As part of our club spotlight series and in the lead-up to San Diego Crew Classic, we head to California to get to know ZLAC, the oldest women’s rowing club in the world.

Established in 1892, ZLAC's unique structure allows for both competitive and social memberships. You don't have to row. New members are added to generational Crews to bolster cross-program and boathouse interaction and provide personal connections to members in a similar age range for support. As far as we know, ZLAC is unique in this offering. Be prepared to take notes and consider what more your club could do to help build and sustain community.

Through the years, ZLAC programs have produced U.S. National Team members, Olympians, top college rowers, regional racers, and thousands of recreational rowers. The heart of ZLAC’s mission is to support all women and girls through the sport of rowing.

We're joined by ZLAC's Masters Head Coach Chris Shannon, Athletic Chair Tanya Ferguson, and recent LTR grad Lee Copson.

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QUICK LOOK

00:00 - Episode lead-in 02:17 - The Huddle: Get to know Chris, Tanya, and Lee 02:54 - Rowing Week 05:39 - Hot Seat Q&A 09:56 - Chris got just one sculling lesson, then spent months flipping before being invited to a sweep team 14:49 - Lee was a social member since high school, and learned to row when she became an empty nester 17:38 - Tanya came to rowing after a soccer injury 20:52 - A brief look at ZLAC's 130+ year history 23:18 - ZLAC’s generational social crews and the bonds they help create among members 27:06 - Understanding the inner workings that make ZLAC so special  27:55 - Joining, membership, and programs 30:18 - Lee describes San Diego Bay 30:59 - ZLAC’s decades-long involvement with San Diego Crew Classic 35:14 - Chris, Tanya, and Lee tell us what's ahead in 2024 41:39 - ZLAC’s Legacy

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To see photos of Chris, Tanya, Lee, and ZLAC founders, and get links to the people, clubs, and events mentioned in this episode, check out the show notes on our website.

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This episode was made possible in part by Breakwater Realty, Live2Row, EB5 Investors, RowSource, and our Patrons.

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This episode was written, produced, hosted, and edited by Rachel Freedman and Tara Morgan. Tara provides additional audio engineering and is our sponsor coordinator. Rachel manages the website, social media, and e-newsletter. Our theme music is by Jonas Hipper.