Community Programs
COMMUNITY PROGRAMS
UPCOMING EVENTS
2025 Summer Camps
If you are interested in rowing with Oakland Strokes during the school year, our Summer Programs are a great way to try the sport before the fall season. We have a variety of camps for middle school athletes that are sure to interest anyone thinking of trying out rowing.
Rowing + Water Skills Camp: June 9 - 13 | 9:00am - 2:30pm
This camp combines water skills (being able to anticipate, avoid and survive common drowning situations) with a basic swimming stroke. We believe this combination to be more effective in teaching athletes how to react in the event of a water emergency. They will learn how to self rescue using equipment that will be familiar once they are on the water learning the rowing stroke. The camp is broken down into 3 sections:
- water skills ( :45 minutes)
- basic swim/safety stroke work ( :45)
- rowing ( :45)
The water skills portion will be conducted at Roberts Pool on Skyline Blvd. Rowing will take place at our Tidewater Boathouse on the Estuary.
Camp includes transportation, snacks and lunch.
Program cost is $25. Click HERE to register.
Learn to Row Summer Camps
Our Middle School Beginning and Advanced Rowing summer camps are open for athletes 11 - 14 years old (at the start of camp) who will be entering grades 6 - 8 in the fall. Our summer camps are open to all athletes, including those outside the Oakland Strokes school year programs. These camps are focused on teaching fundamental movements of the rowing stroke in a fun and engaging atmosphere. Our Level I and Level II camps give young athletes the tools they need to continue to pursue rowing in our Middle School programs during the fall and spring.
Lifejackets are required for 12 year old athletes. Due to California law, anyone under the age of 13 will be required to wear a life jacket regardless of their swimming ability.
Level I is for “beginners” who have never rowed crew before. Don’t worry, we’ll teach your athlete everything they’ll need to know. We recommend rising 6th graders who have done 1 school year session or 1 week of summer camp to repeat the Level I camp.
Level II is for “advanced” athletes who have done at least 1 week of Learn to Row camp and/or a school year session.
Athletes who have completed at least 1 year of Novice or Varsity high school rowing should refer to the Summer Varsity Camp.
TIMES:
Middle School (Beginner and Advanced) Rowing: 8:30 - 11:00am
LOCATION:
Tidewater Aquatic Center, 4675 Tidewater Avenue, Oakland.
DATES:
Session #1: Monday, June 23 - Friday, June 27
Session #2: Monday, July 7 - Friday, July 11
Session #3: Monday, July 14 - Friday, July 18
Session #4: Monday ,July 21 - Friday, July 25
Session #5: Monday, July 28 - Friday, August 1
Contact Carla Jourdan for scholarship codes.
2 Sport Camp: Rowing + Golf: August 4 - 8 | 9:00am - 3:00pm
This innovative, full day camp offers both rowing and golf instruction. Rowing and golf both provide powerful, well-rounded experiences for middle school girls of color—fostering not just physical strength, but also character, confidence, and resilience. These sports open doors to opportunities that extend far beyond the playing field.
As sports that are often underrepresented by communities of color, rowing and golf offer unique pathways to college—through scholarships, athletic recruitment, and leadership programs. Early exposure helps girls develop not only competitive skills but also the discipline, teamwork, and perseverance that colleges value in both athletes and students. By engaging in these sports, girls can stand out in the admissions process, access mentorship networks, and envision themselves thriving in academic spaces that may have once felt out of reach.
Camp includes transportation, snacks and lunch.
Program cost is $25. Click HERE to register.
2025 Fall ROWING: STEM TO STERN (UNDER 15 Rowing)
STEM to Stern is a national program in partnership with our sport’s governing body, USRowing. Oakland Strokes is a partner club of STEM to Stern, which works with local middle schools to make rowing programs more accessible, diverse, and competitive. The STEM to Stern program was started in Milwaukee, WI at the Milwaukee Rowing Club as a way to eliminate the barriers of participation and to increase representation on the team. The main barriers to rowing include transportation, swimming lessons and club fees. By creating ways to address these barriers, students are able to participate, regardless of where they are from.
This innovative program includes Strokes coaches leading practice sessions that cover rowing basics on the water, allowing students to gain familiarity and experience on the same rowing equipment used by our high school competitive teams. The “STEM” part of STEM to Stern includes students working with collegiate student-athletes from UC Berkeley and High School mentors from College Preparatory School, so the young athletes can get exposure to further science, technology, engineering and math skills. Additional information can be found on the program website.
2025 Fall registration
Fall registration for the STEM to Stern program is now open. Contact Carla Jourdan for scholarship registration links.