For many people, being on a boat out on the water is pure relaxation; for the Unity Boat Club, it’s a statement about the power of determination and breaking down barriers.
“We’re focusing on diversity and inclusion,” said Patrick Johnson, the club’s co-founder and president emeritus. “We’re also providing opportunities for people who may not be able to afford some of the other programs.”
During a Sunday afternoon training session on the Potomac River at Thompson Boat Center, Johnson and assistant coaches led the team through a variety of drills.
Johnson said the goal of the club is to provide rowing opportunities for everyone, offering personalized coaching and support for athletes with physical, visual, intellectual or developmental disabilities.
High school rowers serve as mentors for the adaptive rowers.
“Each boat that goes out today will have one adaptive rower, and one high school rower from 10 to 12 different high schools around D.C., Maryland and Virginia,” Johnson said.
Boats used for competitive rowing, or shells, are typically only 1-foot wide.
“We also have recreation boats, which allows for a lot of different levels to be able to row who maybe couldn’t before,” Johnson said. “We have safety pontoons that can go on there, so all levels can row.”
Johnson said the teamwork and camaraderie required to row in unison benefits athletes and volunteers, in and out of the water.
“You have to learn how to work with somebody else,” Johnson said. “If the boat isn’t moving together, then it’s not going to move well at all.”
The club has meetings and training sessions in a variety of locations, including Fort Belvoir Marina, Anacostia Community Boathouse, as well as indoor sessions at CrossFit Adaptation in Arlington.
“It’s just rewarding to see people doing things that they never thought they’d be able to do,” Johnson said.