Youth Rowing
Summer 2025
LHRC seeks to introduce all of Litchfield County to the joy of sweep rowing and sculling. Rowing is not a sport that you need to start at an early age, you can join anytime! Our club offers programs for athletes starting in 6th grade to age 100+ and everyone in between.
Please read the program descriptions carefully. If you have any questions, contact Head Coach Drew Combs at director@litchfieldhillsrowing.org
If you anticipate that you will apply for financial aid, please do not sign up for a program. Instead, start the financial aid application now.
High school programs are for athletes entering high school to current collegians (Youth/U23). All experience levels are welcome, including new rowers.
Our programs run five days a week (Monday through Friday) and teach both sculling and sweeping to help each athlete become a well-rounded oarsperson. Practices will be a mix of technique development, video breakdowns, and workouts on the water and land.
Regattas: Experienced high school athletes will have the option to race at two regatta this summer:
Philadelphia Youth Regatta (Philadelphia, PA) on July 19th
Royal Canadian Henley Regatta (St. Catherines, Ontario, Canada) from August 3rd to August 10th.
Race Fees are not included in program costs.
Middle school programs (Dev/Development) are for athletes entering 6th grade to 8th grade. All experience levels are welcome, including new rowers.
High school and middle school programs run in three sessions.
In addition to our traditional summer programs, we are excited to continue to partner with the Litchfield Parks and Rec department to offer week-long gROW learn-to-row programs for new athletes ages 12-16. Check back soon for the registration link!
Reminder: If you anticipate that you will apply for financial aid, please start the financial aid application now and do not sign up for a program via the links below.
Mark your calendars for our Annual Celebration of Summer Regatta, the Head of the Swain, which will occur this year on August 16th on our very own Bantam Lake!
PROGRAMS
All Athletes must be USRowing members. Sign Up HERE! Racing athletes must have a Championship level membership. Dev program athletes will be fine with the Development basic membership. Our Club Code is PPCCS.
High School/ U23 Athletes
High School/ U23:
Youth athletes who have rowed and want to train to race/ get in a great workout while honing their skills. You can sign up for each session individually or for all three summer sessions together.
*Athletes that wish to attend Philly Youth Regatta must be signed up for both sessions 1 & 2.
*Athletes who wish to attend the Royal Canadian Henley Regatta must be registered for all 3 sessions through one of the following options:
Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday/Friday
Session 1: 6/16 - 7/3, 3:40pm - 6:00pm through the end of the school year, then 8:15am - 10:45am SIGN UP!
Session 2: 7/7 - 7/25, 8:15am - 10:45am SIGN UP!
Session 3: 7/28 - 8/16 8:15am - 10:45am SIGN UP!
Full Summer: 6/16 - 8/16 SIGN UP
If you anticipate that you will apply for financial aid, please start the financial aid application now.
High School Learn-to-Row:
Athletes who are in or entering high school and want to give rowing a try before committing to a full session.
Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday/Friday
If you anticipate that you will apply for financial aid, please start the financial aid application now.
Middle School Development Program
The Development Program is open to 6th and 7th grade athletes and is the perfect way to discover the sport of rowing. Designed for beginners, this program focuses on learning rowing fundamentals through fun, team-oriented practices that also support personal growth and social-emotional learning. No prior experience is needed. Young champions! Our summer programs will introduce you to rowing or keep encouraging your passion for our sport. We hope you and all your friends will come and have fun in boats on the lake this summer!
Want to see if rowing is a good fit before signing up? Join us for one of our 3-day learn-to-row sessions this summer. These sessions offer a fun, no-pressure chance to get out on the water and try something new!
Dev/Middle School Learn-to-Row:
Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday/Friday
If you anticipate that you will apply for financial aid, please start the financial aid application now.
Try It First! 3-day Learn-to-Row Sessions
Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday
Session 1: 6/17 - 6/19, 11:00am - 12:15pm SIGN UP!
Session 2: 6/24 - 6/26, 11:00am - 12:15pm SIGN UP!
Session 3: 7/22 - 7/24, 11:00am - 12:15pm SIGN UP!
Session 4: 7/29 - 7/31, 11:00am - 12:15pm SIGN UP!
Session 5: 8/12 - 8/14, 11:00am - 12:15pm SIGN UP!
gROW
We are excited to continue our gROW initiative that we run in partnership with Litchfield Park and Rec. This unique program is for athletes aged 12-16, and runs in three-day sessions on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday
Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday
7/8 - 7/10, 10:00am - 12:30pm
7/15 - 7/17, 10:00am - 12:30pm
Check back soon for a registration link!
All athletes must come to practice ready to train. Wear fitted athletic attire (no loose or baggy clothing) and bring a bag with dry clothes for after practice—this is a water sport, and you will get wet.
Essentials to pack:
A post-practice snack
Hat, sunglasses, and sunblock
At least 1 liter of water in a bottle (covered by a sock)
Note: LHRC does not have running water.
