What is Atomic Rowing?
East Tennessee’s year-round traveling youth rowing program open to young men and women supported by the Oak Ridge Rowing Association (ORRA), in Oak Ridge, TN. The Oak Ridge Juniors youth program, the oldest youth rowing program for Knoxville-Oak Ridge metro area with a tradition of rowing excellence since 1982, changed to Atomic Rowing in 2008 to reflect the athletes in the program.

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What is the ORRA?
The Oak Ridge Rowing Association strives to provide river access to all citizens in East Tennessee. We are committed to taking an under-used asset, the river, and creating a recreational centerpiece for the county. We are a not for-profit rowing community and the youth team is our cornerstone program.

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Why rowing?
People love rowing because not only is it is a sport, it is exercise, social interaction, a form of meditation, a passionate endeavor and more. Rowers are considered some of the fittest athletes in the world because of the amount of work one puts into going fast. This full body activity improves strength, endurance and balance without risk of contact injuries or torque and pressure on joints. Rowing is a top aerobic activity that develops excellent overall physical conditioning. Rowing requires strength, endurance, balance, concentration, coordination, and the will to win that makes you push through the pain. Come to practice for one week at no obligation and try it out. Be warned - most that try it usually love it after 1 day.

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What are the advantages of rowing?
Rowing uses more major muscle groups than any other sporting activity.  The primary groups engaged are the legs, back and stomach, arms, shoulders, and hands. As the boat supports all your weight, there is no jarring of the joints and it is a very safe sport compared to running or other contact sports.

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What school does Atomic Rowing represent?
Atomic Rowing is not affiliated with any school system. Rowing is conducted in accordance with USRowing, rowing's national governing body. Atomic Rowing is open to students from every school in the Knoxville-Oak Ridge Metro area including youth that are home schooled. Generally, Atomic Rowing’s athletes are with in a twenty (20) mile radius of the Boathouse.   We have typically had athletes from the following schools: Anderson County HS, Bearden HS, Central HS, Clinton HS, Christian Academy of Knoxville, Farragut HS, Halls HS, Harden Valley Academy, Jefferson MS, Karns HS, Knoxville Catholic HS, Oak Ridge HS, Oliver Springs HS, Powell HS, Robertsville MS, St. Mary's Catholic School, Webb School of Knoxville, West HS and more.

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At what age am I eligible to join Atomic Rowing?
To be eligible to join Atomic Rowing you have to have reached the age of 13 but not yet attained the age of 19 in the current calendar year and have been continuously enrolled in secondary school as a full time student seeking a diploma. You cease to be an eligible participate with Atomic Rowing after December 31 of the calendar year of your 18th birthday or of the year in which you complete the 12th grade whichever is later.

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Can I join Atomic Rowing at anytime? 
Atomic Rowing conducts two registration days each year. Following registration day new athletes will be given a one week tryout period to learn skill development and equipment usage. ALL athletes attending Registration Day 9:00am-3:00pm will receive instruction on basic rowing technique, and need to be ready to work out! Atomic Rowing's registration window is open from registration day till the end of the month. However, the trial window will not be extended.

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What if I have never rowed before?  
Rowing is a great "walk-on" sport, which offers youth with no prior rowing experience the opportunity to tryout, walk-on and learn a totally new sport as a part of the Novice Squad. The Novice Squad is a one-year developmental team of 40 (male and female) who are in preparation for selection to the Varsity Squad in subsequent years. The squad has no previous rowing experience and only competes against other novice squads.

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Do I have to try-out?
Yes, All new athletes can train and try-out rowing for one week prior to committing to the program. At the end of the trial period crew selection will be made. Once a Novice athlete makes the roster, all subsequent years they are on the varsity team without trying out.

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How many athletes will make each crew?
Regrettably must limit our program size due to safety and available equipment. Atomic Rowing uses a coach to athlete ratio to set the program cap of 96 athletes (not including coxswains). Each crew can take up to 24 athletes safely on the water.

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What are the coaches looking for during try-outs? 
Body construction, size to strength ratio, character, leadership, coach-ability, competitiveness, positive “I can do it”, “I will try it” attitude, confidence, sportsmanship, team player mentality, athletic potential. If your son/daughter is in 8th grade it may be that they are not emotionally ready to be on this team. We will work with you to make this determination.

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How will the coaches look for these traits?
For most of the try-out period the athletes will not be on the water. The coaches will work with the athletes on land to teach the rowing stroke, assess fitness, work one-on-one to determine coach-ability, perform fitness, flexibility and strength testing as well as perform team skills workouts. The idea here is that once we find the right athletes, we can teach them the technique of rowing after they have made the team. We will make sure that the athletes have a chance to see rowing in action; we understand that they are trying out a new sport in addition to our trying them out as athletes.

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Can I play another sport or be in the band?
Atomic Rowing's primary season is spring, however we train and compete in the fall, winter as well. We want to make available athletes to play a fall or winter sport for their high school sports team or participate in the band. Athletes need to come to rowing immediately following the conclusion of the season. Athletes that decide to do this, please contact the coach to let them know of your intentions to come to the team at a later date. Athletes that miss the fall season need to be aware that they will be a season behind other athletes on the team in skill and sports specific conditioning. Atomic Rowing does not encourage athletes in the spring season to be involved in other spring sports or activities that would reduce or distract from training.

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How do I know what position I will play?
Rowing is the ultimate sport because the synchronicity of the crew is more important than any one athlete. There are no super stars in rowing, since it requires everyone on the team to make a crew successful. In our sport we call our positions “seats”. Crew is competitive and acquireing seat in top the boats is a detailed process. Ability, seat racing, erg times, conditioning, and attitude all play a part in determining the makeup of a boat. Illness or injury can be a factor from week to week. Coaches aim to put the fastest boats on the water for every regatta.

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What is rowing’s competitive season?
Rowing is one of the few sports where athletes practice and compete year round. In addition many athletes train at various regional and national rowing camps held around the country during the summer.

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Where does Atomic Rowing Compete?
Atomic Rowing competes in about five headraces or time trial events each fall in Oak Ridge, Chattanooga, Philadelphia, and the largest fall race in the country the Head of the Charles Regatta held in Boston, Massachusetts each October. At the end of winter training race we race indoors on rowing machines at the Tennessee Indoor Championships and we send our fastest rowers to the CRASH-B Sprints in Boston. In the spring since Oak Ridge has one of the priemer sprint rowing courses in the country many of our events are here at home. However, we are still able to travel St. Louis, Atlanta, Clemson, Tampa, Sarasota, Cincinatti, Chattanooga, and Ashville.

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How competitive is Atomic Rowing?
Atomic Rowing has been competing successfully on the local, regional, and national level since 1982. Atomic Rowing has won the 1996 Scholastic Women’s Junior Four, 1999 Southeast Region Men’s Eight, 2001 Southeast Region Women’s Eight, 2005 Southeast Region Men’s Eight, 2008 Scholastic Men’s Junior Double, and 2009 Southeast Region Youth Men’s Quad. The program has competed in twelve out of the fourteen USRowing Youth National Championships. Athletes from the program have been invited to row on the USRowing Junior National Teams as well as National and Regional development camps. 

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How can rowing help me get into college?
Top rowing universities in the country routinely scout Atomic's athletes. Crew offers possibilities beyond high school, as Atomic Rowing alumni have rowed for Princeton, Syracuse, Boston College, University of Tennessee, University of Alabama, University of Texas, UCLA, University of Virginia, University of Michigan to name a few. Most importantly, crew gives you a chance to be part of a team that values determination and rewards effort, both of which help develop important life skills.

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Is rowing a safe sport? 
Rowing is a very safe and low impact sport but injuries can happen in any sport. Atomic Rowing is serious about safety, and we follow an extensive plan in accordance with the USRowing (the national governing body for rowing) to assure that we continue to conduct our rowing safely.  Our safety launch will accompany you are all times, and is equipped with VHF marine radio and cell phone, life jackets, and other safety equipment.  Your athlete's health is more important than any medal. Rowers should be prepared to row in light rain by bringing a rain jacket, layers of clothing, and dry clothing for after they return to the dock.

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Do I have to buy a equipment?
Atomic Rowing will provide you with the equipment in order to start rowing. As a year round, all-weather water sport, it is important that rowers dress for both performance and safety.  The best attire for rowing is clothing that fits close to the body, yet is still flexible and able to be layered for warmth. Oversized, baggy clothing can get caught in the wheels of the seat or on the oar handle, so avoid large shorts and sweatshirts.

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