The Ohio River sparkles as the sun begins to set. You’re surrounded by the sounds of cicadas singing and the river rushing by. When you look up, you see Pittsburgh’s skyline twinkling overhead.
This is the experience of rowing on Pittsburgh’s three rivers as described by the members of QREW — Pittsburgh’s queer crew team. QREW has been competing and growing membership since 2015. They’ve expanded mostly by word of mouth as members have invited friends to join the team. There are now about 26 members whose experience ranges from beginners to former collegiate athletes.
Matthew Logue, the Executive Director of the Three Rivers Rowing Association, is committed to offering inclusive rowing programs for all ages and abilities. The Three Rivers Rowing Association (TRRA) is not only home to QREW, but also a successful adaptive rowing program for those with disabilities.
“We have one of the oldest adaptive and para-rowing programs in the nation,” Logue tells Pittsburgh City Paper. “We’ve shattered barriers within the para-rowing world, and we’re very proud of that. A message that we want to get out there is that Three Rivers is here and it’s open to anybody, regardless of background or ability.”
QREW is part of the Association’s Summer Rowing League. It combines the camaraderie of a team sport with the athletic challenge of rowing.
QREW is self-organized, with coxswain Julia Kelly managing logistics. Kelly, a coach for Mount Lebanon High School’s crew team, joined the team in 2024. “My job as a coxswain is to basically point things out to people, so active communication is a big part of rowing,” she says. “A coxswain’s job is to run a tight ship. But I also know we’re here for fun. And so I’m like, this is about you guys enjoying yourself.”
Although the team offers an opportunity to socialize and make friends, QREW is still committed to winning. One of their boats came in 2nd place at the Head of the Ohio in 2024. While other teams are clad in uniforms with their sponsor’s names on them, the members of QREW wear uniforms that together form a rainbow. “We do a rainbow boat. The ROYGBIV, front to back. That has been our look to date. It serves us well,” says Jessie Demoise, a member of the team.
Kelly is not only committed to guiding their boats, but also ensuring an inclusive community. A resonant message expressed by QREW members was the similarity between a self-organizing crew team and the history of queer spaces.
“Queer communities are about collection and organization, which reminds me of rowing. It’s collective action and working together as a unit rather than as individuals,” one member of the team, who requested anonymity due to the current political climate, tells City Paper. “Rowing is about standing up for your teammates, being there for them, whether you’re winning or losing or just hanging on.”
The importance of a coed sport has been important for many team members. Demoise loves it partially because they don’t have to navigate the waters of gendered team sports. “I got really into running, and that’s when QREW came along, and I thought, ‘wow, here is a sport that is made up of all genders, all people.’”
Logue says “one of the most unique aspects of our Summer Rowing League is the sense of community. After practice, all teams come together for a cookout, networking, and bonding. It’s powerful and resonates beyond the boathouse. This sense of connection is something we continue to build on and expand.”
QREW isn’t the only queer sports team in Pittsburgh, with other opportunities including the Stonewall Sports League and Steel City Volleyball. Demoise encourages those who are interested in joining a queer team to look into signing up now.
“It’s such a good group of people, and then we’re out on Pittsburgh’s rivers and seeing the whole city from a different angle. As the season goes on, you’re out on the river after dark, which is something I had never experienced before,” Demoise says. “It’s magical that you’re in the darkness with these eight other people on the boat in the middle of the city, especially on those nights where you have a big moon. We saw a bald eagle fly across the Allegheny River. You see beavers. It’s just this really unique angle on the city. And having that experience with other people is really special and beautiful.”
This article appears in Mar 12-18, 2025.
