Spring Crew season
starts in late February once the ice is off the Occoquan. In the spring, we row as
"Woodbridge Crew" with all of our racing boats containing Woodbridge Crew
members. Don't miss the registration sign up days that occur in January (check for dates
posted on our Calendar.) Spring is our
official competitive season with most regattas occurring from late March through late
May. They include several home regattas on the Occoquan and away regattas at such
sites as the Potomac river and in Delaware, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Regatta dates are
listed on our schedule page once they are published by our local crew governing body - the Virginia Scholastic Rowing Association.
Woodbridge Crew's boat assignments (assigning rowers to specific positions in specific boats and assigning coxswains to the right boats) is determined starting in early March once rowers and coaches are back on the water. Erg tests, performance on the water, physiological capacity (height, weight, muscular development), attitude, commitment, technical skill, and ability to respond positively to coaches' critiques are factors used by our coaches to gauge each rower's capabilities. Coaches have the tough job of lining up rowers and assigning them to boats by carefully evaluating their demonstrated performance and overall potential. Parents can help by talking to the coaches and staying aware of how their rower/coxswain is doing.
In the spring, boat assignments can and will change during the season in accordance with the needs of the team and the differing rates at which some rowers progress versus others. Stay flexible! You might be moved around the boats for a while until you find your niche. Seat racing (one-on-one races) are sometimes used by coaches during practice sessions to determine relative abilities of a few rowers to refine a boat's final line up.
Spring training is typically Monday through Friday, 3:00 to 5:30 in the
afternoon. All training is at Oxford House with some running in the local area.
Most of the training time is spent on the water. Training continues through to the
end of the competitive season which begins in March and lasts
to the end of May.
While Woodbridge Crew's operations end after Spring Crew, many of our
members continue their rowing activities during Summer Crew. Some
may choose to attend a commercial summer rowing or sculling camp such as the one at
Craftsbury Vermont. Here's a listing of summer crew programs listed by Row2K. Rising 8th graders (9th graders in the fall) might want to try
out crew at one of the weeklong PWCA-sponsored crew camps held every August at Oxford
House. There are also other summer crew programs on
the Occoquan. The team's top rowers might be
invited to a US Rowing Summer Development Camp or, if they are nationally top-ranked, they
may get a letter inviting them to the USRowing Junior National Team Selection Camp.
And last, but certainly not least, Woodbridge Crew parents (or for that matter any
local adult) get a chance each summer to experience for themselves the unique thrill of
rowing by joining the adult rowers' program run by Prince William Crew. They'll
learn that's it's not really all that hard to learn how to row... but that learning to row well is another matter entirely!
2010 SPRING SEASON REGISTRATION
We are providing two opportunities to register for the Spring Season this year. Registration dates are Sunday, January 24th from 1:00pm - 3:00pm and Wednesday, January 27 from 7:30pm - 9:00pm. Both are being held in the Woodbridge Cafeteria. A mandatory General Membership Meeting is being held on February 10th from 7:30pm - 9:00pm which will also be held at the Woodbridge Cafeteria.
At the time of registration, parents and rowers will need to provide all completed forms (shown below and can be downloaded online), payment for the season (unless you took advantage of our discount at the time you registered for the Winter Program), and sign up for volunteer positions at regattas and some of our fund raising events like Tag Day and Car Washes. Parents will be required to sign-up for one job slot at a regatta. Additionally, parents and rowers will be required to sign-up for Fund Raising events including Tag Day (Feb. 20th) and Car Washes. Also, we will have our Spirit Wear available for order/purchase and sample uniforms available for review at both registrations.
Please note that even if you signed up in the Winter for Spring Crew, you still must come in and complete the new Spring Emergency Card, Stotesbury Waiver, 2010 US Rowing Waiver and sign up for volunteer positions.
All required forms are available for download below and are due at registration. Refer any and all questions to Cindy Thomas at rcthomas91@msn.com, not to the coaches. You may also obtain information from Jim Bish in Room 2716. A parent or guardian must accompany all rowers for registration. Coaches will not permit rowers to begin practice until all forms are submitted and fees paid.
SPRING FEES: for the 2010 Spring Rowing Season:
Experienced Rowers = $400 Spring Season
Novice Rowers = $375 Spring Season
We will also discount a Second/Third Rower in a Family $100 for the Spring Season
The Woodbridge Crew Board accepts Visa, Mastercard and personal checks (payable to Woodbridge Crew Inc.) for registration fees, uniforms and Spirit Wear and will consider exceptions to the membership fees on an individual basis.
A mandatory General Membership Meeting for all parents and students will be held Wednesday, February 10th from 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm in the Woodbridge SHS Lower Cafeteria. This will be an opportunity to hear a presentation from the board and coaches about the upcoming season. We have a busy schedule this year with many Regattas on the calendar and many fund raising events and other volunteer needs.
REQUIRED FORMS: You can download and fill out many of the forms before registration by either clicking on the link in the text below or scroll down to the table where they are all listed together. All forms provided are in Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) format.
- Woodbridge High School Crew Registration Form
- VHSL Physical Examination Form* (Bring 2 copies) One copy for Woodbridge Crew Boosters, and one copy goes to WSHS Activities Office. Also, keep one copy (the original) for your own records.
The VHSL Physical must be completed (signed [two students signatures and three parent signatures] and dated after May 1, 2009). A new physical must be submitted once each year. It is highly recommended that you make 3 copies of the completed physical, one for your records, one for Woodbridge Crew, and one to be placed on file at the Woodbridge Activities Office. If you attended the Fall Rowing Camp or Winter Conditioning you should have a VHSL Physical Examination Form on file at the Activities Director Office. If you did not attend the Fall Rowing Camp you may bring your new physical to registration and we will provide a copy to WSHS for other sports programs this school year. If you have a copy already on file at the Woodbridge Senior High School Activities office, we will be able to confirm that at Registration. - Woodbridge Crew Liability Release and Parent Consent Form
- Emergency Card (complete 2 of these forms) including one copy for Woodbridge Crew, and one copy for our coaches.
- Student Activity Handbook. Parents and Students must read about being a WSHS student athlete.
- Swim Test (new rowers only) See Below Explanation
- Lake Ridge Park and Boathouse Rules Lake Ridge Park Requires us to complete this form
- US Rowing Release of Liability
- Stotesbury Release Form
- We strongly encourage all families with athletes at Woodbridge Senior High School to join the Virginia Athletic Boosters Club (VABC). This organization facilitates fund raising for all of the athletic programs at the school. Membership is optional, however, we directly recieve benefits from this important organization. Click Here for a membership form and turn this in with your crew registration.
- Uniform Order Form. All rowers must complete this form. Sample Uniforms will be available to try on at registration as well as measurement assistance.
- The Volunteer form is not included here but will be available and it is mandatory that you pick assignments at registration.
| Form Name | Link |
|---|---|
| Woodbridge Crew Registration Form | |
| VHSL High School Physical Form | |
| Woodbridge Crew Inc. Liability Waiver Form | |
| Prince William County Emergency Cards (2 Req.) | |
| Student Activity Handbook | |
| Swim Test | |
| Lake Ridge Park and Boathouse Rules | |
| US Rowing Liability Waiver Form | |
| Stotesbury Liability Waiver Form | |
| VABC Membership Form | |
| Uniform Order Form |
VOLUNTEER SIGNUP: The list of specific regatta jobs which have been assigned to Woodbridge Crew will be available at registration. Each family unit will be required to sign up for one volunteer job at the time of registration. Furthermore, you can visit our Calendar to see all upcoming Fund Raisers and the Regatta schedule throughout the entire Spring Season.
Additional guidelines are as follows:
CANCELLATIONS/REFUNDS: Fees may be returned on a pro rata basis through the second week of practice … full refund if the rower leaves the first week, half will be refunded during the second week.
ACADEMIC ELIGIBILITY must be maintained under the Virginia High School League Rules and Prince William County School Regulation 640-2, dated October 27, 2004. If a Rower meets the eligibility requirements of the Prince William County School Regulation then the Rower has also met the Virginia High School League requirements. "In order to maintain eligibility, high school students participating in interscholastic athletics… must pass five subjects and earn "C" or better in two subjects at the end of the first semester, at the end of the school year, and at the end of the first and third nine weeks." Also, "Student assistant electives shall not be counted toward meeting the standards." The full text of the PWCS regulation is located at http://www.pwcs.edu/admin/pwcs/admin_pdfs/R640-2.pdf. No fees will be returned because of lost academic eligibility.
SWIM TEST: In order to register, all rowers must provide proof of his/her swimming ability. (e.g. Red Cross Swimming Card, BSA Merit Badge verification, Proof of Swim Team Membership or, verification by a certified lifeguard of the ability to swim 100 meters and tread water for 2 min.) If needed, the Chinn Aquatics Center (intersection of Old Bridge and Prince William Parkway) conducts swim tests. Call the Chinn Center at (703) 791-2338 and scheduling an appointment. Bring our swim test form for the examiner to sign. If the student previously completed a swim test and we have it on file then no test is required.
FUND RAISING: Rowers and their parents/guardians are required to support the fund raising activities of the club. Without fundraising efforts, this program would not be possible.
VOLUNTEER SUPPORT: Success of the Viking Crew program and Virginia Scholastic Rowing Association (VASRA) Regatta execution is entirely dependent on Parent Volunteers. Details of our volunteer requirements will be provided at Registration.
PRACTICE: Coaches expect all student rowers to attend all practices. When a student rower doesn't attend practice, everyone else on the boat is impacted. A Parental Consent Form, Lake Ridge Park and Boathouse Rules Form and 2010 US Rowing Release of Liability will be required for each rower.
If you have any questions, please contact Cindy Thomas at rcthomas91@msn.com or president@woodbridgecrew.org.