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We are excited about the growth and impact of our Jr B Sculling Camps on the US Junior National Team program. This is a unique opportunity for 14 and 15 year old athletes to get introduced to sculling in a fun and safe environment. The coaching staffs at each of the camps are all accomplished rowers and coaches from NCAA champions to former US National and Olympic Team athletes. We are proud of the impact they are having on young athletes growth in the sport of rowing and hope to extend our Jr B camp system during the coming years. At present we have one Jr B Men's camp in Saratoga, NY but we are looking to expand these opportunities over the next few years.
There are many success stories that come out of these types of camps that can be applied across genders. The most recent is Kelly Bauer, stroke of the defending Junior World Champion 8 at the 2009 Junior Worlds in France. Kelly tried her hand in sculling 3 years ago at the Saratoga Camp....even though she was from Oakland California! She stayed active in both sculling and sweep while racing for Oakland Strokes. It was this fantastic ability to not only sweep but scull that she found herself with multiple opportunities to make the US JRNT in 2009. She first went to selection camp for the quad, competed in the doubles trials, gave it all she had but came up short in her attempt to make the quad. She now turned her sights on the possibility of making her dream of racing at Jr Worlds by driving from Princeton after double trials to the sweep selection camp in New London, CT. Kelly quickly made an impact on the coaches and potential teammates by demonstrating some amazing boat moving skills that ultimately earned her the stroke seat in the eight and a gold medal in France.
As these camps expand we hope to hear more 'Kelly Bauer stories'.....ultimately it would be our goal to hear one from athletes standing on the Olympic medals podium!
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