Para rowers have been working hard inside the LaSalle Rowing Club with the goal of soon hitting the water outside — some for the first time ever.
Stacey Trottier-Mousseau is a para rowing coach at the club who has multiple sclerosis. She was the first ever para rower at the LaSalle Rowing Club.
“Anybody can row,” she said.
Para rowers began training in the clubhouse in December as the rowing club launched its first ever dedicated para rowing program. Trottier-Mousseau said there are many people with diminished abilities who don’t know there is a sport they can do.
“A lot of people were surprised to find out that they could be active in sport when they thought that that was either a thing of the past or something that wasn’t going to be available to them at all,” she said.
Kathy Dresser has Multiple Sclerosis and began rowing in December. She will finally get to hit the water in May. 0:38
‘Butterflies in my stomach’
“Group sports were never for me,” said Kathy Dresser, who also has multiple sclerosis.
“I’ve had hearing loss since I was about eight-years-old and that sort of eliminated anything that was on the court or on the water or on the road. It’s hard to communicate when you’re hard of hearing.”
Dresser said she got the idea to row when she heard Trottier-Mousseau speak.
“I’ve progressed so much,” she said.
Para Rowing coach Stacey Trottier-Mousseau says a lot of people don’t know that a sport is available to them if they have a diminished level of ability. 0:43
She’s been rowing indoors since December now she’s excited to get out on the water.
“It kind of will be the butterflies in my stomach and that feeling of moving across the water,” said Dresser.
The plan is for the Para Rowers to hit the water come May.
Doug Diet, president and coach of the LaSalle Rowing Club, said Dresser has also taught her tutors a lot since joining the club.
“I can’t wait for her to actually get in the water, and she’s also given us some teaching as well … as coaches we’re starting to pick up on sign language,” said Diet.
“I think everybody should understand that, you know, a healthy and active lifestyle is one that is better for everyone. Mental health, physical health, and rowing is just one sport that’s available to them.”
Diet said the club needed some special equipment to be able to offer the program. He said Sport Canada and Row Canada acknowledged the program’s success over the winter, and are funding a pilot program so that clubs across the country can also offer the sport.
“We are certainly going to give advice and recommendations and perhaps they can come down to check us out as well,” he said.
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