MARQUETTE -- They may not be Olympic athletes, but they have the gold standard in dedication.
Most of the youth members of the Upper Peninsula Community Rowing club haven’t graduated high school, but they are devoted to their sport.
"I absolutely love it. It's the only exercise that I found works with my body, so I really enjoy it," said William Morrison, a 16-year-old rower.
While they aren't training for the world stage, they are getting a full-body workout.
"Rowing is a phenomenal sport. It gets your whole body engaged in the exercise,” said Sally Davis, president of the club. “There's a lot of leg strength that comes with rowing, and it burns a lot of calories.”
The sport also teaches the youth an important lesson in teamwork.
It takes nine people to keep the boat, called a shell, moving. Eight of them are rowers, plus one coxswain who directs them. Several of the teens plan on rowing in the years to come.
“It's a college sport that you can participate in, so that's something I'm looking forward," said McKenna Henning.
The club also features adult sessions which makes up the majority of the program.
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