Women's rowing recruitment process for colleges

Hi, guys! My main extracurricular has always been rowing - I've been part of my school's team since freshman year. I'm really hoping to continue in college. Anyone here know about the recruitment process for women's rowing at colleges? Any advice would be awesome.

The process of recruitment for collegiate women's rowing generally starts early, with many coaches reaching out during junior year, or even as early as sophomore year for some top-tier programs.

You'll want to create a 'rowing resume' that includes your rowing history, notable achievements, the teams you've rowed with, and the positions you most frequently fill (port, starboard, coxswain). Be sure to list any notable achievements like competitions, awards, and titles.

Physical measurements like height, weight, and ergometer scores such as 2k or even 6k times are also especially important in rowing recruitment. It gives the coaches objective data to look at.

Reach out to coaches yourself. They get a lot of emails, so be sure yours stands out - perhaps by mentioning why you are interested in their particular program. Follow up if you don’t receive a response initially.

Summer can be a busy time for recruitment, so make sure to run any summer plans (like vacations) by the coaches to ensure they won't interfere with any potential visits or camps.

Consider attending rowing camps at the colleges you're interested in. These allow you to be seen by the coaches and you would get an idea of what it would be like to row for that college.

Remember that grades do matter. Competitive rowing programs are often found at top-tier schools, which have high academic standards. To be a recruitable athlete, you’ll need a transcript that shows you can cope with the school's academic workload as well.

Also, NCAA rules prevent coaches from initiating verbal offers or off-campus recruiting activities until August 1 before your junior year. But you can reach out to coaches anytime.

Lastly, even while you might focus on the rowing aspect, keep in mind that college is about more than just your sport. You'll be a student too, so suitability to the overall environment and academic programs should be an essential part of your decision-making process.

Good luck! You've got this!