2023-2024 Juniors & Mentor Team Info 

Season Dates

August 29 to May 23
Please see the Attendance Expectation Page for information about attendance expectations for Juniors Team Rowers during the season. 

Junior Team Attendance Expectations >>

The expectations for the Mentor Team are slightly different than the Juniors Team. For practice attendance, the Mentor Team is encouraged, but not required, to follow the Juniors Team Attendance Expectations. Mentor Team rowers that are interested in having more opportunities both in practice and at regattas, and being promoted to Junior Varsity A and being member of the Juniors Team will strive to meet the attendance requirements.

Juniors Team Contract & Pricing

Rowers and Parents on the Juniors Team will sign a contract at the beginning of the year. This contract outlines the expectations for members of the Juniors Team so that all parents and athletes understand what coaches are looking for in the upcoming year. We will review the contract the first week of practice with the rowers. Rowers should then go home and review the contract with their parents and bring it back signed by the second week of practice.

Juniors Team Pricing for 2023/24

The fees for the Juniors Team this year will be $2500 and can be paid in installments. A minimum of $1700 needs to be paid before Spring Season starts, with the remaining balance due before May 10, 2024.

This includes all regattas EXCEPT the Dogwood Junior Championship regatta in Tennessee. This regatta would be additional if we decide to attend (See Spring Regattas/Events below).

Mentor Team (Layla, Sammy, Callum)

Sammy, Callum and Layla, this year, you could choose to be a part of the Mentor Team. The Mentor Team schedule is the same as the Juniors Team Schedule, so see below for information regattas, events, etc. for the year.

Click here for more detailed information about the Mentor Team works, fees, etc. >>

Practice Schedule

(Practice schedule may change slightly during winter season.)

• Mon-Thurs - 5:30-7:30p

• Sat - 9-10:30a

First week of practice

I would like to start practice next week, but it will not be our standard practice schedule. This week does not have an attendance requirement, but I would like everyone to try to make it to at least one rowing center day and one boatyard day. Here is what we will be doing each day...

• Mon, Aug 28 (5:30-7:30p) - Boatyard Season Prep & Short Row
  We will be getting boats ready, doing some boatyard prep and getting out for a short row.

• Tues, Aug 29 (5:30-7p) - Rowing Center Season Prep
  Meeting at the rowing center to do some team building and have some pre-season discussions about the code of conduct, the Juniors Team Contract, attendance/timliness, accountability committee, goal setting, captains, etc.

• Wed, Aug 30 (5:30-7:30p) - Boatyard
  Finish up any pre-season prep work that we need to complete and get out for a short row.

• Thurs, Aug 31 (5:30-7p) - Rowing Center
  Finish up goal setting and discussions from Tuesday, possibly do a short erg workout

Fall 2023 - Regattas/Events

Regatta information will be updated soon on the Fall Regattas Page >>

• Thurs, Sept 14 - PICTURE DAY (Arrive 15 minutes early for practice wearing team gear)

• Sat, Sept 23 - Tough Cup Regatta (Chicago, IL)

• Sun, Oct 1 - WISCO Chase Regatta (Jefferson, WI)

• Sun, Oct 8 - Head of the Rock Regatta (Rockford, IL)

• Sat, Oct 14 (3-5p) - Stade's Fall Festival Team Event (McHenry)
  This is an opportunity for our team to get together and have some fun! Admission cost is $25 per person. A supervising adult will need to stay with rowers that are 15 and younger, however, we are looking in to group tickets and asking for chaperone. We'll let you know if we get anything worked out. More information can be found on the Stade's Fall Festival Page >>

• Sat, Oct 28 - Blake Haxton Fall Regatta (Colombus, OH)

• Sun, Oct 29 - Speakmon Memorial Regatta (Colombus, OH)

• Sat, Nov 4 (8:30-10a) - Fall Fun Awards (Rowing Center)
  We always end our Fall season with some Fun Awards. These are meant to be simple and fun and a way to get the team together to celebrate our Fall season. We will be working with beginner team families to coordinate breakfast for this event. Parent do not need to attend, but are always welcome.

• Mon, Nov 6 - Evening workouts move indoors due to daylight savings time (same schedule, but 30 mintues shorter), Saturdays could still be on the water depending on weather

• Wed/Thurs, Nov 8/9 - Fall 2k Tests

• Nov 11/12 or Nov 18/19 - Possible Juniors/Mentor Team Event

• Week of Nov 20-26 (Thanksgiving Week) - Reduced workout requirements for Thanksgiving Break (Coaches will let you know what the requirement will be) - we may still have some workouts in person

Winter 2023/24 Regattas/Events - Tentative

• Mon, Nov 27 - Winter Season "Official" Start Date

• Sat, Dec 9 (or Sun, Dec 10) - Tank Session in Madison, WI (TENTATIVE - I will let you know when I get this scheduled)

• Sat, Dec 16 - Sweeps & Sculls Winter Party & Gift Exchange (time and location TBD)

• Week of Dec 18-22 - Winter 2k Tests! Yes, I know this is finals for pretty much everyone! You will be required to do 2 workouts this week - one of them will be your 2k test and must be in person. The other one can be either in person or at home. All workoust this week will be shortened to 1 hour. You can do your 2k test at any practice during the week.

• Sat, Dec 23 to Sun, Jan 7 - Winter break and Consistency & Control (C&C) Challenges. Everyone will be required to complete 7 workouts during winter break. Workouts must be erg workouts unless otherwise approved by a coach.

  • Tentative dates for group workouts are (times are TBD and will be in iCrew):

    • Tues, Dec 26 - Boxing Day Workout (C&C Challenge #2)

    • Thurs, Dec 28 (C&C Challenge #3)

    • Sat, Dec 30 (C&C Challenge #4)

    • Mon, Jan 1 (C&C Challenge #5 and Fish Game Tournament)

    • Wed, Jan 3 (C&C Challenge #6)

    • Thurs, Jan 4 (C&C Challenge #7)

    • Sat, Jan 6 (C&C Challenge #8)

• Mon, Jan 8 - Regular Winter Season Practice Schedule Resumes

• Sat/Sun, Jan 13/14 - Possible Team Event

• Sun, Jan 21 - Tank Session (Time & Location TBD)

• Sat, Jan 27 - Marathons/Half Marathons

• Sat, Feb 3 or Sat, Feb 10 - Southside Smackdown (Tentative - I'll update this date as soon as I have it)

• Sun, Feb 18 - Tank Session (Time & Location TBD)

• Sat, Feb 24 - Chicagoland Shiver Erg Sprints (Scheduled)

• Starting in March - Practices could be on the water for the Juniors and Mentor Team, but this is extremely weather dependent

• Sun, Mar 17 - Tank Session (Time & Location TBD)

• Week of March 18-22 - End of Winter 2k Test Week. I am not sure how this is going to work just yet, but for right now assume that everyone will be doing a 2k test and that it will work similar to how the Dec 2k test week works)

• March 23-31 - Spring Break (NO PRACTICE)
  
  

Spring 2024 Regattas/Events - Tentative

• Mon, April 1 - Official Start to Spring Season

• Sun, April 21 - Illinois Junior Rowing Invitational (Farmer City, IL) (TENTATIVE - I'm not even sure we would do this one this year, but I'm leaving it here as a placeholder)

• Sat/Sun, April 27/28 - Dogwood Junior Championship (Oak Ridge, TN) (TENTATIVE EXTRA TRIP - I am considering doing this as an extra trip this year, much like we did Hooch last year. This would be priced separately and would be contingent on who is interested in attending.)

• Sat/Sun, May 4/5 - Indy Regatta (Indianapolis, IN) (TENTATIVE - this one is not in regatta central yet, but this is the weekend that it normally is)

• Other regatta dates TBD

• Sat/Sun, May 18/19 - Midwest Junior Rowing Championship (Bethel, OH) (SCHEDULED)

• Thurs, May 23 - Spring Banquet (Tentative)
  We are going to try something different this year for our Spring Banquet. We are going to have our Sophomores and their parents organize the venue, food and decorations for the Spring Banquet. Coach Sue and Coach Kellie will get together with the Sophomore Class and Parents to discuss options.
  Our Senior Class with one or two Parent Advisors will look at options, decide on, collect money for and come up with additional fundraising ideas for, the gift to the club from all the teams. We will meet with the Senior Class to discuss this and would like one or two Senior parents to voluteer to work with the kids over the course of the year do do this.

  • Sophomore Class: Food, Venue, Decorations

  • Senior Class: Team Gift
    
    

Summer 2024 Regattas/Events - Tentative (this is all tenatative and will be updated as I have information)

• Sat, June 2- National Learn to Row Day Event (TBD)

• June TBD - Corey Lake Camp (and Grand Regatta in Grand Rapids)

• July 12-14 - Chicago Sprints

• August 5-9 - Beginner Camp