A little-known summer rowing camp in West Sacramento celebrated a taste of success last weekend as one of its students won a national silver medal in the women's single sculls.
Samantha Warren, a recent Davis High School graduate, is now muscling her way into a qualifying event for a summer international tournament in France.
At her side was busy coach Tricia Blocher. She's looking for more go-getters for this summer's rowing camp, one that is growing in size and skill.
Centered at the Port of West Sacramento, the club is the stamping ground for dozens of teens like Warren who learn to improve their rowing strokes and synchronization. The summer camp, sponsored by the River City Rowing Club, starts up again next month in three sessions for beginners.
But last weekend, Warren was the focus and golden child for the community-based organization. She earned a silver medal at the U.S. Rowing Association Youth National Championship in Ohio.
"I was ecstatic," Blocher says from Ohio. "She had really tough competition."
Just five years ago, Warren was a green rower at the camp but possessed the willingness to learn about teamwork.
"I thought it would be a hobby and something that would keep me in shape and healthy. So, competing at this level is pretty sudden for me," says Warren, who will be a freshman at Columbia University in New York.
"It's kind of addictive, actually, you get to push yourself and others at the same time mentally and physically."
In a two-week session at the camp, beginners will learn the elementary how-tos of rowing strokes, team play and, most important, synchronization, the coach says. While it might take months to fully grasp the skills, Blocher says, students will get a foundation of the sport while having fun.
"From last year, we have a 90 percent retention rate," she says. "The kids are having a lot of fun."
The club started 30 years ago and over time began recruiting a junior squad that has blossomed and competed well in statewide competitions. And Warren's national lift shows just how hard some of the students work, Blocher says. "She said it was the best race she could have ever done. It was her personal best."
The pressures of competition shouldn't drive students away, Blocher says, because the camps are designed to have fun.
For those with a competitive spirit, the camps end with a race, says rowing president Bill Naddy.
"As we work through the camp, we just introduce new skills so they understand the basics of what's going on," Naddy says.
Like other coaches, Naddy stresses teamwork in the camps: "It's not a sport where someone can be doing something different; you've got to work together to really make the benchmarks."
IF YOU GO
WHAT: Discover River City Rowing. Rowing team of youths, ages 13-18, can participate in Learn To Row Camp.
WHEN:
• Session 1: July 6-10, 13-17.
• Session 2: July 27-31, Aug. 3-7. • Session 3: Aug. 17-21, 24-28. Each camp starts at 5:30 p.m.
WHERE: Port of West Sacramento
COST: $125 per session
INFORMATION: For questions, e-mail tnblocher@ucdavis.edu or visit rivercityrowing.org.
Call The Bee's Gamaliel Ortiz, (916) 321-1022.
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