Why We Row: Building the Future of Youth Sports in Westborough

In 2019, we started the Row for a Cause event with one goal: to bring people together and row for something bigger than themselves. For our first three years, we partnered with Calling All Crows, raising money to support their mission and creating a fun, high-energy day centered around teamwork and giving back.

But as we looked closer at our own community, we saw a new need—one that hit a lot closer to home.

So in 2023 and 2024, we shifted gears and partnered with WASA (Westborough Athletic & Social Association) to raise money that directly supports local youth athletes and programs right here in Westborough.

And now, for the first time in 2025, we’re excited to announce a joint fundraising effort with WASA and the Westborough Boosters—two organizations working to support athletes across all ages in our town.

The Problem We're Trying to Solve

This isn't just a Westborough challenge, but a nationwide problem with youth sports and kids.

• 70% of kids quit organized sports by age 12
• Club sports have become a multi-billion-dollar industry, pulling kids away from town teams
• Families are burned out from travel and year-round competition
• Fun is being replaced with pressure, cost, and comparison

And it’s not just numbers—it’s what we’re seeing and hearing every day from parents, coaches, and leaders in town:

• Fewer kids are signing up for local teams
• There’s no clear developmental path from youth to high school sports
• Parents feel unequipped to coach or support their kids
• Teams don’t form simply because there’s no coach to step up

These aren’t failures of people—they’re symptoms of a broken system. Parents want to help. Coaches want to do the right thing. Kids want to play. But the structure to support that just doesn’t exist yet.

We want to be part of changing that.

Our Vision: Fix the Pipeline, Fund the Future

Row For Westborough 2025 is about rowing for more than meters. It’s about rowing for a better future for youth sports in our town.

The Mission:

• To fund the development of a coach-parent-athlete education pipeline—one that helps everyone grow together
• To provide financial aid so no family has to choose between bills and letting their kid play
• To support WASA (town-level youth sports) and the Westborough Boosters (high school athletics) in creating sustainable, inclusive programming for all

What we are currently working on is creating a "Coach Coalition"—a town-wide effort to bring youth and high school coaches together, offer educational resources, leadership workshops, and mentorship tools that make sports fun again—and keep kids in the game longer.

How It Works: The Event Format

Row For Westborough is a full-day, community-first fundraising event with something for everyone:

🔹 2 Division Rowing Challenge

• Teams of 4–6 people
• Relay-style row: 25,000 meters in 2.5 hours
• $25 to register + $100 fundraising minimum per person
• Prizes for top fundraising, best effort, and team spirit
• 2 Divisions (20 teams per division)
• Adults (parents, Prototype community, coaches-form teams and row!)
• High School Boys and Girls (we envision the high school sports teams creating teams to compete for bragging rights!)

🔹 Youth Athlete Training Camp (Ages 9–13)

• A “combine-style” fitness course with 8–10 stations
• Kids can test their speed, strength, agility, and grit
• Prizes for performance and effort—plus plenty of fun
• Free to attend with optional donation

🔹 Vendors, Food, Music, and Family Fun

• Food trucks, local vendors, live music, face painting, bouncy house, pony rides, raffle, and more
• Come cheer on your friends, your kids, your coaches, and your neighbors

🔹 Prizes For:

• Top fundraising Team (1 for each division: Adult & Youth)
• Top Fundraising Individuals (1 for each division: Adult & Youth)
• Best Dressed (yes, we encourage team outfits!)
• Most creative fundraising page

🔹 Prizes For:

🗓 Sunday, October 19, 2025
📍 Prototype Training Systems-50 East Main st, Westborough MA, 01581
💻 Registration opens early September

Why This Matters

It’s easy to assume that in a town like Westborough, things are fine. But we’ve seen otherwise:

• In 2024, one of the town’s largest youth sports programs had over 600 participants—and more than 20% requested financial assistance
• WASA covered $7,000+ in financial aid out of pocket just to make sure kids could play
• These needs are growing, and for nonprofits, it’s not sustainable

This event is one way we fight back—not just with funding, but with purpose.

How You Can Be Part of It

• Sign up a team to row
• Get your high school team involved
• Share this blog post with parents, coaches, and friends
• Volunteer, sponsor, or donate

Because when we row together—coaches, parents, and kids in the arena, side by side—we do more than raise money. We raise resilient, connected, confident kids who are better for it.

Let’s build something that lasts.

🎥 Watch last year’s recap video: