Youth Rowing Skill Progression

Beginner Team

Age & Time Guidelines

• All rowers for their first 3 seasons of rowing.

• All rowers in 7th grade or younger regardless of how long they have been with the team (younger rowers can be promoted on a case by case basis if all coaches are in agreement).

Technical Skills

• Rowers that are working on mastering technical skills.

Rowing Knowledge

• Rowers that are just learning the basics of rowing.

Maturity

• Rowers that require an increased level of supervision or attention from coaches.

Junior Varsity A

Has had sufficient “practice time” to have opportunities to develop skills and has risen to the challenges but is still developing in multiple areas.

Age & Time Guidelines

Rowers are meeting attendance requirements and/or are showing exemplary attendance.

• Juniors rowers meet the Juniors attendance requirements.

• Beginner and Recreational Team rowers attendance is 75% or better and participates in all 3 seasons.

Technical Skills

• Must be able to lift a 4+ or quad with 3 other people and get it in and out of the water safely and efficiently.

• Must be able to row straight reliably in any situation in any sculling boat.

• Technique is consistent, and the rower is able to make adjustments when instructed.

• How to get in and out of a single by yourself

• How to dock a single by yourself

• How to leave a single on a dock

Rowing Knowledge

Has a good understanding of the equipment and how to use it and take care of it.

• Rowers must know:

  • How to read, understand and lead a workout plan for both an on water and indoor session:

    • The parts of a workout

    • Coaches expectations

    • How to read the notations

    • A good understanding of common drills

  • What a stroke coach is

  • How to read a stroke coach

  • How to leash a stroke coach to the boat

  • How to use a walkie talkie

  • How to leash a walkie talkie

  • Enough safety information that coaches are comfortable with them being “in charge” of a boat

    • Making good choices in boat traffic (staying to the side of the river, not rowing through wakes)

    • What does it mean to stop your boat in a safe location

    • What to do if there speed boat traffic on the river

    • How to keep boats safe on a race course

• Could teach a brand new rower the basic rowing stroke.

• Could teach a brand new rower safety basics.

Maturity

• Shows consistent good judgment and decision making, understanding that they are responsible for their safety and the safety of their teammates.

• Have enough safety knowledge and good judgement that they are able to be “in charge” of a boat.

  • Rowers must show good judgment, understand that they are responsible for not only their safety but the safety of their teammates as well, and show consistent good decision making.

• “Team Focused” attitude.

Junior Varsity B

Has the basics and the maturity to handle themselves at practice and regattas but needs “practice time” to gain experience.

Age & Time Guidelines

• 8th Grade and up

• Must have completed at least 3 seasons within a 2 year period (at least 2 have to be on water seasons) with Sweeps & Sculls (rowers with previous rowing experience will be evaluated to determine their appropriate level).

Technical Skills

• Must have a basic knowledge of the rowing stroke, the parts of the stroke and what good technique should look like.

  • Be able to teach a novice rower the basic parts of a boat/oar/erg and stroke correctly.

• Can still be developing skills, but needs to be able to execute the rowing stroke both in a boat and on an erg with consistency

• Timing - can row consistency with others without major timing issues.

  • Can row on slides with a higher level rower at stroke well enough that the slides don’t bang around, and they can follow well enough that the stroke seat feels like they can actually row.

• Must be “coachable”

  • Must be open to making changes when given instruction from Coaches or Varsity Level Rowers.

Rowing Knowledge

• Can read and understand a workout plan (both on water and indoor).

• Understand the basic flow of a rowing practice (both indoor and on the water) and follow along and help others when needed.

• Knows what they are supposed to be doing without prompting from coaches and teammates and actively participates in a positive way while at team practices, regattas and events. This includes but is not limited to;

  • Getting ready for practice

  • During practice (while in a boat or indoors)

  • Cleaning up after practice at getting ready to leave

  • While loading and unloading the trailer for regattas

  • At regattas while launch, recovering and on the water

  • At regattas when there is “down time” between events

  • At any team event

Maturity

• Has the maturity to consistently handle a 1:20 supervision ratio

• Coaches must know that there are no safety concerns with the rower at 1:20 supervision ratios

• Consistently handles interactions with teammates in a positive manner and consistently shows respect for coaches, teammates, referees, competitors, spectators, etc.

• Able to follow directions from coaches, JVA or Varsity rowers, and peers that may be placed “in charge” (bow seat or coxswain) of the boat that they are in with a positive and/or helpful attitude.

• Shows appropriate behavior when unsupervised (is aware of safety concerns for themselves and others, is not disruptive both on land or on the water).

Varsity

Can row any seat in any boat at any time.

Age & Time Guidelines

• Has been a JVA Rower and showed exemplary attendance for a minimum of 3 seasons

• Juniors rowers meet the Juniors attendance requirements.

• Has been a JVA Rower on the Recreational Team for a minimum of 5 seasons, 4 of which are on-water seasons.

• Recreational Team rowers attendance is 75% or better and participate in .

Technical Skills

• Technically proficient. Understands and can execute the rowing stroke well and make changes when instructed.

• Understands enough of what is going on in a boat to be able to diagnose some of the major things that could be going on in a boat (eg: ports hands up, starboards hands down, nesting, slide timing, catch timing).

• Consistent effort in any boat and during indoor practice sessions.

Rowing Knowledge

• Can effectively get a crew ready to go out on the water, execute a workout plan or race plan and return to the dock with little or no instruction/help from coaches or other rowers.

• Can run a boat, make good/safe choices for their crew.

• Has a good understanding of safety issues and could effectively respond to an emergency situation.

Maturity

• Can consistently handle an on-land adult to rower ratio of approximately 1:20.

• Has a good understanding of safety issues and could effectively respond to an emergency situation.

• Be able to step back and mentor JVA rowers, allowing them to lead situations with their guidance.

• “Team Focused” attitude.