Crew comes to Rumson
Rowing program begins next month, funded by rec funds, donations
BY LAYLI WHYTE
Staff Writer

Rumson

RUMSON - With its latest fund-raising effort yielding more than $225,000, the Rumson Crew Program has received a great deal of community support.

John Hird, supervisor of the borough's Parks and Recreation Department, co-founded the crew program with Dan Edwards, a lifelong rower, who will act as head coach for the program.

"We're really just starting out," Hird said Monday. "We're just feeling our way."

The rowing program is only available to high school students from Rumson and Fair Haven, but the hope is to eventually expand the program to children in grades seven and eight, as well as adults.

"We're going to have boats in the water [for high school students] as soon as the weather breaks in March," said Hird. "In the summer, we are looking to have a week of rowing camp in the mornings for seventh- and eighth-graders, as well as more practice for high school students. Then, in the fall, we'll have another season for high school students. We've had a lot of adults interested as well, and we're still trying to figure out how we're going to work that out."

There are close to 90 middle and high school students who have already shown interest in the program, and many private donations have already been received to help fund the equipment needed, which can be quite expensive.

According to an equipment list on the Rumson Parks and Recreation Web site, the program would need a total of nearly $150,000 worth of equipment for a program of between 40 and 60 participants.

Rumson Rowing is a cooperative program sponsored by the borough's Parks and Recreation Department and additional funding from private donations.

Edwards and his family have donated a used Empacher eight-man shell, and additional funds have been received by other donors to purchase a Vespoli racing shell, which costs about $32,000.

"We've already done quite a bit of fundraising," said Hird, who said that he drew $27,500 from the borough's recreation fund, and had originally hoped to just get some matching funds from the community in the form of donations.

"We've far exceeded the matching funds," he said. "There has been a lot of interest and a lot of community support for the program. As time went on, there was more and more interest."

Hird said that much of the equipment is custom-made, that accounts for its expense. He has already begun to purchase some equipment, including an instructional barge, which, unlike the rowing shells, can accommodate 12 students, and handle rougher water.

"Most of the time the river is smooth," said Hird, "but sometimes, it can get a little choppy. This barge can handle that, and we use it for beginners, until they get accustomed."

Hird said that there are eight ergometer machines, referred to as "erg's" in the basement of Bingham Hall, which simulate the movements of rowing, and will be used, starting in February, to condition students who have signed up for the program before they get into the barge and shells on the river in the spring.

Hird said he and Edwards are in the process of putting together a registration form and setting up the fee structure for the program.

"We'll be getting those to the high school soon," Hird said.

He emphasized that the program is being run by the Parks and Recreation Department, not the high school, although the program has been promoted with the school's help.

Hird said that his son had been involved in rowing in both high school and college, and that parents tend to be great supporters of these programs.

"In most organizations like this," he said, "there is a really strong parent-run booster club, and they help with the fundraising."

Hird said that once the program is underway, there will be travel teams formed, which will compete against other high school students throughout the state.

"People in the community really want to see this come off," he said.

Donations to the program can be made to the Rumson Endowment Fund specifying the rowing program on the memo line of the check.