RegattaCentral

Before the Midwest Scholastic Rowing Association was formed, there existed a Central States Schoolboy Championship (there were no high school girls competing in the region) beginning in the late 1950s, active in the 1960s through about 1978. The Central States Schoolboy Championship included high schools from Chicago (no longer rowing: Lane Tech, Weber), South St. Paul HS (MN), St. John’s Military Academy (WI), Culver Academies (IN), along with Ecorse BC and Roosevelt HS from Detroit. Racing during that time often included adult clubs and college freshmen, due to the lack of high school competition. As a few high school rowing programs ceased to exist (Chicago, St. John’s Military, South St. Paul) and many more were established (Wheeling and Parkersburg, WV and Marietta, OH), the Central States Schoolboy Championship disappeared.

The Midwest Scholastic Rowing Association was organized in the fall of 1983 with two purposes:

The first Midwest Scholastic Championship Regatta was held in Culver, Indiana and was hosted by Culver Academies on May 12, 1984. Ten schools and two clubs attended the first regatta and competed in fourteen events for boys (1500 meters) and seven events, three with a single entry, for girls (1000 meters). The regatta grew into a two day format of heats and finials by 1985. The number of participating programs has continued to grow and the Association came to include crews from 12 states. The Association even included crews from Texas and Tennessee, for a while. The number of events also grew. There were 52 schools and clubs racing in 44 final events at the 2000 Championship. Continuing conflict (racing "youth" and "varsity" crews together or separately; 1500 meters vs. 2000 meters; adding "youth" events; and the enormous size of the regatta and the number of heats and finals due to growing participation) between "club" and "single school" programs caused the Association to finally separate into two organizations in the fall of 2000.

"Clubs" versus Schools: Youth rowing "clubs", drawing athletes from more than one high school, have been a part of the Midwest Scholastic Rowing Association since the beginning. In the first championship, two "clubs" raced in 1984: Mendota Rowing Club and Cincinnati Outdoor Cooperative (a precursor of the Cincinnati Rowing Center). Beginning in 1989, "clubs" that had more than four rowers of the same gender on their team, were required to race as the "high school"--their "club" instead of mixed together just as the "club." Over the years, some member schools became concerned about the participation against clubs that could potentially recruit from the best athletes at several high schools, and restrictions of the Michigan High School Athletic Association on its member schools. "Youth" and "scholastic" (single school) events were established starting in 1991. "Youth" events are open to either "clubs" or schools, while in the "scholastic" events, only athletes that attend the same school are allowed. Finally, after the 2000 championship, the Association separated into two with the single school programs ("scholastic") remaining as the Midwest Scholastic Rowing Association, and the clubs forming the Midwest Junior Rowing Association. The MSRA retains its championship on the 2^nd weekend of May and races 1500 meters, while the MJRA will have its championship on the 3^rd weekend of May and will race 2000 meters.

Midwest Scholastic Rowing Association (spring 2000, before splitting into two organizations)

 The championship regatta site is selected by the coaches of the Association during their teleconference in November. Initially, the site traveled among the member organizations in order to share the large travel distances within our very geographically expansive region. The championship regatta was hosted by Indianapolis for five years (1991-1995), then Cincinnati for four years (1997-2000) and Detroit for four years (2001-2004). Participation has continued to grow at the championship, as more and more youth rowing programs are started by high schools and clubs. Sites of the championship have been: (click on year for results)

A Team points championship has been awarded since 1987. Initially all events were considered, but beginning in 1991 (the year "youth" events were instituted), only the "scholastic" (single school) events have been counted.

MSRA Boys team points
 

MSRA Girls team points
 

MSRA "Guy Weaser" Combined team points (entered both genders)