Boathouse Rowers: 'Big Fish in Small Pond'

The move from a floating barn behind the Whole Foods in Lincoln Park to new, state-of-the-art boathouses at Clark Park in Roscoe Village is more than just a vanity upgrade for one local organization.

Comprising more than 300 rowers, the LPJ Chicago Rowing team is hoping its move to the more spacious and functional facility will push its program even further toward its goal.

The registered 501(c)3 nonprofit was founded in 1998 with a grant from the U.S. Olympic Committee aimed at making rowing accessible and available to students throughout the Chicago metropolitan area.

And that's just what it's done.

Head Coach Mike Wallin says LPJ Rowing is about making sure everyone can enjoy the sport, whether you're a high school student or 60-year-old adult. Rowing should not simply be for those lucky or wealthy enough to afford it.

• Watch the accompanying YouTube video to meet the rowers and learn more about the Clark Park move.

“The team is very unique, not only because it’s a sport that a lot of people are familiar with, but it’s also unique within its own sport because it’s set up to include people that typically haven’t been included in rowing,” Wallin said.

The organization's website boasts, "If you are between 10 and 100, we have a program for you."

"It’s sort of viewed as an elitist, pretty East Coast sport, and the stereotypes were oftentimes based on truth because the equipment is so expensive and the travel is so expensive," Wallin said. "... So it makes sense, but it’s also a sport that gives you a great opportunity to become the big fish in a small pond.”

"... We wanted to make sure the kids who didn’t come from money would have the opportunities this sport can provide for them."

Wallin is talking about high school scholarships, with rowing being a ticket to some of the top universities in the country. Growing up in a blue-collar family, it was his ticket to the University of California-Berkeley.

Now he’s hoping to share similar opportunities with as many Chicago-area high schoolers as possible. Originally named Lincoln Park Juniors during its inception in 1999, LPJ has expanded beyond the North Side community to include students from more than 50 schools—some of which are as far away as Indiana.

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“It’s been an awesome experience for me as a coach to bring that together and see what our team has done for kids in terms of changing them in a positive way,” Wallin said. “Our team is set up so that it wouldn’t just be a bunch of wealthy kids whose high school didn’t have a rowing team. We wanted it to be representative of the population of Chicago, and we wanted to make sure the kids who didn’t come from money would have the opportunities this sport can provide for them.”

LPJ’s mission to draw people of every age together—and some amazing college opportunities—is why the team is hosting its One River Gala on May 11 at the new boathouses. Tickets are on sale to raise money for everything from new equipment to kick starting new programs for both teens and adults.

Boathouse designer Jeanne Gang will be there giving tours to VIP ticket holders.

Raising money to purchase top-notch boats, oars and other items needed to compete is part of Wallin’s plan to win area competitions, hopefully inching more students toward potential college scholarships.

“We’ll be rowing out of the new boathouses, and we’ve been working with the park district for well over a year now to make this boat house everything it can be,” he said. “Some things just couldn’t exist with the facility we have now. I think we have the combination of this all-inclusive atmosphere while providing an extremely competitive atmosphere … We don’t want to go to these races but get eaten in 30 seconds by kids rowing the equivalent of a Ferrari.”

Those interested in buying tickets to the One River Gala can find more information here.

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