Qrew Pittsburgh is proving that you don’t need any rowing experience to find your place on the water.
QBurgh’s Kalliyan Winder recently spent an evening with Qrew, the LGBTQ+ and ally team competing in Three Rivers Rowing Association’s Summer Rowing League, to learn what makes the team so special.
For the team’s coxswain, rowing is all about working together.
“Rowing only works if everybody is putting their blade in the water at the same time and pushing at the same time,” they explain. Every stroke depends on trust, communication, and moving as one. A lesson that extends beyond the boat itself.
When the weather or river conditions keep the team off the water, practices move indoors to rowing machines known as ergs, where new rowers learn the fundamentals of the stroke. As Kalliyan quickly discovered, rowing is all about repetition, technique, and finding a rhythm.
But ask members why they keep coming back, and the answer goes beyond fitness.
After long workdays, practices offer a chance to enjoy Pittsburgh’s rivers, get some exercise, and build community in an environment that’s welcoming and low-pressure.
“It’s nice to have something that is outside where I can enjoy our natural rivers, and then also meet people and be part of queer community,” one member says. “It can be a little less awkward meeting community here than maybe out at a bar. We have a natural thing to talk about, which is rowing.”
That sense of community has only continued to grow. What started with a single boat has expanded into multiple boats practicing two nights each week, creating more opportunities for LGBTQ+ people and allies to get involved.
The team’s advice for anyone thinking about trying it? Take your time, watch a few videos, find a welcoming team and just give it a shot.
Or, as one rower puts it: “Football’s lame. Row.”