With advent of spring, RFH Rowing and RFH Varsity Crew activity has sprouted.

The “competitive scholastic high school” crew program, sponsored by Rumson and Fair Haven boroughs, launched some of its seasonal start-up at its Victory Park home base in Rumson on Tuesday.

RFH Rowing began in 2006 as a cooperative means of offering an opportunity for high school students to “learn the fundamentals of rowing and compete at a scholastic level,” according to the Rumson Recreation Department website.

The high school’s RFH Varsity Crew team, separate from RFH Rowing program run by the boroughs, does use the space in the spring, Mayor John Ekdahl said.

The sport has grown increasingly popular in colleges across the country, so both the high school and borough programs are ever-growing.

The rowing shells at RFH Rowing have been named after people in the community, such as John Ekdahl, mayor of Rumson, and Alyson Raywood, a popular RFH Class of 2013 graduate who was admired for a valiant fight against cancer that she lost in October of 2014.

And there are others for whom the shells are named. Do you know who the first was?

RFH Rowing also has a host of programs tailored to adults and middle school students. For more information, contact Rumson Director of Parks and Recreation Sarah Orsay at 732-842-3300 X124.