Summer 2025

First thoughts of the HC

After an exciting Spring 2025 season our growing team goes into summer. Three of our Seniors will leave us this summer and we want to say Good-Bye and Fare-Well to them. In this Newsletter we want to say GOOD-BYE to Ava. When I (Headcoach Bernhard Stomporowski) met Ava the first time she in January 2023 she was part of the SSYRP team. She just lost her coach who taught her rowing (Greg) and now she was facing a new situation in life. As many of us we struggle with change in an environment which just became home. In little steps and probably long talks with her friends she decided to continue in our team. During the past two year I saw a teenager growing into a mature woman. She became one of the pillars of our women team. The last year of High School is always a challenge for all of our rowers. “Where will my journey go” also Ava asked herself the question - and SAT and her lasts test in school made her realize a new chapter will start soon. I am proud to have been a part of Ava evolution and wish her well in her next step of her life.

See pictures of her and read her own words:

Ava speaks:

“I joined the scullers in 8th grade and I can confidently say I have been changed ever since. With the mental and physical strength it takes to be a rower has changed my outlook on life completely. Coach Greg and Coach Bernhard have shaped me to be the person I am today and I am eternally grateful that I had the experience of rowing on the Sarasota Scullers team.”

BREAKING NEWS: Ava finished HS successfully and will continue at UNC Asheville

Summer Camp 1 (FIRST WEEK)

Monday the 16th of June SSYRP opened its door for our first Summer Campler. A mix of 11 to 19 year old young humans showed up. All slightly insecure what might happen. After all papers have been signed to march through our boat bays started. And again … these boats are all so long. European style teaching all 1x and Coastal 1x and more 1x found themself on our dock. Our regular team welcomed the opportunity to look back in time how they started rowing - and that was sometimes not so long ago. All of them have been so stunned how much could and did go wrong. Luckily the water depth around our dock is not more then 2 foot - so that even our 11 year old Remi found himself quickly back on his feet - outside of his boat.

After a few days - our beginners started to be more adventurous and left our beloved dock, to find out that the water is also 2 feet deep on another location in our IntraCoastal. again, a lot of laughter made up for being not so skilled :-)

Of course, coming into the weekend out team thought coaching the experienced skills to out Campers would be a great idea. Keenan and Matej took out Timothy and Kai for a venetian style trip.

On our last day of our week - Janine, one of our great Masters Rower and supporter of the Junior team invited everyone to her home for a breakfast of champions. Thank you to Janine - you are just the best.

Regatta Costal Sprint LIDO BEACH

USRowing Youth Rowing national Coastal Championships and SSYRP in the middle of it. In 2028 we will see the first time in history Coastal rowing at the Olympic Games. USRowing is looking for the future athletes of this sport and created the first ever USRowing Coastal Championships in Sarasota. Precisely at South Lido beach.

SSYRP entered Daniel and Keenan 2x, Matej and Drew 2x, Chaeli 1x, Lilly and Ashley 2x. And what an event if you have no idea what will happen. Current, wind, waves, constantly water in your eyes and people screaming where you should go and you never are. but our kids did just amazing. And with Lilly and Ashley reaching the finals - our team was just happy. Ashley and Lilly by far the youngest competitors used their last weeks training on the intracoastal and showed with great turning skills and Ashley’s amazing orientation what a small team can achieve.

Thank you for our side to the parents and our outstanding boating handlers - Brendon and Ray for this great event. Also thank you for the sun being there and having an 90+ impact to the event every day.

Regatta Halifax - Daytona

July 26 in 2025. Our team (incl some of our Summer Campler) will travel to Daytona - Halifax. This regatta is now the 3rd in the row the Scullers are visiting and for our HeadCoach always a great event to bring our team, parents and friends together. the regatta brings joy - medals and motivations back home to Sarasota and it is a good finish for our summer season.

If you read this - if you are undecided - if you are motivated - if you want to feel real team spirit …. join our team and race in Halifax 2025. Contact our HeadCoach Bernhard Stomporowski here: [email protected]

Clubhouse - THE SEARCH

As you all probably already know - our rent was terminated and at the moment we are looking into a new location of our club. The board, friends and more visited already several places for a new location, but we could not finalize a good lease for our non-for-profit organization. Having this written at the end of our newsletter might be also not so super helpful … but iof you have been reading till here - you are interested. We as the Scullers need also your HELP. If you know a place (1000+ sqr foot) which we can soon welcome as our new home - that would be great. if you know a place, please write to: [email protected]