Gainesville Area Rowing is a non-profit corporation that promotes rowing as a sport for high school students, middle school students and adults in the Gainesville and Alachua County area. GAR teaches physical fitness, nutrition, and psychological skills that lead rowers to heightened mental and physical self-awareness.

The team is dependent solely on the work and support of the its members for its existence.  Through the active participation of its members, GAR provides the equipment and coaching staff needed by the team.  All parents of rowers are members in the organization and have a voice in the discussions and decisions made.  GAR is a club and does not receive monetary support from any school or from the Alachua County School Board.

History of Gainesville Area Rowing

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GAR emerged in 1998 from the union of two local high school rowing clubs: Gainesville High School and Eastside High School. In 2006-7, GAR had rowers from Buchholtz High School, Eastside High School, Gainesville High School, Loften High School, Oak Hall School, PK Yonge Developmental Research School, Sante Fe High School, Bishop Middle School, Kanapaha Middle School, Lincoln Middle School, and Westwood Middle School.

More than 20 GAR alumni are currently rowing in college. Six of these receive either full or partial rowing scholarships. GAR alumni have gone on to row for Boston College, Northeastern University, Rollins College, Rutgers University, U.S. Naval Academy, University of Central Florida, University of Chicago, University of Florida, University of Iowa, University of North Carolina, University of Texas, University of Pennsylvania, University of Rhode Island, and Yale University.

• 1994-1995
  • Founding of Eastside High School Crew
  • EHS Crew purchases its first boat
• 1995-1996
  • EHS Crew team grows to 27 rowers
  • EHS Crew acquires two more boats with the purchase of an 8 and the gift of a 4
• 1996-1997
  • Founding of Gainesville High School Crew
  • First Gator Head Regatta, October
  • First Newnans Lake Crew Classic Sprint Regatta, March
  • First Gainesville rowers receive college rowing scholarships
  • EHS Crew purchases another 8
  • GHS Crew acquires two boats through a donation by Dr. Robert Cade, inventor of Gatorade
• 1997-1998
  • Rowers from Buchholz High School and PK Yonge join the EHS Crew
  • EHS and GHS Crews build new Newnans Lake boathouse with significant financial support from Dr. Robert Cade
  • First EHS Crew boat qualifies for USA Youth National Crew Championships
  • EHS Crew purchases two more boats
• 1998-1999
  • EHS Crew becomes Gainesville Area Rowing (GAR) as more non-EHS rowers join the crew, including rowers from the Oak Hall School
  • GAR acquires two 4s, one of which was a gift from the Lewis family
• 1999-2000
  • Men’s Varsity 8+ medals at USA Youth National Crew Championships
  • Women’s Novice 4+ wins gold at FRSA State Championship regatta
  • Women’s Freshman 4+ wins gold at FRSA State Championship regatta
• 2001-2002
  • Women’s Varsity lightweight 8+ wins bronze at USA Youth National Crew Championships
  • Women’s team wins gold at FRSA State Championship regatta
  • Men’s team wins gold at FRSA State Championship regatta
• 2002-2003
  • GHS Crew merges with GAR to form one united team
  • Women’s Varsity 8+ wins bronze at FRSA State Championship regatta
• 2003-2004
  • Women’s Varsity 8+ wins gold at John Hunter Regatta, the largest regatta in the south east.
  • Women’s Varsity lightweight 4+ qualifies for USA Youth National Crew Championships
  • Men’s Varsity lightweight 8+ qualifies for USA Youth National Crew Championships
  • GAR acquires two 4s, one of which was a gift from Dr. Peter Gearen
• 2004-2005
  • Women’s Varsity 8+ and Men’s Junior Varsity 4+ both win bronze at FRSA State Championship regatta
• 2005-2006
  • GAR places second among Youth clubs at Southern Sprints
  • Every novice boat entered at the novice regatta earns a medal
  • EveryGAR sweep boat at FRSA State Championship regatta qualifies for the finals with GAR earning gold medals in WJV4 and WFr4; silver in WLt4; and bronze in MV4, WV4, W3d4, and M3d4
  • GAR competed at the SE Regional Championship Regatta (this was the first time this event included Florida teams). Of GAR’s championship boats, the MV4 qualified for Nationals by finishing third. Once again, all of GAR’s sweep boats qualified for finals. Of these, the W2d4 and WJV4 earned gold; and the MV4 and W3d4 took third.
  • GAR purchases another 8 and a quad
• 2006-2007
  • GAR experienced a theft at the boathouse. Over $6,000 worth of rowing equipment was stolen
  • Every men’s novice boat earned a medal in every novice race they entered.
  • GAR wins a brand new set of sweep oars after placing first in Concept 2’s national video competition. See our video entry here.
• 2007-2008
  • GAR wins Gatorhead points trophy for 2nd year in a row
  • GAR medals 2 boats at the Head of the Hooch
  • GAR places 2nd among youth clubs at Southern Sprints
  • GAR places 3rd out of 27 teams at OARS regatta
  • Every GAR varsity boat raced in the Grand finals at FSRA State championship
  • Women’s 4 medals at every race during the 2007-08 season, with wins  at FSRA state championship regatta and USRowing SE Regional regatta and a top 10 finish at USRowing nationals
  • GAR purchases another 8
• 2008-2009
  • GAR wins Gatorhead points trophy for 3rd year in a row
  • GAR medals 1 boat at the Head of the Hooch
  • Women’s Varsity 8 wins Opening Day Regatta V8 trophy
  • At FSRA State Championships, Women’s Varsity 8 places 2nd, Men’s Freshman 8 places 3rd and Women’s Lightweight 4+ places 3rd
  • At USRowing Southeast Regionals Women’s Lightweight 4+ places 1st, Men’s Varsity 8 places 2nd, women’s Varsity 8 places 3rd and women’s JV4+ places 3rd.  GAR qualifies 3 boats to USRowing Nationals
  • GAR purchases another 4+/4x