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A new high-school rowing league in Oklahoma City will launch next fall thanks to a $1 million grant from the Inasmuch Foundation to the RIVERSPORT Foundation, which will administer the new Varsity Rowing League.
Scheduled to begin in fall 2027, the league will bring boys’ and girls’ rowing to Oklahoma high schools at no cost to participating schools for the first two years. RIVERSPORT will provide coaching, equipment, and race coordination, with athletes training both at their schools and at RIVERSPORT’s Oklahoma City facilities.
The season will combine indoor rowing and on-water training with races every two weeks and a state championship.
“This investment from Inasmuch is a catalyst for long-term impact,” said Chris Sorensen, executive director of RIVERSPORT Foundation. “We are building a pipeline that connects students to sport, education and opportunity while strengthening communities across Oklahoma.”
Organizers expect five to six schools to participate in the inaugural season and are targeting a 25-percent increase in youth rowing participation over the league’s first four years.
The $1 million grant will fully fund the program during its first two years, followed by partial funding in years three and four. The goal is for the league to become financially independent by its fifth year.
The new high-school programs will also provide a pathway into RIVERSPORT’s existing Junior Crew program. According to RIVERSPORT, about half of its graduating seniors typically continue rowing at Division I or Ivy League universities.
“This partnership reflects a shared vision for expanding access to opportunity,” said Robert J. Ross, president and CEO of Inasmuch Foundation. “We believe this league will create lasting impact for students, schools and Riversport OKC.”
The initiative is part of what the foundation is calling “RIVERSPORT 2.0,” an effort to expand access to its sports programs and develop more athletes throughout Oklahoma. “We’re refocused on rowing and paddle sports,” said Sorenson.
Oklahoma City’s RIVERSPORT will be the venue for Canoe Slalom
and Kayak Cross for the LA28 Olympic Games. RIVERSPORT is a US Olympic and Paralympic Training Site for both rowing and canoe/kayak. The organization has hosted numerous national and international rowing, canoe, and kayak events since its inception in 2006.
