OAL novice rowers training out of the Oakland Strokes Boathouse on September 22, 2026. (Photo by Joel Flory)
Seven Oakland, California public high schools are fielding boys and girls rowing teams this fall, the first season of rowing as an official Oakland Athletic League (OAL) sport. More than 60 student athletes – about 45 of them began rowing in late August – will conclude the season in the OAL Championship Regatta on October 10, 2026. Oakland Strokes (OS) and East Bay Rowing Club (EBRC) partnered with the OAL to provide a 9-week home for the student athletes.
The OAL program is an important step in making rowing more accessible, as Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) serves an incredibly diverse student body. According to US News & World Report, 88% of OUSD students are Latino (47%), African American (20%), Asian/API (10%), Two or More Races and other non-white (11%). A great majority of the OAL rowers reflect that diversity.
The Blueprint for Other Leagues to Follow
Although it is believed this is the first time a California public high school athletic league has officially sponsored rowing, the hope is several leagues join the OAL in the near future. It simply takes an existing community club that is committed to expanding this sport into nearby public schools.
Besides doing the important work of making rowing more inclusive, the host club benefits in tangible ways, as stated by EBRC ED Heather Krakora: “With PE credit and access to school registration events, the kids are rowing for their schools and our varsity rowers have become mentors overnight, which has been really amazing to watch. Any rowing club near a public high school can do this, they just need to be willing to open their doors.”
Added OS ED Dana Hooper: “The Oakland Strokes are genuinely excited to support the launch of the OAL Rowing League! Providing local high schoolers with access to rowing opens doors to incredible growth and opportunity, and we’re proud to make this league possible.” The fall season is designed so that rowers can join the club team in mid-October.
Other support comes from USRowing, via United We Row grants to OS and EBRC to partially offset transportation costs. And, thanks go to the impressive lineup of head coaches who are deeply committed to making the program a success: Morgan Jackson, Carla Jourdan, Caroline Powers, Maya Sun, Kay Worthington, and Mark Zembsch.
Rowing is Growing, these Programs Deepen the Talent Pool
Youth rowing in the United States is growing at a rapid pace, and opportunities to be recruited into collegiate rowing programs are also at an all-time high. More than 150 colleges compete in NCAA women’s rowing, and 100+ colleges offer rowing athletic scholarships. Nearly eighty colleges compete in varsity men’s rowing; dozens provide athletic scholarships. Besides those robust numbers of varsity programs, there are hundreds of colleges that field competitive club rowing teams.
Of note, rowing will add to the incredibly rich history of the OAL, one of the country’s most accomplished high school athletic leagues. Among OAL legends are several pro Hall of Famers (Bill Russell, Gary Payton, Jim Pollard, Frank Robinson, Joe Morgan, Rickey Henderson, Don Budge) and USA Olympic legends (Alysa Liu, Zoe Ann Olsen, Jim Hines).