Keep Lightweight Rowing in the High School Level

I am extremely saddened and to be honest somewhat disgusted with this proposal from RCA. The goal of rowing at the high school level should be to promote fitness, fun and provide the unique opportunity for young people to become involved and hopefully fall in love with rowing. This becomes even more important with the rise of childhood obesity in our North American society. Limiting participation in sport should NEVER be the goal of any National Sport organization. I seriously question the rational for this proposal. Does RCA and the rowing clubs not benefit in part from the fees these athletes pay to participate? Does RCA not realize that a lightweight high school rower might grow and develop into a competitive heavyweight with normal growth? Where does RCA think competitive University lightweight rowers receive development and training if not from high school programs? Or is RCA trying to end this program/participation as well? Why does RCA think lightweight rowing at the high school level is such a detriment to the sport and/or their organization? And why has RCA changed it’s focus to that of solely supporting talent identification of national team athletes? I realize this is important, but I also strongly feel that Canadian children and adults of ALL SIZES should still be allowed to participate and compete in this beautiful sport. I demand RCA immediately change it’s position on this issue.

I rowed for 10 years as a lightweight, and I did not develop an eating disorder, nor did i suffer from any negative effects... lets look at some other underlying issues that may be coming up rather than just blame it on a weight category... at 5"4 there is no way i could have competed with heavy weight women, but I thrived as a lightweight, wining Henley every year of my rowing career...

8 years ago Featured

There is a huge proportion of high school kids who are lightweight category as many are just hitting puberty in grade 9. The category gives them a place to compete and fall in love with the sport. It gets more kids rowing.

This would be a travesty for the sport locally and internationally

This would be a shame...

Trust RCA to limit rowing to elite athletes not inclusive! However with this proposal where are the elite athletes going to come from??

8 years ago Featured

We lost the fight to keep lightweight rowing under 19 in the summer competitive level. Let's not let them do it again to the detriment of rowing and our smaller, younger oarspeople who love the sport.

This category gives people who were never meant to be in a heavy weight category a chance to be competitive. Although someone should not row simply because there is a medal waiting for them at the end of a season rowing in a category with people similar to your stature allows the lightweights to have the same kind of competitive atmosphere as a heavy weights. From personal experience rowing lightweight I know rowing in your own category makes the sport that much more enjoyable when you are surrounded with people similar to you and gives you that fair chance. In an open category most lightweights will never get the true feeling of being in a competitive race!

It would be a travesty to think about how many kids would be denied the incredible experiences that rowing has provided this lightweight. It was always a highly competitive program in my day, from Niagara clear across the country and with our fellow competitors that came to challenge us from the states.

8 years ago Featured

My son won CSSRA gold in the lightweight category last year. Aside from the pride, cutting athletes will eliminate future coaches and volunteers for our sport. Also will impact club revenues as school feeds summer which feeds fall programs.

What ever helps keep the sport alive and thriving

Keep lightweight alive

Please consider all comments Many heavyweights start off as lightweights in their early years. Without the lightweight category many will forgo our sport for another.

Keep the weight classes don’t get rid of them

Lightweight rowers at the high school level take up at least half, if not more, of the enrollment. This category gives everyone a chance. Eliminating this category will also eliminate the enrollment into the sport. I am a mother of a lightweight rower, bordering on flyweight and already finds it difficult to race with other lightweights who border on heavyweight. Seriously, what chance do these lightweight rowers have now other than frustration. What kind of message do you think thus will project on these kids? Gain weight and fast?? Now how exactly do you think that is going to work out and how many kids are going to get hurt in the process. Seriously... what a ridiculous move.

I support lightweight rowing

Keep lightweight rowing at the high school level

Keep lwt

I am a lightweight rower this season. I’m in grade 10 and have previously been a coxie and hoped to row this year. If there is no lightweight category then I don’t stand a change #keeplightweight

I think that removing weight class would be horrible for my rowing expierience.