"The strength of our sport is its ability to challenge athletes worldwide, regardless of skin color or social background. If we in the United States fail to engage athletes of every skin color and background, we fail the vision of our sport and soon our sport will no longer exist." -- Anita L. DeFrantz, 1976 Olympian, member of IOC and USOC, President of LA84 Foundation.

About the Task Force

In 2006, USRowing Executive Director Glenn Merry created the USRowing Task Force on Access, Affordability and Diversity. Its express purpose is to advise the executive director on matters relating to access, affordability and diversity. Beyond this purpose, the task force seeks to change the “face” of rowing by initiating a dialogue within the rowing community, creating a national network of crews engaged in outreach initiatives and assisting crews grappling with outreach issues. While the task force’s primary focus is on ethnic, economic and social diversity, it looks forward to collaborating with others, like the USRowing Task Force for Adaptive Rowing, who seek to open rowing to all Americans. 

USRowing recognizes that our sport has historically been “off limits” to many Americans. Indeed, many will recall a time when rowing was best described by the labels “elite,” “male” and “white.” Much has changed during the last 50 years. The dramatic increase in programs has made our sport accessible to a broader community nationwide, and the mandate of the federal Title IX has opened our sport to women. But much remains to be done to ensure that our sport is accessible and welcoming to Americans of all ethnic groups and of all social and economic classes.

Task Force Members and Contact Information

"Changing the Tide" Diversity Workshop

Click here for information on the 2008 Changing The Tide Diversity Workshop

Need Help or Inspiration?

If you need assistance or inspiration for your program’s outreach efforts, please contact the task force through USRowing’s Kelly McGlynn at kelly@usrowing.org, and we will connect you with a task force “coach.”

Want to Join the Task Force?

If you want to join the Task Force on Access, Affordability and Diversity, please submit your request to USRowing Executive Director Glenn Merry (c/o USRowing’s Kelly McGlynn at kelly@usrowing.org.)