'Boys in the Boat' Can Be a Master Stroke for Rowing in the U.S.

The feature film Boys in the Boat, starring Joel Edgerton and Callum Turner and directed by George Clooney, hits theaters on Christmas Day. And if the early reviews are any indication, the film could grow the popularity of the sport of rowing in the way "Drive to Survive" has boosted Formula 1 or how "Ted Lasso" has introduced international soccer to fans in the U.S., just to name a couple of recent influential pieces.

And while the 2014 book on which the film is based chronicling the amazing story of the 1936 University of Washington rowing team that competed for gold at the Summer Olympics in Berlin was influential, the huge attention that the film is getting pre-launch is shining a light on a sport that the American public, by and large, has little knowledge of.

Amanda Kraus, CEO of Princeton-based United States Rowing Association, thinks BITB can have that kind of impact that can change the perception of the sport. After screening the film last week, she discussed her thoughts in a interview by email with JSN:

Jersey Sporting News: Boys In the Boat presents a unique opportunity for a National Governing Body, how did it come along?

Amanda Kraus: The movie is based on the book of the same name by Daniel James Brown. The book has been a ‘must-read' for rowers for years and we feel lucky that George Clooney ended up falling in love with the story and being at the helm of its making. Both the book and movie capture the incredible hard work and dedication required to sit in a boat and compete, and this authenticity speaks to rowers. At a time when we are focused on expanding what many consider a niche sport, we’re very excited about the exposure this movie can bring to our sport.

Amanda Kraus (US Rowing)

JSN: There are a number of initiatives tied to the awareness of the film. Tell us about the first one tied to fundraising for Paris 2024?

AK: Yes, we have a fundraising goal tied to the film. The Paris Olympics are clearly front and center for all of us, and this movie could not come out at a better time to get Americans excited about our team. We are sending at least 10 boats of athletes to Paris in a mere seven months for the Olympics and Paralympics. The fund, appropriately called The Path to Paris, has a goal of over $2M to support the current “Boys” (and “girls!”) in the boat in 2024-- this will close the gap on what we receive from the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee and what we need to give our dedicated athletes the best possible chance of standing on the podium. I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t include an email to use to reach out to us if anyone wants to support the team. It’s [email protected].

JSN: You are all very big in making the sport more inclusive. What initiatives are tied to that side of the film?

AK: Joe Rantz and his teammates were clearly considered “outsiders” in a sport that was and still is (though slowly changing) seen as the province of the educated, the elite, the wealthy. We recognize we still have work to do on that front as a sport. Rowing is still considered a sport for the economically advantaged. We need to change that and we need to highlight and support the clubs and individuals who are driving change on the ground. By encouraging and supporting diversity we grow rowing. And growth will make us more competitive leading to more medals. More medals means more exposure to our sport, which means more growth. So, there you have a virtuous cycle. Focusing on diversity-- opening up the sport-- is smart business as the film and book rightly point out.

To help organizations with diversifying their teams, USRowing launched an initiative called United We Row, which offers clubs the resources to train, recruit and retain athletes from communities they may not normally reach out to, as well as focusing on athletes with different abilities. In addition to offering programming and resources, for the first time we will be offering grants to clubs that either demonstrate success in diversifying their clubs, or present a business plan we feel is worthy of helping to subsidize. We will be launching these grants in Q1 2024. We also already offer scholarships so that economic means don’t get in the way of membership, of attending our camps, etc.

JSN: The film is based on a best selling novel, did you think that the book could come to life at such a key time for US Rowing and the sport?

AK: Certainly not. We could not have asked for better timing! The novel has been and continues to be widely read among our community-- it's been an inspiration, it's been quoted, it is given as a gift to new rowers, etc.. For years we had been following the reports about who might have bought the rights to the book and then who might be attached to it, it was happening, then it seemed not to be happening. The fact that it is being released at such an opportune time as well as having such huge names attached to it, is truly amazing.

JSN: Lastly, what would you like to see this bounce for the film translate into say a year from now?

AK: For too long, rowing in the United States has often been a sport that doesn’t feel accessible to people. To them, it’s just a sport people see on TV at the Olympics every four years where someone yells “stroke, stroke”. Or maybe people just know rowers are insanely fit (which is true). Or they’ve seen the somewhat cheesy poster in a conference room of an 8+ at sunset with TEAMWORK MAKES THE DREAM WORK underneath. We hope this film will help change that perception and see that, like those boys in Seattle at UW, being a rower just takes a boat and water and a coach to lead the way. Not easy, I know, but more accessible than people think. You don’t need to go to an Ivy League college or university to find and fall in love with rowing. And this work is happening everywhere in this country. People are launching from trailers, with no docks, they’re getting kids in boats, people with disabilities in boats, 80-year-olds in boats. And I hope this film helps people realize that they can row too. They can also have the sunset teamwork moments because when they are happening in real life, they’re not cheesy at all. I can promise you that.