On an unseasonably warm November morning, Lucy Tuttle-Smith steps into a small motorboat to head out on the Allegheny River to coach a group of intermediate and advanced rowers from the Steel City Rowing Club.
“This may be our last time on the river,” she shouts to the two quad sculls preparing to launch.
“You have been saying that for weeks!” replied a group of rowers as they pushed off the dock.
Ms. Tuttle-Smith has been involved with the group since 2003 when her son became interested in rowing in high school. Since then she has spent much of her time making sure the club prospers through volunteer work and eventually becoming a staff coach. The club’s three-story boathouse on the bank of the Allegheny River in Verona opened in 2010 and, in addition to over 200 members, it serves as home base for five high schools. Ms. Tuttle-Smith now spends much of her time as a coach talking about style and technique of rowing, but her passion for the sport is rooted in the sense of community that develops in the club. “You develop strong bonds with the people here, it’s a very welcoming group.”
For some club members, the spirit of competition keeps them going. “It’s very addictive,” said Karla Isenberg of O’Hara. “It’s the elusive 10 percent. The first 90 percent is pretty simple to figure out. It’s finding the little things that make it perfect. And you get to be with your friends working towards a common goal.”