Tempe Junior Crew Information

Tempe Junior Crew was unofficially formed in March of 2000 when a small group of athletes, training under Coach Daniel Duxbury, traveled to and competed in the Long Beach Spring Regatta. This experience sparked the desire for competition in these young athletes who would later turn out to be the predominant driving force behind the first competitive crews of Tempe Junior Crew. Over the next year and a half the athletes competed under this unofficial umbrella. It quickly became clear that these athletes were on the fast track to becoming a force to be reckoned with in junior rowing. Despite less than perfect equipment, which was either rented or borrowed from other programs, TJC crews performed much at a much higher level than to be expected from such a new program. In December of 2001, in an effort to assist these athletes and Coach Dan, a group of dedicated parents began to lay the groundwork needed to form an official club that could support the competitive ambitions of these young rowers. By February 2002, a Board of Directors was formed and tax-exempt status was achieved. Tempe Junior Crew was now a reality. By this point, TJC had already taken delivery of its first shipment of equipment. The club had managed to purchase three used shells, an 8+ and two 4+s, and twenty oars. Soon after, with the assistance of Kaschper Racing Shells Ltd., the club purchased two brand new, top of the line shells. The sleek, black 8+ and 4+ arrived in Tempe in April of 2002, just in time for the Regional Championships. Since then, TJC has enjoyed numerous successes. Membership has expanded, seniors have received college scholarships, athletes have participated in National Team Talent Identification and Development Camps and the Board of Directors has continued to gel into a cohesive group working in partnership with the coaches and athletes to continue to drive TJC towards being one of the top junior rowing programs in the nation. And of course, we?ve gotten much, much FASTER!