WBC is the only community rowing program between Richmond and Hampton Roads.  We currently share the limited rowing facilities with the College of William & Mary (along with the spirit of cooperation and great support). Rowing equipment requires substantial investment and some scale to keep rowing fees affordable.  The ability to share coaching support, safety launches, and equipment is an invaluable partnership for both programs.  However, there is insufficient boat house space and WBC stores over 80% of its valuable and fragile fleet outdoors.

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• The Rowing Center will not only protect our equipment and lengthen its useful service, but it provides us with the opportunity to offer a more comprehensive community program including adaptive rowing (indoor fitness, Learn-to-Row, small boat programs and camps).

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... photos of adaptive rowing, indoor erging class, and youth camp

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• Since our formation, WBC has actively supported the growth of all rowing on the Virginia Peninsula at Youth, College, and Adult levels and Williamsburg has become a center for Youth Rowing in our region.

• WBC’s team leads outreach to young athletes at all of the area schools and home schools, help train coaches and support staff, and have always made our equipment, facilities, and volunteer “army” available to the entire rowing community when feasible.  Our summer event, the Beak of the Chick Regatta raises money for Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters and features a kayaking paddle in the Mark & Finley Bridge Chase.

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... photo of kayakers from BoC...

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• The new WBC Rowing Center will enable WBC to bring all the positive benefits of rowing to a wider audience: Our programs are built to foster teamwork, commitment and healthy lifestyles, while our organization promotes multi-generational connections and activities.

• Our rowers have their own unique stories – a 70+ year old that raced for the first time in 50 years since college rowing; a youth rower able to juggle rowing and school extracurricular activities including Fife & Drums; a New Kent Elementary schoolteacher that transitioned from the W&M choir to competitive rowing; a middle school women’s boat that medaled in the U17 National Championships. Many of our Youth rowers move on to row in college and we have had over a dozen receive some scholarship support over the past 4 years.

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• With your generous support, we can develop a rowing and small boat facility that supports healthy and clean recreation on historic water and support our goal of making rowing more accessible across our surrounding community.