Helen’s blog: Why I love adaptive rowing

Hello, my name is Helen! I’m 16 years old and have profound unilateral sensorineural hearing loss along with ADHD. I communicate through speech and use CROS II hearing aids as well as a Roger Pen to help. I have recently started college studying Sports and Exercise Science which leads onto this blog - my passion for adaptive sport!

As a deaf young person who has participated in non-disabled sport throughout my life as well as recently starting adaptive sport, I have gathered many experiences! Today I wanted to talk about adaptive rowing, my favourite sport and the first adaptive one I have participated in.

What is adaptive rowing?

Adaptive rowing is for people with all sorts of disabilities - physical, sensory or learning difficulties. It’s all about navigating ways around barriers that would normally make it harder for us to participate, as well as finding a community where you are accepted and you don’t have to struggle alone. Adaptive rowing is exactly the same as rowing in general except that we use creative ideas to make it more accessible. We adapt the way we do things and in turn, make it more enjoyable for us!

How did you start adaptive rowing?

I got into adaptive rowing after researching adaptive sports in my area. I wanted to start a new sport where I would be able to participate equally to others with more support and understanding from coaches. After seeing adaptive rowing on the Parasport website and watching videos, I thought it would be a great thing to get involved in especially as it was very different to previous sports I’ve been involved with. I love being outdoors and doing sport, so it was perfect as it mixed both things together!

What’s the best thing about adaptive rowing?

There are so many things I love about adaptive rowing. Here are just a few:

• Each coach works with fewer boats at once than with standard rowing. This means the coaches get to know you and better understand the way you communicate, meaning you learn more! 

• The community is extremely welcoming. At regattas, when we meet and race other teams, it’s great to meet up with other adaptive squads and have fun with them after racing. We have shared cake on people’s birthdays before! 

• Adaptive rowing goes at a slower pace. The coaches let you take your time when you’re learning and trying new things. If you don’t feel ready to row fast or without floats, they won’t force you and they’ll gently help you develop new skills and abilities.  

• Everyone is always open to trying new adaptations and creative ideas to make rowing more accessible and improve your skills. For example, when competing in regattas, the start umpire will have a flag that they drop when the race starts. This means that, as a deaf rower, I know when to go.

Have you faced any challenges?

As a deaf rower, yes, there have been challenges I’ve faced. However, thanks to being in the adaptive squad with coaches who want to make it as accessible as possible, we have more or less overcome them!

Some of the challenges have been communication with my coaches while I’m on the water. I can't wear my hearing aids on the water in case they get wet, meaning I struggle to hear them as clearly. This means we have to work out ways to make sure I can hear and understand them.

Some of the methods have been to use a megaphone so their voice is louder and for them to come closer so I can lipread. One that we are about to start working on - along with another deaf rower who sometimes joins our squad – is creating universal rowing signs that are easier to see on the water. All the coaches will learn these so then there is no confusion about what they are trying to say!

What have been your greatest achievements and favourite moments?

My biggest achievement since starting adaptive rowing last year is probably winning my first medal with my rowing partner in the Women’s Supported Adaptive 2x! Another one was being able to steer a single boat without crashing at another regatta where the finish was so close that it took about 20 minutes for us to find out who won!

I also have been able to have some memorable experiences since starting rowing, including going to an event where we got to meet Paralympic rowers who competed at the Tokyo games in 2021. I’ve also been lucky to have the opportunity to participate in the EnduRow Challenge. This was where people from 30 different countries got together virtually to row for four hours, raising over £13,000 in support of the Pararowing foundation! I have also been privileged to be a cox for a rowing team in a recent regatta, meaning I lead the team. In adaptive rowing, there are endless opportunities!

What would you say to other deaf young people who are thinking about starting a sport?

If you want to get involved in sport, whether it is adaptive or not, go for it! There may be some challenges but once you overcome them, it will make you a better athlete. You’ll have the confidence and experience to face any other challenges sport throws at you - whether that would be from an injury or something else. The determination that is inside of you will help carry you through difficult times because the outcomes are incredible!

Setting goals in your sport is everything, even if it’s as small as trying something new or just going that little bit faster for a part of your session! You don’t need to have big goals from the beginning because as you continue through the sport they will slowly get larger and larger. Who knows? You could even one day compete at the Commonwealth Games, Olympics, Paralympics or Deaflympics!

If you would like to read and find out more about adaptive rowing, there is a website called Adaptive Rowing UK which has the latest news (including stories about some of the great opportunities I have been involved in), articles about new adaptations and also blogs. Some blogs are written for people who are thinking of starting adaptive rowing but aren’t sure if they would be able to because of their disability, such as like cerebral palsy, deafness and multiple sclerosis. Others are by people who row with those exact disabilities.

I could go on for ages about adaptive rowing and disability sport, but I would like to close this blog with some of my tips on how to advocate and make sport more accessible for you as a deaf person if you find yourself a bit lost in what to say or do:

• Explain to your coach about your type of deafness and how it impacts you  

• Write a summary sheet to give them which will explain what you find difficult and how they can help 

• Give your coach communication tips that work for you - for example, facing you when speaking, using a whiteboard to help with communication or using agreed signs for emergency procedures. 

I hope that you find the courage to get involved with sport or continue to thrive in the one you are already participating in! 

Helen