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

Napoleon Griffin (L) with his 2x partner Donnie Jensen.

Subscribe on your favorite podcast app. Join our Patreon community for early access to episodes, discounts, and more.


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

Previous
Previous

[S2] Ep. 11: Coach Rachel Le Mieux, Martha’s Moms

Next
Next

[S2] Ep. 9 - Napoleon Griffin: From Track to Power 10s