 2025
Welcome to the September issue of the SLRC Newsletter.
It’s a busy month at SLRC as Juniors resume practice, Fall tryouts commence, and we prepare for the Head Race Season.
We’ll hear from Coach Duncan about the recovery and how to make effective adjustments, and in October, we’re partnering with Arch Oars to host Learn-to-row workshops for breast cancer survivors.
Master’s practice. September 2025.
Board Announcements
Interested in Joining the Events Committee?
We are looking for volunteers (adults and parents) who are interested in joining an events committee to organize social events. We’ll be sending out a club-wide email, but in the meantime, if you’re interested, reach out to any of the follwing:
Isabelle Kopec – vicepresident@stlouisrowingclub.com
Brook Palanca – jrboys@stlouisrowingclub.com
Mandy Luke – jrgirls@stlouisrowingclub.com
JD Miller – communications@stlouisrowingclub.com
Fall Regattas
Music City Head Race: Nashville, TN, Oct. 10-11 Adult Masters and Varsity Only
Blake Haxton Fall Regatta: Columbus, OH, Oct 24-25 Varsity and Novice
Head of the Hooch: Chattanooga, TN, Oct 31-Nov 1 Adult Masters and Select Varsity
Juniors News
We’re Looking for Volunteers
- Travel coordinator
- Merchandise Coordinator
- Regatta Supervisor
- Food Team
Please reach out to a parent board member if interested:
Brook Palanca – jrboys@stlouisrowingclub.com
Mandy Luke – jrgirls@stlouisrowingclub.com
JD Miller –communications@stlouisrowingclub.com
Fall Tryouts
Fall Tryouts begin with an intro session on Sept. 13 or 14 from 3-5pm, followed by a 2 week tryout period from Sept. 15-27th. More information can be found here.
SLRC + ARCH OARS
Offering free rowing workshops for breast cancer survivors!
You can do hard things. You don't need to do them alone.
All new this year, we will be piloting a Learn-to-Row session specifically for cancer survivors! Our Arch-Oars Cancer Survivor Learn-to-Row program is an introductory rowing experience. This 10-session program will follow a similar outline as our spring classes and will be focused on teaching the fundamentals in a supportive, inclusive environment. Details (exact dates, cost, etc.) are still being finalized, but while we work that out, you can register your interest here:
The Survivor Rowing Network was launched in 2023 with a simple goal: provide opportunities for patients and survivors of all cancers to find strength, joy, confidence and community through rowing.
Upcoming Events
Don’t forget to check the calendar for upcoming events. We’ll keep this up-to-date with all things SLRC, and remember, you can use the subscribe button on the calendar page to sync the SLRC calendar to your favorite app!
Coach's Corner
Each month we’ll use this space as a sounding board for our coaches. This month, coach John Duncan has some pointers on recovery speed!
A Breakdown of the Recovery:
Manipulating Recovery Speed to Facilitate Change in the Stroke
John Duncan
Rowing is a systematic sport that, at first glance, should be universal in execution as it is in its methodology. However, it is not uncommon to see two crews utilize the same basic drive mechanics and principles yet have two overall strokes that look completely different. This difference, I’ve found, is based mainly on how crews approach the recovery.
The recovery can loosely be defined as any time the blade is not in the water. Rowers are all too familiar with the “arms, body, legs” movements that occur between a rower’s tap down to release and the final shins vertical position as the blade re-enters the water at the catch. However, the timing of the recovery contains nuance and crews from all levels have found success manipulating their techniques to fit their goals. Teams have found equal success using a slight pause at the finish just as often as those that focus on speeding their hands aways from the body after the drive. While there are pros and cons to all techniques – there is one factor that is more vital to a successful recovery than the rest:
The recovery must be executed in unison – with each rower performing the same motion at the same time.
There is one small problem with the above mantra. How does each rower perform the same as their counterpart when the rowers themselves are so different from one another. The answer that I have created to solve this dilemma is to break down the recovery beyond the simple “arms, body, and legs” movement and focus on adjusting slide speed to synchronize each rower’s body position across 5 stages: arms away, body’s over, quarter slide, half slide, and three-quarter slide. Viewing the recovery in more minute stages allows rowers to focus on the finer adjustments and manipulate their speed to more precisely sync the positions of not just their arms, body and legs – but also their elbows, shoulders, and knees.
Using this thought process, rowers can fully control the recovery to best prepare for the drive in unison with their team. For the first stage, instead of seeing the start of the recovery as a time to push out with their arms, rowers should instead diagnose if their elbow position is similar to the stern. Rowers should then unhinge the elbow to be fully extended at the same time as stern pair. For the second stage, rowers should synchronize the beginning and ending of their shoulder swing to reach “body’s over” in unison. For each of the leg stages, knee and shin positions should transition from straight shins to shins vertical to reach quarter slide (knees halfway to 90 degrees), half slide (knees at 90 degrees), and three-quarter slide (knees halfway between 90 degrees and shins vertical). Rowers of different proportions can manipulate the speed needed to sync each of these points across the recovery. Rowers with longer legs or wingspans may need to speed up one or all stages to better synchronize with stern pair while shorter rowers may need to slow down.
Once mastered, this simple shift in viewing the recovery allows for better adjustments as well as easier integrations into other crews with different strokes or different rowers. If confronted with a need to change your recovery, breaking it down to these 5 stages allows rowers to zero in on the exact change needed. Row with a crew with a pause at the release? Time the pause and take note of the increased speed of the knees between the last 3 stages. Is your torso shorter than your fellow rowers? Slow down your “body’s over” lean to sync that stage with your crew while keeping all other stages constant. While finding where and what adjustments are needed during the recovery may seem daunting, breaking the technique down to more specific stages gives rowers a toolkit to diagnose and make those changes.
WE WANT YOUR VIDEOS AND PICS
We’re always looking for fresh content for the websites and socials, so if you’ve taken videos or pics at practices or regattas please share them with us. You can just click the email below and let ‘er rip. If you’ve got a video that’s too big to email, no problem, just let us know in an email that you’ve got an epic film to share with us and we’ll get you an upload link.
Thanks and can’t wait to see what you’ve got!!
Meet Our Members
Annalynn Janes
Junior Rower (since 2022)
What do you love about rowing?
I love the community, winning, and growth over the seasons.
How did you get into rowing?
My mom encouarged me to try out!
What has been your favorite rowing experience/memory?
My favorite rowing memories are the novice bus rides with my teammates.
What is your favorite regatta and why?
My favorite regatta is the Dogwood. The landscape is breathtaking and the course is beautiful.
What do you like to do when you’re not rowing?
When I am not rowing I love ceramics, crocheting, drawing, painting, singing, and acting!
Tom Albert
Adult Rower (since 2017)
What do you love about rowing?
I love the whole process of improving as a group and competing at a high level.
How did you get into rowing?
I rowed as a college freshman many years ago then decided to pick it up again when my daughter got interested in the SLRC junior program .
What has been your favorite rowing experience/memory?
The one time Tim gave me a compliment.
What is your favorite regatta and why?
Any good sprint race, especially Masters Nationals, because sprints are sprints.
What do you like to do when you’re not rowing?
Fix oars?