Photos and story by Robb Costello

Inspired by a short training course in California, Cree Jones came back determined to pass on a love for the sport of rowing to others in Utah Valley.

"I found a rowing club in Salt Lake but there really wasn't anything going on at BYU and I wanted to create that opportunity for other students to have," Jones said.

Started last fall, the Utah Valley Rowing Club was supposed to be named the BYU Rowing Club.

"We are working on getting affiliation with the university," Jones explains, "but because we are an athletic club we can't get sponsorship from BYUSA."

The small, determined group of students are working on other ways to gain affiliation with the university in hopes that through that the numbers will grow and eventually the club will become something more than a training course.

Interest hasn't been a problem, it's the experience that has been hard to come by.

"Just three of us have had prior experience, and the rest are all newcomers," Jones said.

But the newcomers are hooked as well.

"What you want to do is make sure that your oar goes in the water the same time as mine," said Claire Koltko on Saturday to five members of the Utah Valley Rowing club who were on the water for their first or second time.

It was Michael Lyman's first time.

"I was really in it for the sunrise, but it turned out to be a good time, the first little bit your hitting yourself in the face with the oar a little bit, but you catch on quick and it just becomes a rhythm," he said.

Rain or shine the club practices every Saturday, starting at five in the morning to meet and carpool out to the Great Salt Lake.

For more information on how to get involved in the rowing club contact Cree Jones at cree.jones@gmail.com.

This story appeared in The Daily Herald on page A10.