TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Local organization, “CAN-DO SPORTS” makes rowing more accessible and affordable.
Amber Lyn Young coaches members of Team Tampa Rowing, but before she began teaching middle schoolers how to row, she was an athlete in the boat.
“I wasn’t very athletic as a kid, but rowing is really where I thought, ‘Wow, I can be athletic.’ Anyone can do this sport,'” the college freshman described.
Young discovered rowing through CAN-DO SPORTS. The organization partners with the City of Tampa Parks and Recreation Department to offer sports scholarships.
The program creates affordable opportunities for everyone to try rowing. Team Tampa Rowing started in 2018 with fewer than 20 rowers and new equipment. Now, they have 150 team members and more than 40 boats.
“It really is breaking barriers. The ability to offer the affordable cost for any kid to come out and row, as well as give them a chance even if they can’t afford it. We never turn a kid away from something that they want to try, something that they love,” Director Mary Campanello said.
Fees for Team Tampa Rowing are a third of the price of other clubs in the area. The lower cost encourages inclusion in the notoriously expensive activity.
“For a while, the sport wasn’t so diverse but now, having the accessibility and bringing in the diversity, it’s making the sport so much better,” Young said.
According to the rower-turned-coach, the cut costs allowed her to pursue her passion and push others to find their own.
“It’s so rewarding,” she described. “I love it so much.”
In addition to rowing, CAN-DO SPORTS offers affordable programs in gymnastics, dance, basketball, and softball. Find more information here.
