The Plant High Rowing Team

Plant High Rowing Association (PHRA) was founded in 1999 to facilitate rowing and support the Plant High Rowing Club. Though completely separate entities, PHRA and the Plant High Rowing Club work together for the same purpose: to provide the sport of rowing to Plant High students. The individuals who were instrumental in the establishment of PHRA and rowing at Plant included Margaret Gandy, Marilyn Samaha, Sean Stewart, Steve Blaschka, Joe Gonzalez and Ken Snyder.

Due to the initial small size and inexperience of the program, PHRA began by racing mostly fours and was coached solely by volunteers. As Crew grew into a large, experienced program, racing shifted from fours to eights. Additionally, part-time coaches were hired and in 2004, PHRA continued its competitive development by hiring a full-time Head Coach/Executive Director.

In 2005, PHRA acquired an exclusive site at its current location on the Palm River. A boathouse was constructed during the winter of 2006-07. As this growth in the program occurred, PHRA was able to provide more rowing opportunities for more students. Additionally, Plant Crew became more and more competitive. In the state of Florida, 'club' teams (programs that have students from multiple high schools) and 'scholastic' teams (individual public or private high school teams) compete together in the Florida Scholastic Rowing Association (FSRA) for the state championship. At the 2009 FSRA State Championship, Plant Crew finished 4th among all Florida crews - club and scholastic. Among scholastic crews, the Plant Women placed 1st in the state - and the entire Plant Crew earned a 3rd place ranking in Florida!

Men's Junior 8 makes the Grand Final at the SRAA National Championship in Princeton, NJ, finishes 3rd and captures Plant's first national medal (bronze)

Women's Lightweight 8 makes the Semi-Final at the SRAA National Championship

Women's Varsity 8 wins the USRowing Southeast Regional Championship

Women's Varsity crews - the 1st, 2nd and 3rd 8's - all win FSRA State Championships. This is the first Plant State Championship in a Varsity 8 event.

As the result of the sweep and other great results, the Women's Crew wins the FSRA Scholastic Women's Team Championship for the first time. Overall, Plant Crew finished 3rd in the State.

Plant Crew qualifies six 8's to race at the SRAA National Championship

Plant Crew retains the Tampa City Team Championship for the 6th consecutive year

Women's Varsity 8 wins the Head of the Chattahoochee Regatta and the Men's Varsity 8 finishes 11th. The 'Head of the Hooch' is the 3rd largest regatta in North America.

Plant '09 grad, Molly Hamrick, and current Senior, Elle Murray, are named to row on the United States Junior National team in the Women's 8 and win the gold medal at the World Championship! {Molly won the gold at this event last year, too.}