Regattas 101

Parents Survival Guide

Bring chairs
Bring your camera and make sure you get pictures! Be sure you share your pictures in the Google Photo album!
The team tent has instant coffee, tea and hot chocolate available. Some regattas have food trucks and some do not, so if
Everyone eats at the tent, rowers, parents, kids, aunts, uncles, etc. HOWEVER, please just make sure there is enough food for the rowers. I promise you they will be hungry and they are the priority!
Bring sunblock! Bug spray can be handy during warmer months
Wear layers - Regattas are usually cold when we start, but it can get warm during the day. Be prepared! It's better to dress like you are going to a Bears game in February and take layers off than to be cold all day (including feet, hands and head)
Bring rain gear - no matter what. No seriously, no matter what. You can leave your rain gear in the car if the weather forecast looks OK, but trust me, just have it with you.
Bring a water bottle - we have water and gatorade at the tent that you can use to fill your bottle.
Binoculars can be handy.
A blanket is a good idea.
Wear old shoes, or easy to clean shoes (read MUD).
Bring a battery pack for your phone.
Bring a hat and/or sunglasses - depending on the weather, a warm hat might be a good idea.
Book or other diversion (if you are volunteering, you'll be busy, but there can be lots of down time).
Towels for the car ride home (think rain and mud).
Parents, I know this sounds crazy, but this is your team and your tent too, so embrace it! Ask if you can help (even if you are not "assigned", make sure that parents that are assigned to volunteer can go see their rower's race, make sure garbage is cleaned up in our area, talk to other parents. I promise, they are really cool. One of the best things about this team is that all of the rowers are really cool and guess what, so are their parents! The parents on this team have gotten Coach Sue and the rest of the team through some pretty hard times and I promise you, they are all worth getting to know.
It’s great to bring younger siblings! There are sometimes playgrounds and other places for younger sibs to hang out, but also plan to for them to bring some things to do. It's a long day for younger sibs. We just ask that younger siblings steer clear of the "Rower Tent". More on the rower tent below...

Before/After the Regatta - Rower & Parent Responsibilities

Rowers: Regatta Week (before the regatta) - Rowers should try to attend as many practices as possible the week before the regatta (two weeks before the regatta is better). It helps to get the rowers in boats that they are going to race in prior to the regatta, practice what they need to practice prior to the race, and pass along any information that rowers need before the regatta.

Rowers: Boat Loading/Unloading - All rowers should plan to attend practice the Thursday before the regatta. That is typically when we derig and load all of the boats and equipment that we will be taking the the regatta. All rowers should also plan to be available immediately following the regatta to meet back at the boatyard to unload the boats and equipment that we took to the regatta.

Parents: Shopping/Utility Trailer - There is always help needed from parents to shop and pack the utility trailer for the regatta. There is also help needed to haul the utility trailer to the regatta. After the regatta, the utility trailer needs to be hauled back to the rowing center. There is usually perishable food left that needs to be unloaded at the rowing center as well. In addition, all of the food and cooking bins need to be unloaded and unpacked, and if it rained at all, the tent tops need to be taken out and aired out so they don't get all gross and mildewey sitting in the bins as well as dirty dishes that someone needs to take home, was and return to the cooking bins. There are parents that coordinate all of this, so please watch GroupMe for parents that are asking for help.

Regatta Information

The Privateers compete in two types of races. Fall regattas are timed events ("head" races): boats leave the starting point, row like crazy, and their time is marked at the finish line. This takes some of the excitement out of the finish line vantage point, as you really can’t tell how your rower did. In the spring, the races are head-to-head ("sprint" races). You can go to the finish line to watch who finishes "by a nose"!

Regatta Sites & Parking

Parking at the regattas varies by venue. Sometimes it’s free, sometimes not. Sometimes you’ll park fairly close to the tent… but often not. If the parking is off-site you may have to board a shuttle to get to the location. Plan to be able to carry or use a collapsible wagon for whatever you bring and plan for a bit of a hike.

Information for specific regattas is sent out to rowers and families by email as each regatta approaches. Please keep an eye on GroupMe leading up to and during the event for updates from Coach Sue or others. Each regatta has an information page on this site with all of the links and information that we have.

Regatta Specific Details

There are regatta-specific details on parking, venue, spectating, results, and much more on the Regatta Information Pages on this site. You can find those pages here:

https://team.sweepsandsculls.org/regatta-information

Regatta Day Questions

Coach Sue is very happy and eager to see all the parents at regattas but it is hard to engage every parent. Coaches are always happy to answer questions about rowing, regattas, when boats are going to be loaded, or related topics on race day (are you kidding, we LOVE to talk about rowing!), and we try to make announcements throughout the day as things come up, but if you have questions about what is going on at the team tent, it's better to ask one of the veteran parents. They'll help you out. Coaches are focused on the rowers and the equipment, we are focused on making sure the kids are taken care of and that they are having a good experience and on helping them if they aren’t having a great experience.

Rower Expectations at Regattas

Coaches will go over expectations of rowers at regattas with them either the day of the event, or prior to the event, however, expectations of rowers are fairly straightforward:

Behave like a Privateer. Rowers are expected to exhibit good sportsmanship, grace toward compeititors (we do not "Boo" or trash talk our competitors), and generally exemplary behavior. Please remember that we are wearing bright yellow, so EVERYONE will know who you are and be able to find the coaches, so coaches WILL know if someone is not behaving appropriately. The flip side of that is that we will also know if our rowers are doing good things! To date, we have never received negative feedback on our rowers's behavior, but we have received compliments! We would like to continue that trend.
Be where your coaches expect you to be - at the regatta site (team tent area, shell trailer and/or boat laydown area, vendor area)! DO NOT leave the regatta site (team tent area, shell trailer area, vendor area) without checking with a coach. For example, that means...
- DO NOT take a walk off the regatta grounds to go to the zoo without checking with a coach first...
- Parents, DO NOT take your rower back to the hotel room to pack their bag (or anywhere else) without checking with a coach first...
- Any other example of leaving the regatta site without taking to a coach that you can think of...
Be ready to help your teammates and take care of your equipment.

Middle School Rower Parent Supervision

Regattas are semi-supervised events. There are coaches on site, but rowers are expected to be able to be able to handle themselves appropropriately with a 1:20 supervision ratio, and be able to handle thesleves in unsupervised situations at a regatta site. Generally, the rowers will be at the team tent during that time. Coaches do not supervise rowers purchasing gear, going to the bathroom, walking around, etc. Rowers are expected to be where coaches can easily find them during the regatta.

We assume that most high school age rowers can handle this type of scenario, however, if your high school rower can not handle these expectations, please make sure there is an adult to supervise them during the regatta.

Middle school rowers are expected to have an adult at the regatta site at all times to supervise them during unsupervised times when the coaches are not working with them. This does not need to be a parent, but has to be someone over 18 years old. An aunt, uncle, older sibling, friend, or another rower's parent or guardian is totally fine, as long as you are comfortable allowing that person to be responsible for your child. Middle school rowers should only be at the shell trailer/boat laydown area when it is their time to race or when they are helping their teammates launch and recover (more info on rowers helping teammates below). Otherwise, middle school rowers should be at the team tent or otherwise supervised.

Team Tent and Team Trailer - Parent Area/Rower Area

There are two main areas where your rower will be during the regatta. One is the Team Tent, the other is the shell trailer or boat laydown area. Sometimes they are close together, sometimes they are further apart.

Team Tent - The Team Tent area is broken up in to a couple of parts.

Outdoor Kitchen (think tailgating) - where parent volunteers help to feed the rowers and families.
Food Service Tent - a tent where the food is set up and parent volunteers help keep it refreshed and cleaned up throughout the day.
Rower Tent - The rowers get a tent of their own where they can hang out, read, play games, nap, get out of the sun or rain, etc. during the regatta. It is important that the rowers have this space for themselves. We ask that family members, guests and friends generally stay out of this tent so that the rowers can have this space.
Family Tent/Area - As much as possible, Sweeps & Sculls would like to create a family-friendly environment. To that end, we will set up a family tent near the team tent if at all possible. Some regatta sites have more space than others. If we have space to set it up, please know that the family tent may not accomodate all family members of all the rowers. You may need to figure out another area to hang out and watch the races when you are not volunteering or if you are entertaining family. Parents, please be ready to stand outside in whatever weather we get. If it is raining, there definitley won't be enough room for all the families in the family tent. Please come prepared with rain gear, umbrella, etc. Most families bring chairs, as well as blankets, books, iPads, etc. depending on the weather and how you like to pass the time. It can be a long day. Usually, the rowers need to arrive very early, and the last race can often be late in the afternoon.

Team Trailer/Boat Laydown Area - This area is for rowers only! Parents, please do not hover around this area. This is a rower/coach only zone. This is where the rowers will come when they are getting ready for their race to prepare with their teammates. The team trailer or boat laydown area is also the first place they will come back to after their race. Rowers MUST come back to this area after their race, make sure their boat is properly put away, and check in with their coaches BEFORE they come to see you. Look for more on this below.

Regatta Food

At the team tent, parents help prepare healthy food for the rowers, coaches, parents, and families. The food choices are dictated by what works for racing, which can be fairly specific. The point is to provide food to the athletes and support what they need during the day. You can not just stop at McDonalds before a race. It's a really bad idea.

Families are welcome (and encouraged) to take part in food. Set up, cooking, serving, and cleanup are all covered by parent volunteers, which is a great way for you to meet other parents.

Regattas can also have food trucks. Parents do enjoy these food trucks, but I recommend that rowers do not hit the food trucks until they are done racing!

Parent Volunteering at Regattas

Parents, we can not do regattas without you! Parents help feed everyone and manage the Team Tent at the regatta! There is plenty for parents to help with before, during and after each regatta. For new families, we ask that you pay attention at your first few regattas and we'll start wrapping you in as your rower moves through the program.

Rowers Helping Teammates

First and foremost, your rowers are at this regatta to race. However, every rower also has to be there for their teammates that are racing. Not just to cheer them on like in other sports, but to actually help them get on and off the dock, carrying oars, shoes, etc. It’s extremely important that rowers don’t just disappear.

Before you grab your rower to go look at t-shirts, etc. please make sure they are not supposed to be helping their teammates with something. There is nothing more frustrating than having a boat going out or coming in and having no one there to help because they are wandering around. We post a schedule at the tent so that’s helpful in figuring out the down-time.

Also, so we can all depart more quickly, rowers that aren’t out on the water can derig boats that we are done using. If everyone helps, things go more smoothly and we all get to leave more quickly.

What Happens When Your Rower Goes Out to Race

There will be a schedule of our races that is posted on the Regatta Specific Details page that will outline the timing for each race. Each boat has the following times:

Prep for Launch - the rowers report to the shell trailer or boat laydown area to get read for their race. Give them their hugs and say good luck before you send them off to prep for their race.
Launch - This is the window when the boat will launch (as long as the regatta is running on time). Parents, if you want to watch your rower launch, you can find a place in view of the launch dock where you are out of the way and can get some pictures. Every regatta has a different setup, so you'll have to find what works best for that regatta. Do not try to catch up with your rower at this point. Rowers will then launch their boats and warm up as they row to the starting line where they will get ready to race.
Start Time - This is the time that the race is supposed to start (if the regatta is running on time). Rowers are expected to be in the marshalling area near the start at least 5-10 mintues before their race start. The boat will then line up for the start and prepare to race. How boats line up for the start depends on what type of race it is. Head Races are different than Sprint Races.
Watch for the Finish - This is the time that family members should start watching for their rower's boat to come toward the finish. The time should be 5-10 minutes before they might be seen so that family members have time to get to a spot where they can watch. The "Watch for the Finish" time is also for teammates to keep track of when they need to head to the recovery dock and help their teammates off the water.

When the boat is finished racing:

Docking - the boat will dock and teammates will head down to the dock to help their teammates that just rowed with their oars and shoes.
Returning the boat to the shell trailer/boat laydown area - After they race, rowers have to carry their boats back to the shell trailer/boat laydown area. Rowers carry their own boats. There is no valet boat service and parents do not jump in to help. Please do not try to catch up with your rower at this point. They need to focus on getting themselves and their boat back to the boat laydown area safely and are not in a postion to answer questions about how the race went at that pont.
Post-race meeting with a coach - Once the rowers and boat are safely back at the trailer/boat laydown area, the rowers will have a post-race meeting with a coach. there is some additional informaiton about this later, but family should not hover during this meeting. In general, coaches have no issues with families hearing what we are taking about, but there can be emotions involved (positive and negative), so it's better if families steer clear for a few mintues until we have our meeting and process how things went. I promise that when we are done, we tell them to go find their familes right away becasue we know you'll want to hear how it went.

Safety

The safety of the rowers on the course is the focus of all the officials and safety boat drivers. It is important for you to know that there are plenty of adults watching your kids out on the water making sure they are safe. It can be a little bit daunting sending your middle school, or even high school, age child out in a boat with a bunch of strangers. Just know that there are plenty of people on the water. Some regattas even include water rescue services, or even the Coast Guard.

Supporting Your Rowers

Parents, you will hear me say this, but what your kids are doing is hard. It is physically and mentally probably the hardest thing they have ever done and maybe will ever do. They will learn a lot about themselves, about making choices, about determination and willingness to put themselves out there and give everything they have. No matter what the outcome or how they look coming down the course, they worked hard and did a great job. Every time they go out on the water, it’s a learning experience and they will be better for it every time. They will always take away something. All you have to do is tell them they did a great job, that you are proud of them, and that you loved watching them row - and feed them. I mean a lot. Give them lots of food. No really, more food. Why do you think we have a whole tent full of food? They eat A LOT as they should!

Watching Races & Results

Typically, the tent will be set up near the course (the regatta often designates areas). We try to have our team tent in a location that allows for the rowers to be able to utilize the tent, and at the same time give families a view of the races whenever possible. We’ll gather at the water’s edge and cheer for them on. But as far as seeing your rower’s race… that’s it… about 30 seconds of watching from whatever vantage point you choose. Different venues have different viewing spots. There is an information page on this site for each regatta that will give as much information as we have about good places to view the races.

Then we wait anxiously for the results to be posted. If the regatta is using a race time app we will share that information with the families. For team pictures a goggle photo drive will be set up prior to each event, all families are encouraged to share any pictures to that album.

Were/When NOT to Watch

NOT Shell Trailer or Boat Laydown Area - Please do not hover around where the boats are. I know that a lot of parents want to see their kids get ready to launch and watch them as they walk their boat out, but please stay back from the trailer as they are prepping for their race. This is a huge distraction for the rowers. If you want to take pictures, please check with a Coach BEFORE you come over to the trailer, we may let you come take some pictures then find a different location to watch.
NOT the dock area or area where boats are being moved before OR after the race - First of all, if you are in an areas where there are boats being moved around and you get hit in the head by a boat that is being moved, that is ON YOU. It is not the crew's fault. To keep it simple, stay clear of any area where boats are being moved around. If you must cross an boat moving area, be aware that the crews are carrying heavy boats, often on jelly legs after they just raced, so it's on you to stay out of the way. My advice is to stand near a tree or signpost becuase no one will run their boat into one of those on purpose. If you can find a place to stay out of the way and get pictures, that's great, but please stay out of the way.
NEVER while your rower is about to move a boat, moving a boat, or just set a boat down - do not go help them carry their boats or equipment (unless a coach has asked you to help), do not try to talk to them or tell them good luck or ask them how it went (do that before they to to the trailer, or yell to them once you see them on the water). When the have their hands on a boat, the are part of a crew and the need to focus on what they are doing until they check in with their coach after the race (more on this below).

After your Rower Races

Please, parents, the coaches must see your rower first after they race (good or bad)! This is hard but very important! Even (and maybe especially) when it's really bad the rowers need to see their coaches and teammates first and then you can comfort them, celebrate with them and tell them what a great job they did. With middle school girls, there can be tears, and with all the kids there can be frustrations, and there can be extreme jubilation, but it’s important that they get to process any and all of that with their coaches, their boat and their teammates before they see you. As mentioned above, please do not hover in the team area. We will tell them to go see you as soon as we are done with them, I promise! If you have questions about this, talk to one of the veteran parents and they’ll tell you stories.

Things Rowers Need to Know

What to Wear

Yellow Team Shirt
Black bottoms
If it is going to be chilly, you can layer, but most layers will be removed before racing. All layers should go under the yellow shirt. Black baselayer is perferred.
Bring sweats, jackets, gloves, hats, etc. for before and after racing (see lists below)

Things to Bring

WATER BOTTLE
Sunblock
Nexcare tape (tape up BEFORE YOU RACE!)
Team uniform - team shirt (or tank, or uni) and black trou or black pants, shorts, leggings
Appropriate layers - black long sleeve shirt for under your team shirt, tank or uni if the weather is cold, team jacket, sweat pants to put on before or after racing, etc. (please be sure you check the weather and pack appropriate layers)
Hat (white head sweats hats, visors or bucket hats for racing)
Sun glasses
Bring rain gear - no matter what
An extra set of clothes (or lots of extra sets of clothes if it's going to be raining all day)
Plastic bag for wet clothing
Extra socks (lots)
Slip on shoes
Gym shoes for land warm-ups
Deck of cards and/or something do do
Towel and/or blanket (for the regatta and or ride home to sit on when you are wet and muddy)
Money to purchase regatta merchandise
Phone and charger (and possibly a battery pack)
Cards or other small games

HYDRATE!

In order to be properly hydrated, start hydrating on Thursday before a regatta! It does you no good to drink a bunch of water the day before the race. Starting on Thursday, start drinking at least 4-6 water bottles per day.

BRING A WATER BOTTLE!!!

There is always water and gatorade power at the tent!

What to Wear

You’ll get hot while rowing, but it may be chilly before/after your race. Days usually start out chilly, but can get warmer. If it is cold, layer a black Under Armor-type shirt under your team shirt, tank top or uni. Wear socks and slides.

What to Eat and Drink Before you race

DO
- Water, Gatorade
- Eat nothing or LIGHT foods only
DO NOT
- Eat heavy foods
- NO SWEETS before you race - you will regret it the minute you start rowing
Recovery nutrition after you race
- Chocolate milk is a great recovery drink
- Protein is key!

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