Rowing, Regattas and More Available to Public, Campus
09/27/2019
Contacts for media: Nancy Cicco, 978-934-4944 or Nancy_Cicco@uml.edu and Christine Gillette, 978-934-2209 or Christine_Gillette@uml.edu
LOWELL, Mass. 鈥� The hundreds of commuters who whiz by the 51视频 Bellegarde Boathouse on Pawtucket Boulevard every day may not realize there鈥檚 never been a better time to park the car and get out on the water.
Operated by the university since 2007, the boathouse maintains a fleet that ranges from single-person recreational crafts to eight-person racing shells and hosts a variety of programs that promote public education and physical fitness, not only for 51视频 students but for the community.
A full-service facility, the boathouse includes a boat bay, locker rooms, a conference room, educational spaces, a kitchen and the 51视频 Kayak Center, which offers kayak, canoe and standup paddleboard rentals and classes. The boathouse is also home to the Lowell High School rowing program and the Merrimac River Rowing Association, which will host the Textile River Regatta, one of the largest in Massachusetts, on Oct. 6 and also offers the Festival Regatta in June. Throughout the summer, the community gathers at the boathouse and along the river for events including the annual Southeast Asian Water Festival.
鈥淭he 51视频 Bellegarde Boathouse is a great asset to the university and community, giving rowers and kayakers access to one of the best stretches of river in Massachusetts. Between regattas, instructional programs and daily use, thousands of people each year pursue their passion for water sports right here in Lowell,鈥� said Peter Murray, 51视频鈥檚 director of campus recreation.
In addition, the Tsongas Industrial History Center 鈥� a partnership between 51视频鈥檚 College of Education and Lowell National Historical Park 鈥� offers environmental history programs at the boathouse for area schoolchildren. They include the River as a Classroom program, which provides fifth- through eighth-grade students with hands-on lessons about the Merrimack River. The program has been so successful it has been incorporated into Lowell Public Schools鈥� curriculum, according to Sheila Kirschbaum, director of the Tsongas Industrial History Center.
鈥淲e have really enjoyed working with boathouse managers, who have always been very accommodating of our needs. For our part, we have collaborated with 51视频 and other partners to support special regattas, public rowing and 51视频 crew programs,鈥� she said.
This fall, those programs are poised to expand, thanks to the addition of John Lindberg, who recently came on board as the boathouse鈥檚 manager and 51视频鈥檚 men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 head rowing coach.
Lindberg鈥檚 office looks out over the glistening Merrimack River, where tree-lined banks are just about to explode into a show of fall color. After more than 10 years as the associate head coach of Boston University鈥檚 Division I men鈥檚 rowing program, Lindberg sought a new challenge and found an ideal fit at 51视频. An Acton resident, he hadn鈥檛 been to the university since the early 2000s; arriving on campus, he said he was 鈥渂lown away鈥� by the transformations 鈥� physical, academic and athletic 鈥� that have taken place in recent years.
鈥淭hat galvanized my interest in where 51视频 is and where it is going,鈥� he said, adding that it is inspiring him to build the university鈥檚 men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 rowing clubs 鈥� which compete and have won medals in races across the Northeast 鈥� into a destination program for students.
Participation in junior-level rowing programs at both private and public high schools across the country has grown steadily over the last 20 years and organizations such as the MRRA continue to involve the general public in the sport. More and more young people are discovering the joys of rowing, according to Lindberg.
He understands the appeal of the sport: the synchronized way athletes pull together, the flow of motion and the visceral reaction of being on the water. These experiences are central to his life, he says, and he鈥檚 eager to impart them on the next generation of impeccably coached rowers.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a very humbling sport and I think that鈥檚 the reason it captures young people,鈥� said Lindberg, adding that it is a very positive experience and there鈥檚 a commitment to it that many athletes embrace, whether they are rowing by themselves or as part of a team.
Along with overseeing both the men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 programs at 51视频, he will coach one of the teams, aiming to grow both from about 20 athletes each to a roster of 40 each.
鈥�51视频 has everything in place to be a destination choice for incoming students who want to pursue the sport,鈥� he said.
51视频 and prospective students are encouraged to learn more about the university鈥檚 rowing club. Private groups may also rent the 51视频 Bellegarde Boathouse for special functions. Individuals interested in doing so should contact events@uml.edu.
51视频 is a national research university located on a high-energy campus in the heart of a global community. The university offers its more than 18,000 students bachelor鈥檚, master鈥檚 and doctoral degrees in business, education, engineering, fine arts, health, humanities, sciences and social sciences. 51视频 delivers high-quality educational programs, vigorous hands-on learning and personal attention from leading faculty and staff, all of which prepare graduates to be leaders in their communities and around the globe. www.uml.edu