Initial difficulties lay largely with funding as crew is can be an expensive start since a shell can cost over $10,000 and even an oar is often $200. To help offset these costs various fund raising activities were started. An early boost to the program came in the form of the a grant from the Davenport-Hatch Foundation. This allowed the fledgling team to hire a coach and purchase an eight.
Money was not the only challenge to be overcome, but also experience and help from the community, and Rochester rose to the challenge. Various community members helped the team with their experience with the sport and brought up ideas so that the team could raise the funds necessary to get off the ground.
George M. Angle, the then vice president for public affairs, is an avid rower who has contributed to the team in his experience as a rower, as a fund raiser, and a supporter of the team. He is still often found on the river rowing in a single in the early hours of the morning.
Richard U. and Elaine P. Wilson were two other community members who have greatly supported the University of Rochester crew team. They generously helped the team for years and the boat house that the team now rows out of has been named the Elaine P. Wilson boathouse in memory of Mrs. Wilson.
Alan Rosenburg, an attorney for the city of Rochester, was the Olympic Rowing Coach in 1964. Mr. Rosenburg's early assistance and helped greatly to get the team off the starting block.
Tom Welch was the first coach of the U of R crew team, a former coach and oarsman for the New Haven Boat Club in Connecticut and a rower for his undergraduate school, Marietta College in Ohio. Coach Welch helped get the program to a competitive level, bringing a crew to the grand finals at Dad Vails and winning races in the Metropolitan Cup regatta at New Rochelle. Speaking about why people row he said, "It's fun! When you really get it going right, it's such a gas!"
Since the early 80's the team has made strides in equipment while continuing a tradition of success beyond its size. The team now rows out of the Genesee Valley Waterway center roughly a mile from the River Campus. The team owns and races a fleet of top quality eights, fours, and pairs. The University dedicates an ergometer room to the team in the Athletic Center that has been crew's "beloved" winter training home for many years. Men's and women's crews are currently competing in major Fall regattas including the Head of the Charles, Head of the Schulykill, and the Princeton Chase. The Spring championships include the Knecht Cup, NYS Regatta, Dad Vails, IRAs, and the newly formed American Collegiate Rowing Association Regatta. A gem of a river for rowing, the beautiful Genesee has been home to generations of rowers and countless successful crews. The planned elevation of the program to Varsity status bodes well for the future of the team.