Beginner Team

3/30/2025 - Spring Season Reminders

Marking Attendance Is Important!

Heading in to on-water season, please remember that marking attendance and minimizing changes to attendance wthin 12 hours of practice time, is extremely important.Practices and regattas are in iCrew so you can start marking attendance now!

Check GroupMe OFTEN!

Please check GroupMe often, even if you do not think that you are supposed to be attending. Please check GroupMe for the following:

• If you do not think you are supposed to be attending, please doulbe-check the lineups to be sure that your name does not appear (people do forgot to unmark their attendance)

• If you are marked to attend, make sure you check GroupMe and come to practice knowing what boat you are in, what seat you are in and who your coxswain or bow rower is (bonus points for knowing what oars you are supposed to be takeing :-)

• Watch each day for weather-related updates to practice information (particularly location at the beginning of the season)

Spring Weather Updates

April weather can be iffy, so what I usually try to do is send out my best guess as to whether we will be on the water or indoors for each practice in the upcoming week. I usualy send it out via email and GroupMe by Sunday or Monday. However, please keep an eye on GroupMe for daily updates. The information sent out at the beginning of the week is just my best guess.

Spring at the Boatyard & Cold Weather Rowing

Spring at the Boatyard is a little bit different than Fall. Spring tends to be muddy and that can be even more pronounced down at the Boatyard. Please remember to pack your rowing bag and have a few pairs of extra socks. Some kind of inexpensive rain-type boots are not a bad idea until things dry up a little bit, and there are also waterproof socks that some people really like. Either way, just keep in mind that it can be wet down in the Boatyard for quite a long time.

We've put together some informaton on what to wear for cold weather rowing as well as some clothing suggestions. Spring can be pretty chilly at times and the water is still really cold, so even when the air temp seems warm, it can still be chilly down by the river. We do have some information with recommendations for how to dress for cold weather rowing, along with rowing clothing suggestions.

• How to Dress For Cold Weather Rowing: https://team.sweepsandsculls.org/club-info/how-to-dress-for-cold-weather-rowing

• Rowing Clothing Suggestions: https://team.sweepsandsculls.org/club-info/rowing-clothing-suggestions

Dropping Off & Picking Up at the Boatyard

A few reminders for dropping off and picking up at the boatyard.

• Please remember the speed limit once you turn on to the road to the boatyard is 25mph. The Forbes family that owns Port Barrinton Marina also has family that lives along that road on the way in to the marina and out of respect for the family they ask that we watch our speed when driving in and out of the marina.

• Beginner Team Parents - When dropping off & picking up:

  • Please have rowers wait up in the parking area 

  • DO NOT leave rowers unless a coach is physically present up in the parking area. You may see our vehicles, but we may be down in the boatyard or getting things ready for practice and may not be ready for rowers

  • If you are running late and the beginner team has already walked down to the boatyard, rowers can walk down to join us

Regatta Attendance - Indianapolis Regatta (May 3/4)

Beginner Team Parents - Please take a look at the date for the Indianapolis Regatta and mark your attendance. Please note that this is a 2 day regatta, BUT depending on attendance, you may not be rowing on both days. Please mark your attendance for whatever days you can attend, and feel free to add any information you think coaches might need to know when making regatta plans in “Notes to Coach”. I would like to take a look at that regatta this coming week so that I can figure out what that is going to look like for everyone.

12/18/2024 - Winter Break Team Workouts

As I mentioned before, we always have some fun team workouts over winter break for those that might be around. These are not required, but are meant to be a way to keep busy and engaged over winter break.

Thursday, Dec 26 - 5:15-6:15p

Monday Dec 30 - 10-11a

Thursday, Jan 2 - Annual Fish Game Tournament - 5:15-6:15p

There is a Fish Game on the Concept2 rowing machine and each year we do a Fish Game Tournament just for fun. There are “valuable” prizes on the line such as a bag of Swedish Fish, Goldfish Crackers, fish socks… you get the idea :-) It’s generally a fun and entertaining way to spend an afternoon.

(this one might go a little bit longer if we need to finish up the tournament - spectators are more than welcome if parents want to come in)

Sat, Jan 4 - 10-11a

All of these sessions are in iCrew so you can mark your attendance as you normally would for a practice. It is possible that if we do not have enough participation (we need at least 4 people), we may cancel, so it does help to mark your attendance.

If you have any questions, please let me know.