UPPER ARLINGTON CREW

Parent/Rower Handbook

ROW BEARS!

(Revised: February, 2010)

Table of Contents

Introduction 3

History of Crew as a Sport 3

Crew at Upper Arlington High School (UAHS) 4

Philosophy of the Crew Program at UAHS 4

Coaching 6

Upper Arlington Crew, Inc. 7

Parents and the UA Crew Program 9

Upper Arlington Crew Program: Rules and Policies 12

1. Participation Eligibility 12

2. Academic Requirements 12

3. Codes of Conduct 12

4. Dues/Fees 12

5. Griggs Reservoir Rowing Facility 14

6. Attendance Policies 14

7. Academic Ineligibility 14

8. Practices 15

9. Team Captains 15

10. Uniforms 16

11. Varsity Letters 16

12. Regattas 17

CREW 101: Equipment 20

Types of Boats 20

Around the Shell 21

Oars 21

Boats 21

CREW 101: Rowing Terms 22

INTRODUCTION

Welcome to the wonderful world of rowing, or “crew” as its participants like to call it. By the end of the first season, you will no longer fail to answer correctly when someone asks you the famous trivia sports question: “In what sport do the participants cross the finish line while sitting down and going backwards?!” The individual rower does not need any fancy padding, helmets, spikes, or sticks, just water, oars and a “boat.” Upper Arlington is lucky, as it has access to one of the finest rivers to row on in the country. (OK, OK, sometimes it IS a “bit” murky, but as you become familiar with other regatta sites, you will see that it is a wonderful place both to row and watch a regatta!).

As a crew parent, you will be expected to absorb the meaning of a whole new sport with its own language. (“My child caught crabs? Is the first seat in the front or the back? What’s an “erg?”) You will be encouraged to drive great distances and spend major amounts of time in unpredictable weather to observe perhaps one minute of a race – and that minute is often neither the start nor the finish! You will be asked to provide some modest financial support and lots of emotional support (and food) for a sport that does not appear to be particularly difficult or demanding, or even that rewarding for the participants. Appearances can, and in this case, are deceiving.

Don’t feel too overwhelmed by all of the rules and regulations that you will be reading about in this manual. Just remember that all are logical and they usually arise from issues of safety, courtesy, liability, or reflect conditions necessary to manage a large group of rowers in an efficient and safe manner. Hopefully, this manual will help both you and your rower. Your rower is expected to know and follow the guidelines and rules contained herein. Keep it handy and refer to it often!

HISTORY OF CREW AS A SPORT

Rowing has been around for centuries and stays among the best of competitive sports around the world. The Greeks discovered the technique of affixing the oar to the side of the boat approximately two thousand years ago. They discovered that working a single oar against a fulcrum was much more useful and effective than a paddle. Rowing was primarily used to transport goods, but when there was more than one boat in the water, human nature took over and racing started.

Professional racers made a decent living in the late 1800's, but gambling on races led to the popular sport's demise. But in America and England, amateur rowers developed popularity in inter-collegiate competitions. The first Oxford/Cambridge race was held in 1829. The first Harvard/Yale race was held in 1852, and is the oldest inter-collegiate event in America.

Many scientific advancements were then made in the sport; a better boat was a faster boat. For example, the ancient Greeks, when rowing, sat on seats that slid to allow them to use their legs to drive the boat. Harvard rowers found a way to grease their pants so that they slid on their immobile seats. This allowed them to dominate Yale because they were still using only the fixed seats. This led to the popular use of sliding seats in today's shells.

Boat clubs started in America in the 1800's. Philadelphia's Schuylkill Navy, begun in 1858, was the first rowing association and the first amateur sports organization. Collegiate and amateur oarsmen started the National Association for Amateur Oarsmen (NAAO) in 1872. Women were left out in these clubs, even though they rowed in amateur and collegiate races also. In the early 1960's the National Women's Rowing Association was formed. Finally, in 1982, the NAAO and the National Women's Rowing Association joined together to become the co-ed United States Rowing Association.

CREW AT UPPER ARLINGTON HIGH SCHOOL

Chris Klemek, then a student at UAHS, started Crew as a co-ed club sport at the high school level in the spring of 1993 with 25 rowers and a used boat. By the next fall, there were 33 rowers and numbers continued to rise. The rowers became members of the Greater Columbus Rowing Association (GCRA) and rowed out of the GCRA boathouse located on the west side of Griggs Reservoir. At the close of the 1995 spring racing season, Upper Arlington High School (UAHS) gave out its first "Crew" varsity letters. In the spring of 2000, UAHS hired a head girls’ coach recognizing both the men’s and women’s teams individual teams. UA Crew Inc. is a member of US Rowing, Midwest Junior Rowing Association, Midwest Scholastic Association, and the Scholastic Rowing Association and participates in sporting events sanctioned by these organizations.

To support the rowers both emotionally and financially, a parent’s association was formed to help run the club and raise funds for the purchase of equipment. In March 1995, the Parent’s Association incorporated and became Upper Arlington Crew Inc. (UA Crew, Inc.). In 1997, a petition for 501(c)(3) status was granted and UA Crew Inc. became a not-for-profit Ohio corporation exempt from federal income tax. Today, UA Crew, Inc. maintains ownership of over $350,000 worth of equipment and continues to provide rowers and coaches with the proper equipment and financial resources to field a competitive crew team

PHILOSOPHY OF THE ROWING PROGRAM AT UAHS

Rowing participation at Upper Arlington is divided into four distinct seasons – fall water training, winter conditioning, spring racing and summer off-season participation. This aggressive schedule prepares students for athletic success while achieving the necessary academic standards required of all UAHS athletes. Since 1993, the UA Crew team has a strong history of high performance both on the water at all levels of local, state and national competition and in the classroom.

The fall rowing season serves as a pre-season technique-training period. The primary focus is on developing and improving stroke mechanics and team unity. Since this type of repetitive training can become somewhat monotonous, a few opportunities for on-the-water competition are scheduled. It is the intention of the coaches and parents to infuse the fall with enjoyable and challenging practices and competitions while keeping distractions from academic pursuits to a minimum.

Winter conditioning begins shortly after the fall season has concluded, usually mid-November and continues through February. During this time athletes participate in small group workout sessions as their schedule permits. A minimum level of participation in winter sessions is necessary for athletes to be in good condition to start the spring racing season. Therefore, attendance at scheduled winter practices is highly recommended.

The fall and winter training programs culminate in the spring rowing season. During the spring season, UA Crew is officially recognized by UAHS as a varsity sport. Spring offers a more intense practice and racing schedule. Spring season begins at the beginning of March. Both rowers and parents will notice a distinct change in attitude regarding individual performance and team goals during the season. Athletes must make a greater commitment to regularly attend and participate in all practices and competitions while still maintaining the required academic standards of all UAHS athletes.

UA Crew offers a non mandatory summer rowing program that usually begins toward the end of June and continues for 5-6 weeks. Rowing programs are available for current student athlete rowers, student athletes entering 6^th grade and above, adult beginners, adult intermediates and adult masters. The student athletes’ with experience programs will focus on skill and technique development. The “Learn to Row” programs for the student athletes is all about learning the basics and introducing the sport of rowing on a scholastic level. The adult “Learn to Row” programs concentrate on basic skills and techniques’ and also offers a great workout. The intermediate adult rowers program is designed to further develop skills from the Learn to Row program. The adult Masters program is for the experienced rower who is interested in race training and learning racing techniques’.

UA Crew also offers a free 3 day mini camp in August for incoming freshman and upper classman with no experience. This camp introduces the sport of rowing to those interested who have not had the opportunity to row and encourages them to become apart of a national award winning High School Rowing Team! Row Bears!!

COACHING

Coaching is a complicated job--especially in crew. Most individuals elect to become a coach because he/she has a love of the sport and working with children, not for the money or prestige involved. UAHS and UA Crew, Inc. hire the most qualified people to coach in the rowing program.

Selection of rowers for a particular boat is the coach’s responsibility. Seat placement in a boat is a complicated decision based on the rower’s strength, personality, technique, which side he or she rows on (port or starboard), attitude, and the nature of the event (specific age, weight or experience classifications). Coaches make these choices for the good of the overall team and rowing program.

If a rower has a concern or question, the rower should discuss this with his or her coach. If the problem or concern is not resolved, then the rower should discuss it with his/her Head Coach. After meeting with the Head Coach, any unresolved issues should be brought to the attention of the Athletic Director at UAHS.

PARENT-COACH COMMUNICATION

The types of communications and behaviors that parents should expect from the coaching staff include:

• Practice schedule and locations

• Competition schedule, location & race times

• Any injury that a student has incurred during practice or competitions

• Discussions about any issues that might or will require possible or intended disciplinary action including program exclusion

The types of communications and behaviors that the coaching staff should expect from parents include:

• Notification of any practice or competition scheduling conflicts (24 hours in advance for missed practices, 14 days in advance for missed competitions)

• Support for the program’s activities and goals (student’s on-time attendance at all practices and competitions, appropriate discipline regarding pre-competition rest and meals, emphasis on academic excellence and competency, assistance with any fundraising and volunteer opportunities as needed)

The appropriate concerns that should be discussed with a coach and the procedures for scheduling the discussion are:

• Discussions concerning a rowers skill development and improvement, academic eligibility or performance, behavior or conduct at school, practice or competitions.

• Procedures for discussing concerns with a coach (schedule an appointment with the rower’s immediate coach, make appointments outside practice hours or competitions, if not satisfied with the resolution, schedule a meeting with the Head Coach)

Upper Arlington Crew, Inc.: Overview

Upper Arlington Crew, Inc. (UA Crew, Inc.) is a 501(c)(3) organization incorporated as a not for profit Ohio corporation exempt from federal income tax as. The purposes of the corporation are:

• To provide rowers and coaches with the proper equipment and financial resources to field a competitive crew team;

• To raise funds to cover capital expenditures and operational expenses;

• To assist and provide support for the Upper Arlington High School Crew Program;

• To own and maintain any assets acquired;

• To be a part of and support local and national rowing organizations; and

To promote the Upper Arlington High School Crew Program in the community.

The corporation currently owns more than $350,000 in assets – boats, oars, launches, cox boxes, safety equipment, motors, the boatyard and docks, etc. – and is more than a booster organization. Running the organization in a fiscally sound manner, acquiring and maintaining equipment and facilities, and planning for the future requires the active support and involvement of all rowers and parents.  The responsibilities are many, but when everyone does at least a little, no one becomes overwhelmed. Without the support of the parent, there simply would be no crew team!

Here is some important information about UA Crew, Inc.

1. Membership:

All parents of rowers who have registered to participate in UA Crew are members of the Corporation. Participation by all parents is expected and encouraged in order to make this a worthwhile endeavor for each rower.

2. Meetings:

There is an annual general meeting of the Corporation held each May, usually at the Spring Banquet. The Advisory Board meets monthly during the season and as needed off-season. A general membership meeting (“Meet the Team Night”) is held at the beginning of each season.

3. Officers/Trustees:

The affairs of the corporation are managed by the Officers/Trustees, which is currently comprised of the five officers. All officers/Trustees must be members of the corporation. The trustees are not compensated for their services. They are elected by the membership at the annual meeting of the corporation. All officers must be members of the corporation and are elected to serve a one-year term, although the treasurer usually agrees to run for two sequential terms and the 1^st Vice President generally runs for the office of President the next year. The officer/Trustees are:

• President (Principal executive officer of the corporation who generally supervises and controls all of its business and affairs);

• 1^st and 2^nd Vice-Presidents (Assists the President as needed and assumes the duties of the President in his or her absence or a vacancy of the office.);

• Treasurer (Responsible for all financial records, funds and records of the corporation.); and

• Secretary (Keeps minutes for all meetings and is custodian of all corporate records.)

4. Advisory Board:

The Advisory Board is composed of the Officer/Trustees and the heads of the standing committees. There are a number of standing committees necessary to accomplish all of the tasks necessary to run the UA Crew organization under the direction of the Officers. The Officers/Trustees work to find parent volunteers to head these committees. The current standing committees are:

• Communications Committee: It is responsible for communicating with the media, producing fliers and mailings for the rowers, marketing the UA Crew organization and events, and assisting in communications with parents.

• Equipment Committee: This committee is responsible for working with the coaches to determine the equipment needs of the team, to maintain the current equipment and evaluate/plan for replacement, and to maintain and repair the physical facilities.

• Food: This is one of the most important committees according to the rowers. The responsibilities include planning, purchasing and preparing the food for consumption by the rowers at all regattas. Evaluating the nutritional needs of the rowers is also part of the responsibilities of this committee.

• Fundraising Committee: This committee is responsible for planning and implementing events to raise funds for the organization to offset operating and equipment purchases.

• Nominating Committee: Consists of at least five members responsible for nominating candidates for the position of Officers/Trustees. The cinmmittee includes three trustees and two other members appointed by the Trustees at the beginning of spring.

• Regatta Committee: This committee is responsible, in conjunction with the coaches and trustees, to select regatta sites. The responsibilities also include regatta registration which is the distribution and collection of the registration forms and payments from the rowers for the season along with monitoring deadlines for the team registration for each regatta. Communication of regatta and team information between coaches and parents is provided through emails and/or outdial phone messages. The team’s travel arrangements are coordinated with the appropriate transportation company and hotel.

• Registration Committee: It’s responsibilities include assembling the necessary registration materials, waivers, health forms, etc, distributing them to the rowers and collecting them and the registration fees from all rowers for each season. They also maintain an accurate database of all rowers.

• Volunteer Committee: This committee coordinates with the other committees to identify the volunteer positions required for a regatta or other UA Crew sponsored event. They then enlist parent volunteers to work. One of the typical regatta volunteer positions needed include parents to help cook and serve the food, chaperone the rowers, set up and tear down the tents/equipment and load it into the chuck wagon. There are also volunteer positions for various fundraising events and maintenance work on the equipment, docks & boathouse throughout the year.

• In addition, the Webmaster runs and maintains the UA Crew website.

Parents & the UA Crew Program

“We have alignment. Attention . . . . . Row!” Your life is about to change dramatically. Crew means long hours of waiting for brief periods of racing. Rowers and parents alike experience all sorts of weather conditions--wind, waves, sun, heat, cold, rain, hail, sleet, and sometimes snow! There is little time on weekends to visit colleges or catch up on household chores. Your rower will be tired and sore after practice, but will continue to go back for more. You will also probably notice a tremendous increase in your food bills--rowing takes an enormous amount of energy and rowers need to refuel their bodies.

But it also means you’ll have a son or daughter who is physically fit and self-disciplined. They will have an unusual and attractive activity to list on their resumes. (College scholarships, especially for women, are becoming increasingly available for athletes in this sport.) Your rower will increase his/her ability to work as a member of a team and will improve his/her capacity to strive for and achieve excellence.

PARENT EXPECTATIONS:

Parent participation is critical to the success of the rowing program. Parents are encouraged to take an active role in supporting the rowing program and UA Crew Inc., the parent association. The rowing program cannot be successful without parental commitment to the following:

• Parents are expected to routinely check the website because very little information is available through the school or by mail. All information pertaining to crew will be posted on the website. The URL for UA Crew is www.uacrew.org.

• Parents retain the ultimate responsibility for their child’s transportation to and from practice. Car pools should be formed, when possible, from the high school to the practice site, with upper classmen driving lower classmen with permission from the participating rower’s parents.

• There are many opportunities to participate. Parent volunteers are needed in virtually every activity of the crew team. For example, parent chaperones are present at all regattas and accompany the team on bus trips to and from regattas. (Hint: If you are planning on attending a regatta, volunteering, as a parent chaperone is an excellent way to get involved).

Registration fees and dues do not cover all expenses required to operate the team. Due to the need to purchase/maintain costly crew equipment and facilities, there are fundraising events scheduled throughout the year.

• Parents are expected to remit all seasonal and regatta fees/forms by posted deadlines or their rower will not be able to participate.

A Note About Regattas

Regattas are the reward for all of the time and practice that each rower invests. Regatta schedules for each season are posted on the UA Crew Website. Regattas feature one of two different types of competition: head races (in the fall) or sprints (in the spring). Participating boats may have one, two, four, or eight rowers. The majority of the boats row with one oar per rower (sweeping), but some boats may have rowers with two oars (sculling). Some regattas are for public or private high school sponsored teams only (scholastic competitions), some are open to both schools and club teams that are composed of high school students (junior competitions), and others have a mix of high school teams, college teams and adult rowers in a masters program. UA Crew rows in a wide variety of races, depending upon the season and the size and skills of the rowers.

Regattas usually start very early in the morning with the Coxswain/Coaches meeting with race officials who distribute racecourse information, race schedule and revisions, etc. Parents may obtain regatta information, including a copy of the racing schedule, on the UA Crew website. Parents must remember that, like everything else in crew, regatta schedules are adjustable based upon changing weather conditions, equipment malfunctions, other teams, and racecourse difficulties. Parents wishing to see their rower in a race should allow plenty of time before and after the scheduled race time or they may risk missing the race entirely.

A NOTE ABOUT FUNDRAISING

UA Crew Inc. strives to keep fees as low as possible each season. Although the UA Crew team does receive some minimal support from the school district, it is simply not enough to insure that the rowers have a rewarding experience, receive skilled training by competent coaches, and work with equipment that is safe and well maintained. U.A Crew, Inc. sets fees to cover stated costs only—we do not make a profit from team registration fees or regatta fees.

Unfortunately, shells do not grow on trees and funding the replacement of $30,000 boats and other equipment is an ongoing financial responsibility. To cover these additional program costs, UA Crew relies heavily on the fundraising efforts of its rowers/parents. All students are required to participate in all fundraising activities that occur during the season(s) that he/she is rowing. Fundraising dollars are used for to help offset the operating costs and for capital expenditures such as the purchase of new equipment.

Parents may also elect to contribute to the UA Crew Scholarship Fund which is used to help needy students defray the costs of rowing.

A NOTE ABOUT COMMUNICATION

Communicating accurate, timely information is very important in a sport that changes as much as crew. In order to keep parents/rowers up-to-date, UA Crew relies on the following forms of communication:

• The Website (www.uacrew.org)

• E-mail (Both parent and rower addresses)

• Daily postings on the Bulletin Board outside of Coach Swartz’s classroom

• Automated Phone System Out-dials: U.A Crew uses an automated phone system to relay important information to the entire team. An “outdial” is a recorded message which will be periodically sent to all team members via their home phones with information that needs to be communicated in a time-sensitive manner (e.g., bus arrival times, fee payment deadlines, changes to regatta schedules).

Whatever the format, it is important to remember that it is the responsibility of each rower and his/her family to stay informed by checking for new information on a daily basis.

ADVICE FOR NEW PARENTS

Patience and support are two of the most important qualities a crew parent can demonstrate. Crew is a sport where its participants receive very little external recognition. Here are some ways that you can help your rower and support the team:

• Try to attend as many regattas as possible. Most regattas are held at out of town venues. This makes it hard for other students to support the team and parents frequently make up the cheering gallery. Though some have more pageantry than others, all venues are attractive. Also, it’s a fun way to meet other parents and to visit the country!

• Encourage your rower to get adequate rest and eat a healthy nutritionally balanced diet. Rowing is one of the most physically demanding sports. It demands high effort from all major muscle groups (arms, back, shoulders, and legs) and burns energy about twice as fast as running.

• Support your rower by requiring year-round compliance with the UAHS Athletic Code and the UA Crew Rules of Conduct.

• Support your rower by becoming involved with UA Crew Inc. (that’s you now), Without your financial support and volunteer participation, the rowing program could not continue!

THE UA CREW PROGRAM: RULES & POLICIES

I. PARTICIPATION ELIGIBILITY

Any student who attends Upper Arlington High School on a fulltime basis (including foreign exchange students) is eligible to participate in the UA Crew program. However, because of the limited amount of resources, (i.e., equipment, coaching staff, practice time) and ongoing concerns for rower safety, participation for each rowing category may be limited for a given season. Additionally, certain modifications and restrictions may apply in individual circumstances based on safety considerations imposed by UA Crew, Inc., UAHS, and the Parks and Recreation Department for the City of Columbus.

Prior to participating, all parents must certify that their rower is able to tread water for 10 minutes and is able to put on a Personal Flotation Device while in the water. The coaches will show a water safety video for all rowers. Because of the rigorous physical demands of crew, rowers will be asked to pass a baseline fitness test or demonstrate an ability to participate in rowing-related conditioning activities.

II. ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS/OHSAA APPLICABLE RULES

All student athletes must abide by the requirements listed for extra-curricular activities in the Ohio High School Athletic Association Rules and the UAHS Student Handbook (distributed at the time of registration or available at UAHS). These include passing a minimum of five (5) academic credit hours during the grading periods immediately preceding and during the competitive season (spring). The student must also maintain a minimum overall grade point average (GPA) of 2.0. UAHS also voluntarily follows the OHSAA rule 161 – Adherence to Rules for Non-Recognized Sports, as a general policy for all sports not officially sanctioned by OHSAA. Copies of all rules are available through UAHS.

III. CODES OF CONDUCT

All participants in the UA Crew Rowing Program are expected to maintain reasonable standards of moral character and citizenship as students and as athletes. Therefore, all participants of the UA Crew Rowing Program are expected to comply with three important codes of conduct as long as they are members of the UA Crew team. The codes include the UAHS Student’s Rights and Responsibilities Handbook, the UAHS Athletic Code, and the UA Crew Rules of Conduct (which includes guidelines specific to rowers’ conduct at the Griggs Reservoir Rowing Facility). All students and parents should be aware of the restrictions and penalties under these codes. Both parents and rowers must read the UAHS Athletic Code and the UA Crew Rules of Conduct provided to them during registration and return a signed copy acknowledging they are aware of the rules.

IV. DUES/FEES

Did you know:

• A new 8-man shell costs $32,000?

• A set of oars costs $2,500

• A cox box costs $700

• The US Rowing annual membership fee is $500.

• The annual cost of insurance for the program is $10,000.

And don’t forget the tents, the trailer, personal flotation devices, launches & motors, gasoline, first-aid equipment, and the annual maintenance/repairs on $350,000 worth of equipment, coaches salaries. As you will see, the cost of participation in this sport is high. Therefore, it may be helpful for parents and rowers to be aware of the estimated annual cost of rowing in the UA Crew program prior to entering the program.

UA Crew Team receives only a small amount of support from the school district. UA Crew Inc. strives to keep fees as low as possible each season. If you have questions about finances, please feel free to contact an Officer/Trustee, attend regattas, talk to the coaches, or stop by practices.

All fees must be paid in full in order for athletes to participate in practices or attend regattas.^

As a crew parent, you will be asked to pay five types of fees:

1. Team Registration/Uniform Fees: These fees are collected for Fall and Spring Season to cover the costs incurred for participation in the program and equipment usage.

2. Regatta Fees: These fees are collected in Fall and Spring Season each year and cover the costs incurred during the regatta including regatta entry fees, bus transportation costs, food, accommodations, and transportation of the boats.^

3. Fundraising Commitments

4. UAHS Athletic Participation Fee: UAHS requires all athletes to pay an athletic participation fee which are collected for the Spring Season only.

5. Miscellaneous Fees: Throughout the year, there may be additional “opportunities” to spend money, including yard signs (available Spring Season), team photos (Spring Season), optional clothing with team logo, regatta souvenirs and extra meals, and team banquets (held in May).

UA Crew understands that there may be valid reasons for a rower to leave the program. Parents and rowers should also understand that UA Crew makes financial commitments before the season has started for coaches, equipment, insurance, regattas, etc. Please review the following provisions before a decision to leave the program is made:

• A rower who leaves the program within 7 days of his/her team’s first day on the water shall receive a full refund of registration, equipment, and regatta fees less a $50 cancellation fee.

• A rower who leaves the program within 14 days of his/her team’s first day on the water shall receive a 50% refund of registration, equipment, and all unused regatta fees.

• A rower who is injured and not able to complete the season shall receive a pro-rata refund of all fees. A physician’s note may be required. The rower’s “season” shall be defined as the period from their team’s first day on the water to the last day on the water.

• UAHS Athletic Fees are nonrefundable once the student athlete has begun the sport.

No refund of any fees will be made in the case of a rower who is asked to leave the program for disciplinary reasons or for non-injured rowers who decide to leave the program after 14 days from his/her team’s first day on the water.

Please note that if all financial obligations are not resolved by the end of the rowing season, rowers will not receive any awards or letters and/or will not be permitted to register for the following season until all past due amounts have been resolved.

V

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(Rules for Conduct, Directions, Parking)

The UA Crew Rowing Program rows out of the Griggs Reservoir Boat Yard located on the east side of the river directly beside the Water Department Facility and across from the Columbus Police Department Station. While your rower is on site at the boat yard, please remind your rower that he/she is representing UAHS and the UA Rowing Program and must follow all rules of the Columbus Parks and Recreation Department and the Columbus Police Department including:

1. Speed Limit: The speed limit in the park is 15 mph and is strictly enforced by the Columbus Police Department.

2. Parking: Rowers who drive must enter the park at the Nottingham Rd. Entrance and park at the lots immediately to the north of the docks.

3. Parents of non-driving rowers must pick up and drop off rower(s) in the marina parking lot north of the dock. Parents may not drop off/pick up their rower at the Police Station. It is a good idea for parents of non-driving rowers to establish car pools or to arrange for rides with upperclassmen.

VI. ATTENDANCE POLICIES

Rowers are expected to attend all practice sessions and competitions. Poor attendance at either practice or competitions is reason for exclusion from participation. Any student who has registered, been accepted to the team, and listed on the official roster for two (2) weeks or more is considered on the team and is subject to the appropriate discipline for poor attendance. Rowers who violate other team or school rules may be forced to miss practice as a result of a disciplinary action. These absences will count against the rower in any attendance-related discipline. Rowers who are on academic discipline are still permitted to practice with the team but cannot participate in competitions. Any such rower is still expected to attend practice on a consistent basis. Failure to do so will subject them to possible disciplinary action.

VII. ACADEMIC INELIGIBILITY

The Athletic Director/Head Coach will notify Students/parents of academic ineligibility. Being academically ineligible does not necessarily excuse a student from a regatta or from practices. If a student is academically ineligible, his/her Head Coach will determine: a) if the rower will continue to attend practice, and 2) if the rower will attend upcoming regattas. The student may still be allowed to attend the regatta, but will not be able to compete. In this case, the regatta fee would still need to be paid. Academically ineligible students may not attend a regatta if they must miss school to do so. Head coaches will provide the Regatta Chair and/or the Head Chaperone with a list of academically ineligible students. Regatta fees will only be refunded if there has been a sufficient amount of notice.

Although academic eligibility is more important during the spring season (dependent on the Second and Third quarter grades) the coaches remain adamant that the rowers are student/athletes in that order. Therefore, a high priority will be placed on the demand for optimum performance in the classroom for all rowers.

All UAHS athletes are required to be passing 5 credits EACH quarter AND to maintain a 2.0 GPA for EACH quarter. The former requirement is an OHSAA rule and is NOT open to appeal. The latter is a UA Schools Board Policy and MAY be appealed by writing a letter stating reasons for a particular student’s deficiency and his attempts to correct the problems for a better GPA in subsequent quarters.

VIII. PRACTICES

All practices are mandatory. Practices are held daily--rain or shine--during daylight hours and may consist of a combination of land and water workouts and ERG pieces. Although times vary each season, rowing practices are held five times a week, after school and/or on Saturday mornings. Coaches will determine if water practices will be held when inclement weather arises. Parents are encouraged to limit any disruptions in the regular attendance of their rower. Rowers are required to inform coaches of any missed practices well in advance (24 hours minimally). Remember: When one rower misses practice, potentially eight other rowers may be affected.

Do not be late. Rowers should plan to be at the rowing facility at least 10 minutes before their scheduled practice time. When one rower is late, eight others (the rest of the boat) are affected. Their practice may start late, or worse, the entire boat may have to remain on land. Remember: To be early is to be on time. To be on time is to be late. To be late is to be on land.

Practice schedules do change from time to time. A cancellation of practices/regattas for either the boys' or girls' team will be announced at a prior practice and/or posted on the bulletin board outside of Coach Swartz’s classroom. It is the responsibility of each athlete to check these boards daily during the season.

Rowers should come to practice ready to row. They need to wear appropriate snug-fitting workout clothing with the appropriate number of layers in relation to the weather conditions and on-the-water temperature (approximately 5 to 8 degrees cooler than the land temperature). Rowers should also bring:

• An individually marked reusable water bottle

• Any physician-ordered medical appliances (prescription inhalers, braces, etc.)

• Adequate running shoes

• Any other equipment necessary for uninterrupted practice sessions.

All coxswains are expected to carry a small assortment of tools including a 7/16” wrench, an adjustable wrench, electrical tape, a small assortment of nuts and washers, and a watch.

IX. TEAM CAPTAINS

Each year, four captains are selected for each team. Captains are selected by a ballot procedure near the end of the Spring season (usually late May). The head coach of each team has the responsibility of overseeing and tabulating the votes. Outgoing seniors are not permitted to vote. The ballots list all potential candidates with a space for one write-in candidate. The boys’ team members vote for the boys’ captains and the girls’ team members vote for the girls’ captains.

Serving as a team captain is both an honor and a privilege. Captains are elected because their peers and coaches see them as leaders. Team captains demonstrate high standards of athletic performance, academic achievement, conduct, and citizenship. A good team captain will earn the respect of their peers, coaches, and parents.

While being a captain is a valuable learning experience for the rower, he/she is required to work hard during the year and will be responsible for many things including:

• Conduct the pre-season summer practices, promoting team unity helping with organizing car pools, and various other tasks.

• Act as a liaison between coaches and rowers.

• Provide representation to the monthly Board meetings and any other meetings where their input is deemed necessary.

• Assist in the Learn-To-Row Program.

• Take leadership positions in all team-related activities including fundraising, practices and races.

• Model appropriate conduct during team travels and at all school functions.

• Model strict adherence to the UAHS Athletic Code and the UA Crew Code of Conduct.

• Behave as a role model for academic performance.

• They also act as resources and ombudsmen for the rowers.

X. UNIFORMS

Uniform requirements are:

Novices (Fall Season only): All rowers – male and female – will need a pair of black pants and/or or shorts. The spandex variety works the best as they are not baggy and won’t get caught in the hardware on the boats. They are also useful for daily practice. (Most rowers have one of each since you can’t predict the weather!) Novices are required to wear a team t-shirt for the fall regattas races.

Varsity (all seasons) & Novice (Spring Season): Rowers wear a unitard and can add a “Cool Max” (long-sleeve rowing shirt worn over the unitard) in cold weather.

In addition to the mandatory uniform requirements, rowers may also elect to purchase a variety of UA Crew Logo clothing including sweatshirts, t-shirts, mesh shorts, an official UA Crew Jacket, and other optional clothing. Uniform sales occur prior to the beginning of each season during team registration.

XI. VARSITY LETTERS

Varsity letters are awarded in the spring based on a points system. Varsity letter status requires a rower earn 600 points by the end of the competitive season. A rower has the opportunity to earn points in the following manner:

• Winter Condition (December – February): 1 point/practice or approximately 45 points.

• Spring Practices (March – June): 5 points/practice or approximately 240 points

• Competitions: 30 points/event for attendance and appropriate conduct or approximately 240 points possible

• Performance in Varsity or Junior Non-Championship Races: Gold Medal = 15 points, Silver Medal = 10 points, Bronze Medal = 5 points, Final/No medal = 1 point

• Performance in Varsity or Junior Championship Races: Gold Medal = 50 points, Silver Medal = 30 points, Bronze Medal = 20 points, Final/No medal = 10 points.

Exceptions to the point system include:

• Seniors: If a senior has rowed for three (3) calendar years and has not otherwise qualified, they will be awarded a varsity letter by virtue of their steadfast participation in the program.

• Freshman/Novice: Although we discourage the awarding of Varsity Letters to freshmen/novices, it is possible for them to earn one. If a freshman/novice has earned 600 points AND has medalled in a championship (varsity/junior) event, a decision by the coaches involved will determine if that INDIVIDUAL will receive a Varsity Letter. If a freshman/novice has rowed with a varsity level crew more than 50% of practices and races they will be considered a varsity rower. If that INDIVIDUAL rower earns the necessary number of points for a letter, they will be awarded a letter without the requisite coaches’ decision.

• Injured Rowers: Special circumstances may exist for an athlete who is injured and unable to attain the necessary points for a Varsity Letter. In that event, if the coach’s opinion (based on past performance) is that the INDIVIDUAL rower would have earned a enough points if not for the injury, they may be awarded a Varsity Letter at the coach’s discretion.

XII. REGATTAS

All athletes are expected to attend all regattas for which they are scheduled. Missing a regatta may adversely affect a rower’s seat placement on a boat for the next regatta or more. In case of a conflict, the athlete must receive permission from their Head Coach and must notify the Regatta Chair when he/she will be missing a regatta. Rowers may be excused for the following reasons only:

• Scholastic testing. (Rowers are encouraged to take scholastic test in the off-season or at times when rowers will not need to miss a regatta. SAT and ACT test dates are listed months in advance and can easily be scheduled to avoid missing a regatta.)

• Academic conflicts

• Family commitments (i.e., weddings and funerals)

• Illness

• Injury (In the event of an injury, an athlete may be excused from a regatta with a doctor’s excuse.)

Whenever rowers travel with the UA Crew team, they are expected to adhere to responsible standards of moral character and citizenship as students and as athletes and comply with three important codes of conduct: UAHS Student’s Rights and Responsibilities Handbook, the UAHS Athletic Code, and the UA Crew Rules of Conduct. At all times, rowers are expected to be courteous and respectful to the coaching staff, their fellow rowers, parent volunteers, and other rowers/teams. Additionally, rowers must remember the following.

WHILE TRAVELING TO/FROM REGATTAS:

1. All rowers are expected to travel to a regatta on the team bus unless special arrangements, which are approved by the coach, have been made with the regatta chair.

2. Students must arrive on time or risk missing the bus.

3. When rowers are registered for a regatta, their name will be placed on the travel list. Only those rowers who are on the list will be permitted to travel on the bus.

4. Rowers will respect the property of others while on the bus.

5. Rowers are required to stay seated and keep the noise level reasonable at all times, especially when others are sleeping.

6. All buses need to be free of trash and other items before the rowers are allowed to exit.

7. Chaperones/coaches decide on the location of the rest stops. When buses make stops, rowers may eat at designated sites only and should return to the bus in the designated time frame. Rowers are expected to behave appropriately during rest stops.

8. When the coach, chaperone(s) and driver leave the bus, the bus is locked. Rowers cannot re-enter the bus without someone to accompany him or her. All rowers need to take all belongings they need for the regatta when they exit the bus.

9. Rowers are permitted to bring the following items on the bus:

   • Snacks and drinks (no glass bottles)

   • Electronic games

   • Portable music players (headphones are required – no loud music.)

   • Cell phones

   • Movies are welcome as long as they are rated G, PG, or PG13. R-rated movies are not allowed per the policy of UAHS.

AT THE HOTEL:

1. Room assignments are made by the coaches and are not negotiable. If a rower has a problem with his/her room, please notify the head chaperone or the coach. For safety reasons, chaperone/coaches must maintain an accurate listing of where each rower is staying. Therefore, rowers must stay in their assigned rooms and assignments may not be changed unless approved by a coach.

2. Rowers are expected to follow all codes of behavior and must maintain a reasonable noise level at all times. Rowers are not permitted to run around in the hotel.

3. Rowers may visit other rowers’ rooms, but doors must be kept open at all times. No female rowers are allowed in male rowers room and vice versa.

4. The head coaches will make the decision if the team is allowed to use the hotel pool. If pool use is allowed, a coach must be present for the rowers to use the swimming and exercise facilities in a hotel.

5. Rowers are not permitted to make long distance telephone calls from their rooms.

6. Rowers may eat at designated chaperoned restaurants only.

7. Rowers are not permitted to leave the hotel premises unless they are with a coach or parent chaperone. Rowers may not leave the premises without notifying a coach or chaperone.

8. Rowers may bring game stations (i.e., PlayStation, GameCube), but must get approval from the front desk to hook up the game station.

9. Although each room will receive a wake-up call, it is each rower’s responsibility to be packed, ready to leave and on the bus at designated times.

10. Hotel rooms are to be left in the same condition as they are found. Any damage to the room will be assessed to the rowers assigned to that room.

11. Coaches will set “in room” and “lights out” curfews which are strictly enforced.

AT THE RACE SITE:

1. Rowers may not leave the race site at any time!

2. When arriving or departing from a site, rowers are expected to help with rigging/de-rigging or setting up/breaking down the tent site.

3. Each rower maintains individual responsibility for knowing when he/she races and when he/she needs to be helping other crews to launch/dock. Rowers should be ready to race at least one hour prior to their scheduled race. Racing schedules will be posted at the Food Tent.

4. The busses are locked during the day. Rowers are not allowed on the bus unless they are accompanied by a chaperone. If you are not racing, you should be at the UA tent, cheering on your team or by the boats.

5. All rowers are responsible for policing the race site and keeping it clean.

6. Rowers are expected to support other crews on the team by helping other crews to launch/dock and cheering their fellow teammates on during races.

7. When a rower’s race is over, he/she are required to support their teammates by cheering for all other races and by helping to launch other races as assigned by the coaching staff.

8. If a rower needs to depart from a regatta early, rowers must have permission from their coach and check out with the head chaperone prior to departure. Rowers may only be released to their parents when prior arrangements have been made with the coach/regatta chair. All alternative travel arrangements must be approved by the coach, made prior to departing for the regatta, and documented in writing.

CREW 101 – EQUIPMENT

There are two types of rowing, sculling and sweeping. A scull is a boat which has two oars for each rower. It is also an oar or blade used in such a boat. Sculling means to row in a boat which is a scull. Sweeping is when each rower in a boat has only one oar or blade. Sweeping is the type of rowing in which UA Crew primarily competes.

TYPES OF BOATS

Do you sense a pattern here? An easy way to break down the abbreviations is this:

Number - how many rowers/seats in the boat.

X - If there is an X that means they scull. Otherwise, they sweep.

+/- - Whether or not a coxswain is on board.

AROUND THE SHELL

1

OARS

EQUIPMENT

CREW 101 – ROWING TERMS

Rowing has it’s own terminology, which must be learned in order to communicate effectively. Even words such as left and right are different in "crew talk.” These are terms that you may hear your rower or his/her coach use.

PERSONNEL

TECHINQUE

Support Boats

ROWING CYCLE

ROWING CYCLE PROBLEMS

TYPES OF RACES

BOAT CATEGORIES