Success for the School Day Adaptive Fall Season and Culminating Event

by Corby Ferlesch

Some weeks ago, the athletes, coaches, and teachers who participated in Row New York’s School Day Adaptive (SDA) program this Fall 2019 met in the gymnasium of public school 721Q.  On this special morning, the culminating event would occur, allowing all participants from all participating schools to be together for the first time. During the season, athletes were bussed from their schools once a week, coming from the Bronx, Queens, Manhattan, and Brooklyn to the Queens Boathouse.  Throughout the season, the same schools row together, allowing the girls to form friendships with each other. At the culminating event, the excitement of being in a new location with all 10 schools together was contagious.  

Like most days at SDA, we started off with some dancing to warm up. We started off the culminating event with some Zumba led by the beloved Dr. Rosell.  A Philippino native, Dr. Rosell has been bringing large groups to SDA for many years. He cued coach Angelina to put on 24K Magic by Bruno Mars and the whole crowd followed his heart pumping dancing. As the choreography was original, Dr. Rosell moved confidently to the beat. Throughout the room smiles were beaming, it was the perfect way to start off the event.  

The main activity of the event was a brilliantly planned Turkeytivity, created by none other than SDA’s leader, Coach Denise. Since the event took place right before Thanksgiving break, the girls were in a fun holiday mood.  Each school had an erg, a coach, and a hand-drawn paper turkey taped to the wall. There was just one problem…these turkeys had no feathers! The athletes were instructed to fill their bare turkeys with feathers, which they would receive from the coaches in exchange for athletic tasks.  They had around 25 minutes to do so, and the school with the most feathered turkey at the end would win.  

The gym erupted in yelling, laughing and cheering as the girls did squats, jumping jacks, ran in place, and high fived one another.  The longest activity was an 8-minute relay on the erg. The most fun was cheering on another team, requiring the girls to travel across the room to encourage another school.  In the end, all the turkeys had some beautiful feathers and the athletes had gotten a great workout!

Next up was the teacher relay, an event the teachers had been waiting for all season.  Just like the students, the teachers from different schools form friendships throughout the years.  The relay is a chance for them to compete against each other and represent their school. The event is a favorite amongst the athletes as well, who love the opportunity to encourage their teachers.

The culminating event finished with a wildly long and curvy conga line led by Coach Agnes. The line snaked throughout the room to many of the songs that the athletes had rowed to during the season.  When the crowd favorite, Suavemente, came on, the line really started to shake.  I could not imagine coaching SDA without music, as these girls love to dance and sing.  

The success of the culminating event embodied what SDA is all about.  Creating community, having fun, exercising and trying new things all through rowing.  The culminating event was the best way to remember a wonderful fall season.  

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