Steel City Rowing Club

What Steel City Rowing Club does

Steel City Rowing Club (SCRC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community rowing and water sports organization founded in 1996 in Verona, Pennsylvania, operating from a 16,000 sq ft LEED Gold Certified boathouse on the Allegheny River. The organization serves the greater Pittsburgh metropolitan area with year-round programming across three primary segments: youth and juniors rowing (ages 8-18, including summer camps, middle/high school competitive teams, and after-school ecology programs), adult/masters rowing (memberships, Learn-to-Row cohorts, collegiate memberships, and private lessons), and community/non-rowing members (watersports access, meditation, kayak programs). The physical infrastructure includes 30+ racing shells (singles, doubles, quads, fours, and eights) and an event-capable facility offering community room, third floor, and full-facility rentals.

The business model combines recurring membership subscriptions (Adult Rowing $1,150/year effective 3/1/26; Community/Watersports $45-$90/month; Boat Storage $350-$450/year), one-time program fees (Learn-to-Row $120-$185, summer camps $100-$365/week, juniors seasons $300-$700), private lessons ($50-$100/session), event rentals ($135-$1,800), and donations/fundraising from foundations and members. The club is largely volunteer-supported with a small paid staff of 1-10, led by Executive Director Jenn Langzettel (promoted from Head Coach in 2024) and a Board of Directors. Go-to-market is community-led, relying on school visits, demo days, facility tours, a newsletter, and word-of-mouth referrals; registration is self-serve via Google Forms with financial aid available across all programs.

Name

Steel City Rowing Club

Legal name

Steel City Rowing Club

Website

https://steelcityrowing.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Steel City Rowing Club is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community rowing and water sports organization in Verona, PA, serving Pittsburgh-area youth, adults, and community members with rowing programs, summer camps, and boathouse event rentals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Recreational Sports Club

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Sailing & Water Sports Teams/Clubs (Sailing, Rowing, Surfing) (MPAKABAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Whitewater & Paddle Sports Centers (Rafting, Kayak, SUP, Canoe) (THAAAKAF)

Keywords

• Youth rowing programs
• Adult rowing club
• Summer rowing camps
• Watersports memberships
• Facility rental services

Headquarters

HQ city

Verona

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Adult rowing memberships, collegiate memberships, and community water sports memberships providing recurring revenue
2. Program Fees: Fees for youth programs, summer camps, learn-to-row cohorts, lessons, and winter conditioning
3. Donations and Fundraising: Relies on active base of members, volunteers, and donors to support community programs. 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with tax-deductible contribution options.
4. Facility Rentals: Community room, third floor, outdoor grounds, and full facility rentals for private events including weddings, corporate retreats, fundraisers, and celebrations
5. Event Sponsorships: Dam to Dam and Battle of the Burgh events sponsored by local supporters
6. Private Lessons: Private and semi-private rowing lessons for individuals and groups
7. Boat Storage: Personal boat storage (indoor and outdoor) for members

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Steel City Rowing Club operates a 16,000 sq ft LEED Gold Certified boathouse on the Allegheny River in Verona, PA, offering year-round adult (Masters) rowing, youth/juniors rowing, learn-to-row cohorts, summer camps, watersports memberships, private lessons, and event venue rentals. Programs serve individuals and families of all skill levels from beginner to competitive, supported by donations, memberships, program fees, and facility rentals.

Product overview

Steel City Rowing Club operates as a community-based nonprofit offering a diverse portfolio of rowing and watersports programs. The organization provides structured programming across three main categories: Adult/Masters Rowing (including Learn-to-Row cohorts, Queer Learn-to-Row, Winter Conditioning, and competitive racing), Youth/Juniors Rowing (middle/high school programs, summer rowing camp, and Teen River Adventure Camp), and Community programs (River Day Camp for ages 8-12, Kayak Thursdays, Riverside Meditation, and After School Ecology). The club also generates revenue through facility rentals at its LEED Gold Certified boathouse and offers ancillary services including private lessons, memberships (Collegiate, Community/Watersports), and personal boat storage. Major annual events include Dam to Dam (24k fundraiser) and Battle of the Burgh (Masters sprints invitational).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Adult/Masters Rowing Year-round adult rowing program offering coached practices up to 5 times per week, racing opportunities, and access to club equipment for members of all skill levels from beginner to competitive.
• Juniors Rowing (Middle & High School) Year-round rowing program for middle and high school athletes ages 11-18 with recreational, development, and competitive tracks, structured into fall, winter training, and spring programs.
• Youth Summer Rowing Camp Week-by-week summer rowing program for ages 11-18 with half and full morning sessions, offering Learn to Row for new rowers and advanced practice for returning rowers.
• Teen River Adventure Camp Week-long adventure camp for ages 12-15 featuring rowing, paddling, creative problem solving, artistic expression, ecological exploration, and mindfulness activities.
• River Day Camp Day camp for ages 8-12 offering kayaking, canoeing, paddle boarding, swimming, and excursions to Sycamore Island, held Monday-Friday 9am-3pm.
• Learn to Row Cohorts 5-week rowing instruction cohorts meeting Saturdays 9-11 AM, progressing participants through rowing fundamentals in a group setting to prepare them for Masters coached programs.
• Queer Learn to Row 4-week Learn to Row program specifically designed for queer and trans rowers, providing a safe space for trans, women, non-binary, and other individuals.
• Adult Winter Conditioning Indoor winter conditioning program with 4-week sessions featuring calisthenics, cardio, and rowing machine workouts, available once or twice per week.
• Kayak Thursdays Weekly kayak adventure program held Thursday evenings during summer, offering community members access to kayaking on the Allegheny River.
• Riverside Meditation Mindfulness program held at the boathouse along the Allegheny River, offering sitting and walking meditation, body scans, and personal reflection.
• After School Ecology Program 6-week after school ecology program for youth in grades 3-5 featuring hands-on river conservation, environmental science, mindfulness, and outdoor recreation activities.
• Facility Rentals (The Boathouse) Event space rental at the LEED Gold Certified boathouse facility overlooking the Allegheny River, offering Community Room, Third Floor, and Full Facility packages for weddings, corporate retreats, fundraisers, and community events.
• Private & Semi-Private Rowing Lessons 90-minute coaching sessions offering private lessons (one rower) or semi-private lessons (two or four rowers) with 20% discount for SCRC members.
• Collegiate Membership Three-month summer membership for skilled rowers ages 19-29, providing unlimited Masters group coaching sessions and access to indoor facilities.
• Community/Watersports Membership Household membership offering unlimited use of club water sports equipment including canoes, kayaks, and stand-up paddle boards, with Standard, Supporting, and Sustaining levels.
• Personal Boat Storage Year-long indoor or outdoor boat storage at the boathouse, available to Community and Rowing members.
• Dam to Dam Annual signature fundraiser featuring 24k and 13k rowing courses on the Allegheny River, with classic relaxed and timed scrimmage options.
• Battle of the Burgh Annual summer sprints invitational scrimmage for Masters athletes using a Grand Prix format with time trials and head-to-head racing.

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Carnegie Mellon University School of ArchitecturecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2010Academic partner involved in the 2010 facility design and construction project, contributing architectural expertise to the LEED Gold Certified building.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Whitemarsh Boat Club: Long-standing community rowing club in Fort Washington, PA offering competitive and recreational rowing for juniors, adults, and masters. Comparable nonprofit club model with similar membership, learn-to-row, and summer camp programming.
• Community Rowing, Inc. Nonprofit community rowing organization in Brighton, MA offering learn-to-row, youth, masters, and adaptive programs with a strong public-access mission. Closely comparable in scale and inclusive community programming philosophy.
• Riverside Boat Club: Historic community rowing club in Cambridge, MA offering learn-to-row, masters, and juniors programming with comparable membership tiers and youth camp structure. Operates as a member-supported nonprofit serving a similar urban rowing market.
• Three Rivers Rowing Association: Community rowing club also based in Pittsburgh along the Allegheny River, offering youth and adult rowing programs with comparable membership and learn-to-row models. Operates in the same metro market and competes for overlapping adult and junior rowing participants.
• Detroit Boat Club Crew: Historic Detroit rowing club offering juniors, masters, and learn-to-row programming from a city-based boathouse. Similar urban-community club model with comparable membership tiers and youth/adult programming mix.
• Lake Merritt Rowing Club: Community rowing club in Oakland, CA providing youth, adult, and masters programs on Lake Merritt with similar learn-to-row cohorts and inclusive programming model. Comparable membership-based nonprofit serving a regional urban market.
• Marin Rowing Association: Community rowing club in Marin County, CA providing youth, adult, and masters programming. Comparable in scale, programming breadth (learn-to-row, summer camps, competitive racing), and nonprofit membership model.
• Baltimore Rowing Club: Community rowing club in Baltimore offering youth and adult programming with learn-to-row cohorts, summer camps, and competitive racing. Comparable mid-Atlantic urban rowing club operating a similar membership and program-fee revenue model.

Others

• USRowing: National governing body for rowing in the United States, providing membership, events, and sanctioning infrastructure. Not a competitor but a relevant ecosystem participant whose membership and insurance products SCRC and its members engage with.

Broad incumbents

• Community Boating Inc. Boston-based nonprofit providing public access to sailing and small craft with membership tiers, lessons, and inclusive programming. Operates as a broader water-sports community organization with overlapping mission of public water access but in a different discipline.

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SteelCityRowing
• Facebookfacebook.com/steelcityrowingpgh
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/steel-city-rowing-club

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Steel City Rowing Club