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[S2] Ep. 10 - Club Spotlight: Oak Ridge Rowing Association

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Oak Ridge Rowing Association was founded in 1978 and today is home to the Atomic juniors and masters teams. ORRA offers a wide array of Learn-to-Row classes, hosts several championship regattas every year, and provides a world-class training venue to visiting crews. ORRA – built on the passion and enthusiasm of its community, coaches, and volunteers – successfully navigated COVID, keeping all of their programs in-tact, healthy, and thriving.

Did you know that Melton Hill Lake was created in the 1960s when a power-generating dam was completed up stream? Or that Oak Ridge Rowing Association Head Coach John "JD" Davis has coached for 35+ years. Or that ORRA President Jim Rogers was inspired by his teenage daughter to learn to row? Listen to our conversation with JD, Jim, and masters rower Jen Bon.

GUESTS:
Head Coach John “JD” Davis
Board President, rower, and rower dad Jim Rogers
Masters rower Jen Bon

TIME STAMPS
00:00 - Intro
04:15 - Rowing week
14:20 - Rowing origin stories
26:10 - Surviving COVID
35:00 - History of ORRA and Melton Hill Lake in Secret City
37:45 - 8 lanes of incredible water
39:30 - That fog!
41:10 - Proud to be “atomic”
44:00 - Culture of volunteerism
48:55 - Boathouse mural
50:35 - Rapid Fire Q&A


[S2] Ep. 10 Mentions

PEOPLE
Bob Ernst
Bruce Ibbetson
Jim Ramsey (founding member)
Stu Gibson
Duval Hecht
Rachel Kehler (Everett coach)

CLUBS & ORGANIZATIONS
UC Irvine rowing
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)
University of Tennessee
USRowing

EVENTS
Dogwood Juniors regatta
USRowing Masters Nationals 2021