Vashon Island Rowing Club’s Adult Learn-to-Row class will be held this weekend, May 22 and 23, and champion rower Steve Full will coach the two-day event at Jensen Point.
In the Learn-to-Row class, participants will receive instruction in the basic rowing stroke, boat handling, rowing terminology, safety techniques and physical preparation for rowing. Rowing machines, called ergometers or ergs, will be used to teach the motion and technique of rowing in preparation for on-water instruction the second day of class.
Full is a Pac-10 and national champion rower. He is the assistant freshman coach at UW, where he has been preparing the Husky freshmen rowers for the 2010 season. Prior to his UW duties, Full was assistant head coach at the prestigious Lake Union Rowing Club in Seattle, where he coached junior novices, masters and elite rowers.
Full comes highly recommended by current Vashon coach Sam Burns, who is also a former UW and national team rower. Full will replace Burns later this year when the current coach leaves Vashon to pursue his plans for medical school.
Learn-to-Row, offered in conjunction with Vashon Park District, will be held 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, May 22, and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, May 23. All interested people age 18 and over may attend. A float test is required. Call Vashon Park District at 463-9602 or visit www.vashonparkdistrict.org to register.