Rowing through challenges: A look inside Auburn's inclusive rowing community

The Rowing Club at Auburn University is more than just a team.  It’s a community that encourages growth, inclusivity and a passion for rowing. 

Individuals like Jason Beagle, Ben Urch and Kalysta Crawford are on a mission to not only lead the club but take it to new heights.

Beagle is the head coach of the Auburn Rowing Club. He has a story of resilience, having started his rowing journey after a spinal cord injury from a car accident in 1994.

“I enjoy watching athletes grow and improve, both personally and competitively,” Beagle shared 

That started when Beagle had to do the same for himself.

“When I was relearning how to walk, I found rowing,” he said. “Watching that personal growth is very rewarding, and winning a medal is very rewarding. There’s nothing like that sense of satisfaction.”

Another sense of satisfaction has come from watching this team grow, a sentiment Beagle and junior rower Kalysta Crawford share.

“I started rowing when I was a sophomore in high school,” Crawford said. “I used to canoe, and I loved to be out on the water. My mom signed me up for a two-week ‘learn to row camp,’ and I learned very quickly it was nothing like canoeing.”

With almost six years of rowing experience, Crawford decided to run for president of the club.

“I wanted to see this team grow because I love this sport so much, and I love the people on the team,” she said. “That led me to make the decision to run, and then Coach Jason [Beagle] joined our team last year, and I just wanted to step up to support him and our team.”

Currently the team has 15 members, but Crawford said, “Future students who are interested shouldn’t be scared and should jump right in. It’s okay if you don’t have any experience.”

Those future students will have something new to look forward to. Thanks to a partnership with the Water Works Board and the City of Opelika, the club has recently moved practices from Lake Martin to Lake Saugahatchee, much closer to campus.

“We practice out on the water about six days a week,” said senior Ben Urch, vice president of administration. The club started around 1997, but now, with Beagle at the helm as coach, Urch said they are being led in the right direction and developing new rowers.

“We want to improve and show our school and community what’s possible with rowing at Auburn,” Beagle said.

So far this year, the club has captured medals at the John Ferriss Regatta in Gainesville, Georgia, as well as the Clemson Sprints Regatta in Seneca, South Carolina.  Beagle says he’d love to see multiple groups competing on the water, improving performance and winning even more medals — maybe even against other teams in the Southeastern Conference.

As the club continues to expand and improve its performance, it remains committed to inclusivity and accessibility, welcoming new members regardless of experience.

If you’d like to be a part of the club’s continued growth and success, visit the club’s page on AUInvolve.