The Rowing program is designed to teach and promote the sport of rowing both on campus and in the Iowa City and surrounding areas. Programs are designed for every skill level, from beginner to advanced. We offer learn to row sessions, adult, high school, collegiate, and adaptive rowing programs.
The P. Sue Beckwith, M.D., Boathouse, is not available to be rented out. If you have questions about the Boathouse, please contact Athletics Facilities staff.
Learn to Row
Throughout the year, we offer Learn to Row sessions. We'll teach you the basics of rowing on a rowing machine, and then you'll try out your new skills on the water.
Adult Rowing
We offer programming for UI students, faculty, staff, and community members. Athletes can compete as part of Hawkeye Community Rowing or practice with the team for exercise and to improve rowing skills.
Junior Rowing
We offer programming for juniors ages 12 and up. Rowing is a great sport to learn early - it's a full-body workout, teaches teamwork, and there are many opportunities for collegiate rowing scholarships.
Collegiate Rowing
Any UI Student wanting to row can join our collegiate club! Visit the collegiate rowing page to find out more information!
Special Events and Programs
Along with our adult, junior, and learn to row programs, we also offer Adaptive Rowing, a Land Rowing program, and we host a variety of special events throughout the year, like the Iowa Indoor Rowing Challenge.
Frequently Asked Questions
Our schedule varies depending on the time of year, and is fluid based on programming events and regattas that we are attending. This is typically what we stay pretty close to for a schedule:
Adult Program:
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday | 5:30 – 7:00 a.m.
- Sundays as scheduled
Junior Program:
- Monday – Wednesday | 4:30 – 6:30 p.m.
- Thursday – Friday | 6:00 – 7:30 a.m.
Please contact for up-to-date schedule. Weekends as scheduled.
If you have no experience in the sport of rowing, or have only briefly rowed in the past, then attending a Learn to Row is the right step and is necessary for you. A Learn to Row exposes you to the sport in a relaxed environment so that you can learn, and find out if this is something you would like to continue to pursue. If you have rowed briefly in the past, then this is a good way to accustom yourself once again to the rowing lingo and commands, and get back in the swing of the rowing stroke.
Canoeing, Row Boats, and Kayaks do not qualify as experience in the sport of rowing.
If you have previously had rowing experience for a minimum of 6 months to many years, please contact the Head Coach for Rowing. You will want to include your experience level and if you have sweep/sculling and large/small boat experience. This will help get you added into our experienced group smoothly.
Once you have registered online and paid for programming, you will need to contact the Head Coach of Rowing to get access to our practice sign-up site.
Our programs uses Sign Up Genius Online to sign up for practices sessions. An athlete signs up for the practices they can attend, and this way the coaching staff can organize boatings and lineups. This helps us prepare for practice and make sure we are using our time efficiently. It also allows the athlete to organize your schedule for the week based on school, work, family and other events happening.
The boathouse can only be accessed during our practice schedule time by one of our staff members.
Example for a 5:30-7:00 a.m. practice:
- Athletes arrive 5-10 minutes early, oars to the dock
- Warm Up: Run/Walk & Stretch
- Coach goes over plans/goals for the row
- Hands on the boats & row on the river
- Dock with 15 minutes left in practice
- Wash Boats and return all equipment where needed
- Hands In!
Yes. We hold programming in the Fall (September – November), Winter (December – February), Spring (February – May), and Summer (June – August) months.
Contact Us
| Name | Title | Phone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Danelle Stipes | Head Coach, Rowing
| ||
| Amy Smith | Assistant Coach, Rowing
|