In part one, we only explored club rowing. In the Netherlands, the majority of rowers start through student rowing. A world apart from the US and UK, Dutch student life attracts thousands of young people across the country to get involved in the sport.
The Netherlands is the only country in the world where student rowing clubs were not originally created by universities. Instead, they were founded by social clubs. As rival student cities sought to compete in the late 1800s, they began forming rowing teams to race against one another. Although most rowing clubs are now separate from the fraternities that created them, they still retain much of the culture of those parent associations — including strong traditions of fraternity, heritage, and student life.
Unlike in the UK, these clubs weren’t born out of a sporting background. The forefathers of most Dutch student clubs were drinkers and socialites. Being a student was about socialising, making friends, and going out. The introduction of sport was just an addition.
Because the culture around rowing is about more than just sport, the clubs are seen as social institutions. While British students often focus on rugby, rowing in the Netherlands sits at the center of inter-city student competition and holds a prominent place in student social life. The most elite student clubs still revolve around socialising, but there is a large group of students who want to stay active while also enjoying the social scene — and rowing clubs are the perfect fit for them.
Clubs receive between 500 and 1,000 applications each year. The largest can only accept about 400 new members, meaning around half of all applicants are turned away. This exclusivity, much like that of student “corps”, helps maintain the prestige and influence of these clubs year after year.
Although 90% of first-years have never rowed before, over half come from rowing families. Many parents met through rowing or were involved in the same associations. While these new members aren’t pressured to join, they are certainly encouraged by their parents’ experiences. Because so little changes behind the closed doors of these clubs, first-years truly relive the experience their parents once had. The boats may be new, the gym might be modern, but the values and traditions remain the same. Over the years, generations come and go, and return, as their friends’ children meet their own.
About three-quarters of members will never race competitively; they train casually just twice a week. Yet this doesn’t diminish their value to the club. Beyond the clear financial benefit, most of which goes to support the “wedstrijd” (competitive) team, the “compo” (social) group keeps the club alive. They run the social side, keep the clubhouse busy day and night, and staff many of the committees required to run a student club. From finance to equipment maintenance and managing the physical space, it takes a village to keep the operation going.
From this constant activity grows a deep sense of loyalty to the club. You see it at regattas throughout the year. The Heineken, Varsity, and Holland Beker are internationally known events, not just by rowers, but by what outsiders might call “ordinary” students, who turn up in droves to cheer on their own club.
So, in essence, rowing in the Netherlands isn’t really about rowing. It’s about everything around it. Yes, there is a strong group of elite athletes who live up to national expectations on the world stage. However, most members wouldn’t recognise a training program; the concept is almost foreign. Their interest in rowing itself is often secondary. Being able to paddle on calm, flat water is just an excuse to spend time with friends, whether that’s over a beer in the student bar or coffee and cake on a Sunday afternoon.
Why is rowing so successful in the Netherlands? All in all, it comes down to a simple truth: the Dutch understand that it’s not just about what you’re doing, but the people and community you’re doing it with.
