Rebbeca "Becky" Gay

Hello there everyone, my name is Rebecca “Becky” Gay and I am the head coach for the Indian River Rowing Club. I am 22 years old and live in the Sebastian area. I found the sport of rowing five years ago when I decided I needed to make a change in the sports I did in high school. Rowing was a new sport offered at Sebastian River High School and it was something no one else thought I could do. So I joined and realized I had found the one thing that gave me complete peace over everything else in my day, Rowing.

I rowed for two years at the high school level and after graduating I received a full academic and athletic scholarship to Barry University in Miami Shores, Fl.

After college, I returned to Sebastian and my high school coach then approached me about the head novice (1 year or less of rowing experience) job for boys and girls. I have been with them for the past four years and produced very well rounded athletes. I have recently left Sebastian River and have taken the position as your coach.

I look forward to working with all of you and making my passion a part of your lives.

See you on the water soon.
Rebecca “Becky” Gay
Head Coach Indian River Rowing Club

Greetings to all and welcome to our December Newsletter!

The Indian River Rowing Club has made great progress this year, and we would like to share the highlights with you.

Our midseason March fund-raiser, “Oars & More”, held at the Vero Beach Marina and adjacent Vero Beach Yacht Club was a great success. During the event we gained 6 new members and enough funds from a delicious barbecue dinner to provide payment on our Resolute racing shell.

In June, the IRRC hosted “National Learn To Row Day” at MacWilliams Park in Vero Beach.  The members pulled together to introduce 103 people to rowing on the Indian River, also gaining 11 solid new members.

Through the summer IRRC received two wonderful donations. First having noted a significant blank spot on our equipment list a generous member donated enough money to buy our own set of oars! Second with the thoughtful donation from a resident of Vero Beach and former Olympian we own our first ergometer.

In October, Rebecca Gay joined the club as our official coach.  Becky is an accredited Novice Coach and has had X years experience with the successful Sebastian River High School Crew.  With her guidance our newest members and guests and those of us who have been rowing for a few years now, have significantly increased our skills and confidence on the water.

Several visitors from around our country and abroad joined us while vacationing here. We learned much about their rowing clubs, and never failed to make good friends with one another.

Throughout the year, several members have been working with the City of Vero Beach towards the club’s dream of gaining land to build a boathouse. This achivement will not only bring this great sport to Vero Beach, but we can also include many more residents, students and visitors. Shotsi LaJoie, chair of our Building Committee, has contributed the latest update on our progress in this issue.

Our Equipment Manager, Bob Snyder, will also give us an update on the status of our gear.  We are proud to report that with Bob’s unflagging attention, the club’s equipment is in great shape.

Please visit our website at indianriverrowingclub.com over last summer we made the following additions:

• Social Networking
• Club Calendar
• Feedback

If you experience any problems, or would like to submit feedback, please fill in the feedback form on the website. We appreciate your contribution while IRRC continues its growth.

And most importantly, we have been rowing at the C54 Canal in Fellsmere – and what a year we have had. From breathtaking glassy early morning waters to stiff northeast winds that force us into the reeds time and time again, we practice month to month in pursuit of the elusive perfect stroke.

Join us. Stay tuned for news of New Member clinics; and help us run them.  We have gotten this far because each one of us has brought something useful to our journey.  Your Officers and Board of Directors are a dedicated group of Ancient Mariners, and are crazy about sharing rowing with you.

We wish all of you a Merry Christmas and a Joyful Holiday season,

Betsy Nolan, President

IRRC’s time in the 4,500-meter race was 21 minutes, 21.87 seconds despite battling windy conditions and gusts up to 40 mph in tail and head winds. Team members included David Holmes at stroke, Bob Snyder, Shotsi Cain Lajoie and Janet Tucker in bow. Ashley Vogl, Sebastian River High School crew coach and former member of Florida Tech crew, was coxswain.

The Indian River Rowing Club is based in Vero Beach and has youth programs as well as those for the disadvantaged and masters rowing categories. For more information visit Indianriverrowingclub.com or call 772-231-9794.

Ed Killer

Wylie Green, Cindi Green and Lori Davis

Lori Davis (right), of Vero Beach, laughs with Cindi Green (center) and her husband, Wylie, while trying out a rowing shell for the first time at MacWilliams Park on Saturday afternoon. “That was a blast,” said Cindi following the paddle on the Indian River Lagoon. Members of the Indian River Rowing Club setup at the park to participate in the 10th annual National Learn How to Row Day, which gave anyone interested in the sport an opportunity to get out on the water and experience rowing first hand. “We are thrilled at the level of enthusiasm we are getting from the people,” said Betsy Nolan, president of the club and chairperson of the event. “This is where we want rowing to grow. This is the water of our community.” Over 60 people showed up to try their hand at rowing in the boats, which seat 8 rowers and a coxswain who gives the rowers their instructions.

sam wolf / tcn vero beach

Everyone interested in the sport of rowing is welcome! The club plans to have rowing shells and ergonmeters (rowing machines)on hand for a trial. Coaching and instruction are provided. Membership information, training schedules and information on the new community boathouse proposal will be supplied. The first 25 new members will receive a free T-Shirt.

Date: Saturday June 4, 2011

Time: 9:00am – 2:00pm

Location: MacWilliams Park (north of the Barber Bridge)

Contact: (772) 539-1752

USRowing, the non-profit membership organization recognized by the United States Olympic Committee as the national governing body for the sport of rowing in the U.S., and Concept2, the oar and ergometer (indoor rowing machine) manufacturer based in Morrisville, Vt., have asked rowing clubs and health clubs across the country to open their doors and give people a taste of rowing on the water and on the ergometer. More than 100 clubs throughout the United States are expected to participate.

Competitive and recreational rowers range in age from 12 to over 90, so it is never too early or too late to take up the sport. If you are unable to attend National Learn to Row Day but are interested in learning more about the sport please contact , Indian River Rowing Club, president, Betsy Nolan at (772) 539-1752