Sue Ryan came to rowing through her journey as a breast cancer survivor, and she’s embraced the sport as both a challenge and a source of community. We talk about how the sport helped her move past childhood trauma, how it has shaped her cancer recovery, and the ways she’s found strength on and off the water as a member of Whitmarsh Boat Club, WeCanRow Philadelphia, and the Survivor Rowing Network.

QUICK LOOK

00:00 - Episode intro and welcome 01:59 - Rowing Week 03:58 - The Huddle 04:20 - Hot Seat Q&A 07:28 - Despite being “horribly uncoordinated,” Sue got hooked when she learned to row with WeCanRow Philadelphia 09:45 - Trauma in Sue’s youth led to disassociation from her body but rowing and therapy have helped her reconnect 13:15 - Social network as key to cancer recovery, and finding a welcoming club culture at Whitemarsh Boat Club 17:49 - Recovery: strength training, lymphedema, lifting, asking for help 21:00 - Being a voice of strength for her teammates 22:00 - Working with a sports psychologist, and Sue’s mantra 29:14 - How rowing has changed Sue and paying it forward to help new rowers 33:04 - Sue’s rowing “sales pitch” 33:40 - What Sue wishes someone had told her before she learned to row 34:00 - Sue describes the perfect stroke 36:50 - Steady State Network news and notes

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To see photos of Sue, and get links to the people, clubs, and events mentioned in this episode, check out the show notes on our website.

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This episode was made possible in part by Breakwater Realty, RowSource, and our Supporters.

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Steady State Podcast is hosted and edited by Rachel Freedman and Tara Morgan. Tara provides additional audio engineering, books show guests, and is our sponsor and donor coordinator. Rachel writes our scripts and e-newsletter, and manages the website and social media. Our theme music is by Jonas Hipper.

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SHOP SSN GEAR: www.steadystatenetwork.com/shop

SIGN UP FOR THE SSN NEWSLETTER: www.steadystatenetwork.com/newsletter

MAKE A DIFFERENCE: www.steadystatenetwork.com/support

Check out more Steady State Network here:

FB - /SteadyStateNetwork IG - @SteadyStateNetwork BLUESKY - steadystatenetwork.bsky.social

FB - /AllieswithOars IG - @AllieswithOars

Connect on FB and IG with the hosts: Rachel Freedman - @RowSource Tara Morgan - @CmonBarber

Think of all the companies represented in your boathouse. Maybe it’s boats manufactured by Vespoli, Pocock, or Hudson, and ergs and oars by Concept2. Maybe your coach keeps communications going using iCrew, or you open up the ErgZone app for training workouts. All of these companies – and nearly 20 others – are members of the Rowing Industry Trade Association (RITA).

On this episode we talk with two founding members of RITA – Michael Naughton, the COO of Nielsen-Kellerman; and Glen Burston, the Owner and Operations Manager of Hudson Boat Works. We’ll talk about how the association has opened up communication with World Rowing; about rules and regulations that impact companies and clubs; about what it would take to get more young kids into rowing, and more adults working in the rowing industry.

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QUICK LOOK

00:00 - Episode intro and welcome 03:19 - Rowing Week on a scale of 1-10 04:25 - The Huddle 06:25 - Hot Seat Q&A 11:23 - Michael and Glen’s rowing origin stories began in high school after turning away from other sports 17:35 - Finding profession in the rowing industry 22:03 - How RITA came to be and the vision for the association 24:48 - Balancing the needs and interests of RITA members 29:22 - RITA’s relationship with NGOs 30:44 - RITA members and member benefits 39:00 - Acknowledging three major disciplines: traditional, coastal, and indoor 41:38 - Considering ways to make rowing more accessible 47:24 - RITA at HOCR, sparking innovation, and industry job shop talk 51:02 - Steady State Network news and notes

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To see photos of Michael and Glen, and get links to the people, clubs, businesses, and events mentioned in this episode, check out the show notes on our website.

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This episode was made possible in part by Breakwater Realty, RowSource, and our Supporters.

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Steady State Podcast is hosted and edited by Rachel Freedman and Tara Morgan. Tara provides additional audio engineering, books show guests, and is our sponsor and donor coordinator. Rachel writes our scripts and e-newsletter, and manages the website and social media. Our theme music is by Jonas Hipper.

.

SHOP SSN GEAR: www.steadystatenetwork.com/shop

SIGN UP FOR THE SSN NEWSLETTER: www.steadystatenetwork.com/newsletter

MAKE A DIFFERENCE: www.steadystatenetwork.com/support

Check out more Steady State Network here:

FB - /SteadyStateNetwork IG - @SteadyStateNetwork BLUESKY - steadystatenetwork.bsky.social

FB - /AllieswithOars IG - @AllieswithOars

Connect on FB and IG with the hosts: Rachel Freedman - @RowSource Tara Morgan - @CmonBarber

Indianapolis Rowing Center was like lots of other clubs, running several small Learn to Row sessions each year but struggling with retention.

Then IRC rower, coach, and brand new Board member Lisa Stickley proposed something big. Really big. She wanted to develop a new type of introduction to rowing program that would get 120 registrants in the boathouse door and on the water all within the month of July.

With the support of the Board and club membership, IRC’s First Strokes program moved from big idea, to social media marketing campaign, to eight sessions a week for four weeks, plus three big social events. As of today, the retention rate is 40%.

Find out from Lisa how she made it happen and how your club can think outside the box to truly use LTR to grow membership and create community connections.

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QUICK LOOK

0:00 - Intro 05:05 - Lisa’s Rowing Week was an 11! 06:57 - The Huddle 08:37 - Hot Seat Q&A 11:23 - Rowing origin story 15:05 - Transition into competitive rowing, the rower life cycle, and Lisa’s “iron sharpens iron” motto 20:43 - About Indianapolis Rowing Center 23:25 - The idea that became IRC’s First Strokes program 25:39 - Big goal: register 120 new rowers 30:28 - Coaches, volunteers, and operational logistic strategy 39:10 - Phase 2: retention and integration of new rowers into club programs 42:48 - Club culture shifts 47:52 - Considerations for future growth of First Strokes 49:25 - Keys to success: fun and friends 53:31 - Steady State Network news and notes

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To see photos of Lisa, IRC's huge First Strokes program, and to get links to the people and events mentioned in this episode, check out the show notes on our website.

.

This episode was made possible in part by Breakwater Realty, RowSource, and our Supporters.

.

Steady State Podcast is hosted and edited by Rachel Freedman and Tara Morgan. Tara provides additional audio engineering, books show guests, and is our sponsor and donor coordinator. Rachel writes our scripts and e-newsletter, and manages the website and social media. Our theme music is by Jonas Hipper.

.

SHOP SSN GEAR: www.steadystatenetwork.com/shop

SIGN UP FOR THE SSN NEWSLETTER: www.steadystatenetwork.com/newsletter

MAKE A DIFFERENCE: www.steadystatenetwork.com/support

Check out more Steady State Network here:

FB - /SteadyStateNetwork IG - @SteadyStateNetwork BLUESKY - steadystatenetwork.bsky.social

FB - /AllieswithOars IG - @AllieswithOars

Connect on FB and IG with the hosts: Rachel Freedman - @RowSource Tara Morgan - @CmonBarber