Rowing at Oakland Tech was founded as a team sport for both men and women in 1915 and flourished for many years out of the Lake Merritt Boathouse.
Thanks to sponsorship from, and management by, the East Bay Rowing Club, Oakland Tech revived its rowing program in January 2013, reinstating both the women’s and men’s teams and establishing a boathouse at Jack London Aquatic Center. Initially founded as a club sport, the OT rowing program is now recognized as part of the school athletic program for which rowers may receive P.E. credit (for additional details, contact the Oakland Tech Athletics Department or a school counselor).
Today, Oakland Tech Rowing is one of only three public high school rowing programs west of the Mississippi River.
Oakland Tech Rowing comprises four teams: Men’s Varsity, Women’s Varsity, Men’s Novice and Women’s Novice. The teams follow training regimens for two distinct seasons — distance racing in the fall (2.5 to 3 miles) and sprint racing (2000 meters or approximately 1.25 miles) in the spring — and compete in several regattas each season.
Practices alternate between rowing on the Oakland Estuary or conditioning with erg (rowing) machines, depending on the day and the team.
