<p>Is a taller height perceived by D1/Ivy coaches as a DISadvantage for a lightweight female rower? </p>
<p>It appears that most published rosters don't include these stats anymore, but I beleive I recall seeing much shorter heights for lightweight rowers than OW. Does anyone have firsthand knowledge of the higher end range of heights on their/their collegekids' LWT girls college team?</p>
<p>The taller you are, the more of an advantage you have as a rower. In being longer, you have more reach, a longer stroke, and are essentially more efficient. I cannot imagine any case where height is a disadvantage (unless you don’t have the muscle to sustain the long stroke of course). </p>
<p>That being said, you will not find incredibly tall girls on lightweight teams. Quite simply because you cannot be, say, 5’11 and healthily under 130lbs; that is why you saw shorter girls on the lwt roster. It is my understanding that the taller lightweight girls are around 5’7.</p>
<p>Anyone reading, feel free to correct me if I’m completely off-base. This is just my understanding of lightweight rowing.</p>
<p>Tallgirl,
I thought you were a Sr last year.
Which year are you in HS?
Have you talked with your coaches about recruiting?</p>
<p>Tallgirl, it seems as though 5’4" is the minimum for a lightweight rower (those shorter tend to be coxes ; just my observation) and anyone between 5’5" to 5’7" perhaps 5’8</p>
<p>Thank you everyone!</p>
<p>Does anyone firsthand know any Ivy/D1 college-recruited Lwt rowers who are more on the 5’ 8" or 5’ 9" size? My build is narrow, so staying under 130 lbs with ample muscle is working for me, but I hope college coaches do not perceive me as “too tall”.</p>
<p>Fogfog - no, I’m a junior this year :)</p>
<p>finishing previous message (laptop troubles, gave up!)… taller lightweights definitely get good interest. I know of one tall, light girl who has ov’s to both lightweight and openweight (couple of Ivies) teams this month and next. An enviable position to be in.</p>
<p>Many of the elite women lw at worlds are 5’8"; some of the top LW college rowers are 5’7"-5’9". Check out Stanford’s and U Wisconsin’s web sites.</p>
<p>Generally it is significant advantage.
Only downside I can see is if they aren’t convinced you can STAY a lightweight, then they might not be interested.</p>