Dallas United Crew (DUC) is excited to announce that two military veterans from its adaptive rowing program will compete in this year’s Southwest Ergometer Amateur Tournament (SWEAT) at the Jesuit College Preparatory School of Dallas on February 4th. DUC’s adaptive rowing program is designed to encourage disabled individuals to enhance the physical and social aspects of their lives through rowing. The program is run by volunteers and coaching staff of DUC, which is a 501(c) 3 non-profit rowing organization based on White Rock Lake that has programs for people of all ages and abilities.
The disabled veterans will participate in the adaptive indoor rowing competition at 9:15 a.m. and will be joined by other DUC athletes also competing in the day’s events.
Veterans John Fay and David Graham started training for the indoor rowing competition in December after having participated in other areas of DUC’s recreational adaptive rowing program. Fay, an Army veteran and current VP and acting Treasurer for the Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) Lone Star Chapter, has been rowing with DUC since June 2015 when they got their first 8-seat barge—a specially designed fixed-seat rowing boat that allows for easy teaching and sturdy rowing for persons with little or no leg or torso strength. Graham is a Navy veteran who served on the USS Enterprise aircraft carrier and who rowed for two and a half years in Iowa before moving to Dallas and transferring to DUC’s program this past November.
DUC first teamed up with Veterans Administration (VA) and the PVA to offer recreational adaptive rowing and to participate in the 2015 National Veterans Wheelchair Games in Dallas. With the help of grants for additional equipment in 2015 and 2016, DUC’s adaptive rowing program has since grown to include indoor recreational and competitive rowing training, as well as rowing in a specially adapted two-rower boat in addition to their 8-seat barge. In the future, DUC hopes to add single-rower boats to their program, through the generous grants of US rowing’s Freedom Rows Program (VA sponsored), PVA, and other Dallas area donors.
“DUC’s adaptive rowing program has been great for me,” says Fay. “I love being active and getting out on the lake, and the DUC coaches and athletes who volunteer make it all possible. I’m looking forward to competing in indoor rowing for the first time alongside many of DUC’s other great athletes.”
“One of the main reasons I row is because it's relaxing,” says Graham. “Indoor erg machine rowing is a great way to train during winter months and I’m so glad to be one of DUC’s first adaptive indoor rowing athletes to compete at SWEAT.”
To catch these veteran athletes in action, interview them at their indoor erg machine training which occurs every Tuesday and Thursday at CrossFit Lake Highlands gym, 9850 Walnut Hill Ln., Dallas, from 1 – 2:30 p.m. Or come join us at the Jesuit School in Dallas this Saturday to watch them compete at SWEAT at 9:15 a.m.
For complete information on getting out on the water with DUC, visit www.dallasunitedcrew.org.