Rowing is the ultimate teamwork sport, with many applications in the outside world.

As a corporate rowing client, your team will learn how to work together in a very unique way, both on and off the water. Our rowing program builds confidence, camaraderie, and morale for your employees!

Additionally, it can be a great addition (or start) to your workplace wellness program... a recent article showed that Grand Rapids area employers with comprehensive wellness program saw a ROI of $2 in savings for every $1 invested... fantastic results, to be sure! Furthermore, rowing is a unique and effective team building activity. A recent article by Mike Michalowicz listed joining a rowing club as one of the top ten ways for business leaders to improve their management and leadership skills. Michalowicz says that "the skills you will gain here are timing and consistent team execution, valuable in any business. You will also gain some team-building skills, and your biceps will probably also see some improvement."

Maybe you have seen the "teamwork" motivational poster with the picture of an eight rowing along, working together as a crew.

It's not just picturesque; there is a reason rowing is often referred to as "the ultimate team sport."

Dan Lyons, president of Team Concepts, a management training consultant in Narberth, Pa., that counts Alcoa and Johnson & Johnson among its clients, rowed in the 1988 Seoul Olympics and has won 11 national rowing championships. Lyons says that there is a lot of unspoken communication in rowing, such as body language and tactile feel… and that business leaders can learn from that. “Business leaders communicate in every way imaginable. Some understand that and some don't. As soon as they walk into a room they're communicating with their eye contact and the energy that they give off. It's not just what they say, but how they say it. The skills learned and team dynamics discovered when rowing together translate directly to business success.”

You don't need to take our word for it, or that of the Grand Rapids Press, or Mike Michalowicz, or Dan Lyons, that rowing has incredible potential applications for business. Andrew Carnegie is famous for remarking that "the cooperative effort of rowing provides a better model for global business than other sport."

Members of the Comprenew Rowing Team work together to keep the shell upright... 

Opportunities are available for corporate/organizational teams to form throughout the year. There are many opportunities for competition, or simply as a great team building activity... we will work with you to build the program to fit your organizational needs.

"When rowing, you learn pretty quickly that it doesn't make sense to row ahead of your teammates. I want the Comprenew Crew to inspire the same level of teamwork within the entire operation. I think our weekly practices are already making us more aware of the value of teamwork...and I've noticed an increase in the 'I'm happy I work here' factor. Plus, nothing beats getting away from the office to be on the water." 

We have found that our most successful programs are several weeks in length... quite a commitment, to be sure. We are currently working to develop a shorter-term option for companies who aren't yet ready for such an in-depth team-building exercise!

Please contact Club President Landon Bartley at landon@grrowing.org for more information.