Tulsa Youth Rowing Association and Tulsa Public Schools have gone in together on a grant application worth around $50,000.
The George Pocock Rowing Foundation ErgEd Grant provides 20 top-of-the-line rowing machines and training for physical educators. TPS is looking at working rowing into physical education porgrams at Webster, Rogers, Hale, Carver and Central middle and high schools if they land the grant.
TPS Assistant Athletic Director Jen Sanders said that would help around 4,000 students experience a sport they likely wouldn’t get to otherwise.
"And anything we can do to offer our kids a mentorship or a person that’s on their side or a volunteer that helps change that kid’s life is the second part, and probably the most important thing," Sanders said.
Tulsa Youth Rowing Association Outreach Coordinator Neil Bergenroth has been introducing local middle-school students to the sport through the organization's gROW Tulsa program.
"There really isn’t any greater sport in terms of learning that things don’t come easy and you have to work for them, and it’s a patience thing, and it’s day in, day out work.
Bergenroth said the sport can also open doors in a state with several collegiate rowing programs.
"We’ve had juniors who have joined the Tulsa Youth Rowing Association in the past and end up graduating two years later with a college scholarship. That is particularly true for our female rowers," Bergenroth said.
The University of Tulsa, University of Oklahoma, University of Central Oklahoma and Oklahoma City University all have programs.
Grant winners will be announced in June.
