Rubino’s Venture Succeeds
Clevis Murray
News Sports Reporter – The Buffalo News
R.J. Rubino’s journey over the past year has been a whirlwind. After being with RowBuffalo for years, he began a new venture, Buffalo Rowing, to continue his mission of uniting young men who are passionate about rowing.
In the team’s first regatta at the USRowing Summer National Championships on Ford Lake in Michigan, July 13–15, the team came out on top in two events. Winning the Men’s Youth 8 plus in 5:55.52. Buffalo Rowing also won the U17 eight plus.
“There’s a lot of excitement, with people coming from all over to join,” Rubino said.
Rubino said the effort is a true collaboration with athletes from Canisius, St. Joe’s, Nichols and City Honors, while having “guys from all over the country.” The team is a collection of athletes united by a singular, audacious goal: to win the main events on the men’s side. Rubino says winning two is “unheard of” and a testament to the quality of the program, especially for one making its debut.
The program has quadrupled in size from a humble 20 to a formidable 80. Rubino’s phone rings, and texts fly in. He recounts a text from a rower in California, already booking a flight to join the team. Rubino’s team is a who’s who of rowing talent, with athletes from Harvard, University of California and former U.S. and Canadian national team members.
“I’ve had guys flying in from all around the country to row with us,” Rubino said. “Every day, I’ve had someone new sign up. There’s a feverish excitement to be part of this disruptive new program.” The moment of success and opportunity to operate a program how he wants have been building for years. It culminated in a pivotal decision for Rubino and his wife, Liana. At the end of last season, he faced a choice: Retire, or go all in. With a child on the way, Rubino thought about pursuing real estate full-time. When he gauged his wife on the idea, her response was an immediate and unequivocal “No.”
She believed coaching was his calling, a way to serve the community. With her support, he decided to extend his career, but at a cost.
“Believe it or not, she let us sell the house and put a lot of money down towards buying the team new stuff,” he said. “I was ready to give this up and walk away, and she was the one who said, ‘No, you need to do this.’ ” He used the money to acquire new boats and oars, secure a training center on the Buffalo River and buy a team van to drive to Canada for on-water practice – a necessity in a city where getting a dock is a “half year process.” For Rubino, it was a sacrifice born of conviction.
“I had a feeling in my heart this was the right thing to do,” he said, “and sure enough, it’s succeeded and surpassed any expectation I could’ve had for it.”
He recalls buying boats and oars with no people to put in them, unsure whether anyone would sign up. Now, he doesn’t have enough equipment for the athletes showing up.
Rubino is a firm believer in his rowing club being an opportunity for the city to capitalize on the increasing reputation of the Buffalo Rowing Club, especially with the appeal being established, as he’s even had an athlete from Dubai join the team. His grand vision is for the club to be as beloved as the Bills, Sabres and Bandits.
“The Bills are a great team, the Sabres have a storied history, the Bandits are champs right now and Buffalo Rowing Club is on top,” he said fiercely. “Buffalo Rowing is on the rise and moving in that direction of professionalism and excellence.” With early triumphs come the challenges of growth. The club is a nonprofit, supported by sponsorships of Sandhill Investments, Alessi Fitness and local businessman Joe Carubba. Rubino says a large boat can cost between $60,000 to $80,000, and a small one is around $20,000.
The focus now is on acquiring the right equipment and facilities to ensure the club’s stability and long term opportunities.
“We have to take a step back to see how we manage this level of growth,” Rubino said. “We need to be diligent and have to remain on top because there’s a lot of people that would want to be in our position.”
