Learn more about Dayton Regional Rowing, the nation’s only Community Olympic Development Program for the sport, at this inaugural event.
A new event, Try Rowing Olympic Day, will be held from 10 am to 4 pm Saturday, June 25, at Eastwood MetroPark Lake, 1401 Harshman Road. The event marks the first time Five Rivers MetroParks has participated in the national Olympic Day.
After a brief lesson about rowing, safety and boats used, participants will join experienced rowers and give the sport a try on the lake. On land, participants also can practice rowing on ergometers and learn about the difference between a sweep boat and a sculling boat, who a coxswain is, and why Dayton was selected as home for the nation’s first Community Olympic Development Program (CODP) for rowing. Members of the Dayton Boat Club and Greater Dayton Rowing Association will help youth and adults, regardless of skill level, try rowing.
Also at Try Rowing Olympic Day, participants will get psyched for the 2016 Summer Olympics by meeting an Olympian, who will talk about what it’s like to be a professional athlete who’s participated in the games:
Anna Goodale competed with the rowing team in the 2008 summer Olympics and won a gold medal in the women’s eight. She has won prestigious awards in numerous competitions, including gold medals in the World Rowing Championships and the Rowing World Cup. She served on the National Rowing Team for six years and currently coaches at The Ohio State University. Note: Anna is available for phone interviews in advance of the event.
Heptathlete Chantae McMillan made the Olympic team in 2012 and will again participate in this summer’s Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Born in Tennessee, this self-described “Army brat” now trains year-round in Ohio with her coach Lynn Smith. McMillan graduated from the University of Nebraska as the best heptathlete in the university’s history with two records.
Participants also can grab a bite from McNasty’s food truck and enjoy a variety of presentations:
11 am — Chantae McMillan
11:30 am — Learn more about Dayton Regional Rowing and how you can join
Noon — Learn from a sports medicine expert about athlete injury prevention
1 pm — Anna Goodale
1:30 pm — Learn more about Dayton Regional Rowing and how you can join
2 pm — Learn from a nutritionist about how to properly eat while training
3 pm — Learn more about Dayton Regional Rowing and how you can join
“We’re excited to host this first-time event that will give our community a chance to meet elite athletes and learn about Dayton Regional Rowing,” said Amy Dingle, director of outdoor connections for Five Rivers MetroParks. “Receiving the Community Olympic Development Program designation in July 2015 was a great complement to the Dayton region’s status as the Outdoor Adventure Capital of the Midwest. It also offers Five Rivers MetroParks and its rowing partners additional opportunities to serve the community by connecting people to nature, our rivers and promoting healthy lifestyles.”
The mission of Olympic Day, which commemorates the birth of the modern Olympic Games in 1894, is to promote fitness, well-being, culture and education, along with the Olympic values of excellence, friendship and respect.
While this is a free, drop-in event, advanced registration is encouraged and available at metroparks.org/olympicday. Participants should bring socks and dress to get wet.
Eastwood MetroPark Lake will be closed to the public during the event.
