The Launch
“Rowing on the Distaff Side”: A Brief History of the National Women’s Rowing Association (Part I)
Elizabeth Manley writes about the history of the National Women's Rowing Association. While still rare, the few existing rowing clubs that welcomed women came together from the East and West Coasts to increase their influence through this newly formed National Women’s Rowing Association (NWRA). While women’s rowing was not yet an Olympic sport, a number of countries were already sending women competitors to international regattas and the NWRA hoped to ensure the U.S. did not get left behind. In addition to promoting women’s competitive rowing at the international level, though, the group sought to “give direction, control, and coaching to the women involved” in member clubs. The group hoped to make sure, according to co-founder and Rowing Director for Mills College Ed Lickiss, that competition for women grew and developed in the U.S. and internationally but also that “the interests of existing women’s rowing groups” would be incorporated as part of that growth.
