Participating in diverse types of sports has much more than just physical benefits. It can foster personal growth and development in young individuals. As Peter A Derow says, sports like rowing often impart valuable life lessons and reinforce the importance of discipline, leadership, accountability and teamwork. Being a part of a crew teaches young individuals how to function within a team and develop skills that are applicable in multiple aspects of life.

Peter A Derow highlights important life lessons learnt through rowing

Rowing often teaches young athletes the importance of supporting the team members instead of just focusing on personal success. Missing a practice or arriving late only affects the individual athlete in the case of individual sports like swimming. On the other hand, an absent crew member can disrupt the entire boat in rowing and prevent the crew from practicing as planned. It can be an immensely frustrating experience to wake up early, arrive at the dock ready to train, only to discover that practice cannot proceed because a teammate failed to show up. This reality plays a vital role in reinforcing the principle that being reliable and showing up for others is crucial not only in sports but in life as well.

Engaging in rowing can also teach young people the importance of maintaining harmonious relationships. Positive interactions with other members of the crew tend to be important for success. A crew that works together, is in sync, follows the commands of the coxswain and trusts the movement of each other is quite likely to outperform a boat filled with strong rowers who lack cohesion. While teamwork often determines wins in rowing, strong interpersonal relationships and smooth collaborations are important to achieving success in life.

As Peter A Derow mentions, rowing also puts emphasis on the importance of self-accountability by encouraging individuals to focus on their own contributions instead of placing blame on others. Disruptions are bound to arise when rowers criticize their teammates for a poor race or subpar practice. Moreover, it is considered to be poor etiquette to coach others within the boat, as doing so gives rise to conflicts, tension and negativity. Hence, rowers must “row their seat and not anyone else’s,”. This phase, when applied to life beyond the sport, tends to encourage personal responsibility and discourage unnecessary criticism of others.

The importance of mastering the basics before aiming for major achievements is also a key takeaway from rowing. Success in rowing does not come in one day, it requires persistence, precise technique and disciplined execution. Newbie rowers must first prioritize perfecting their form, maintaining proper posture and ensuring the correct angle of entry into the water, prior to focusing on strength and endurance training. This simple yet important lesson is applicable in many aspects of life. Overall, one must remember that in other to achieve long term success, one has to be patient, pay attention to detail, and try to hone basic skills, knowledge and techniques prior to advancing to more significant challenges.