Parent's FAQ
Q1: Why is there a participation fee?
A1: Since the rowing program is not an officially sponsored high school
varsity program, it gets no funding from the schools themselves.
Therefore all funds used to get the program running need to come from
student fees and donations. Our goal is to develop Wayland-Weston Crew
into a first class rowing program, and to do so requires first class
equipment and coaching. Unfortunately, this equipment and coaching does
not come for free. The costs involved with a rowing program include:
the shells ($25,000 for a new boat), the coaches' salaries,
coaches' launches ($1000 each), motors for the launches ($1500 each),
gas for the motors, parts to repair damaged boats, paying someone to fix
the boats, oars ($250 for each oar), safety equipment, docks ($12,000),
A boat trailer ($10,000), a truck to pull the trailer ($30,000), etc.
The list goes on and on. It is not the expectation that all this will
be paid for in the first year.
Q2: Does the registration fee cover the entire school year?
A2: The fee is only for the current season.
Q3: Why doesn't my child row every day?
A3: Off the water conditioning is just as important (and sometimes more so) as on the water training.
Q4: Why are there so many kids?
A4: Rowing is an up and coming sport and its popularity is growing in
the United States. Frankly the board members of WWRA were pleasantly
surprised at the enthusiastic response that the program received.
Though it has presented some challenges in the short run, it is
overwhelmingly a positive indicator for the potential of the program to
develop into a leading competitive program.
Q5: Will it always be this crowded?
A5: Our policy to date for the high school program is has been not to
have cuts, so the team members themselves will determine how large a
program this will remain. Over the winter we will be reviewing this
policy, and would welcome your input.
Q6: What is the purpose of the land activities?
A6: The land practices serve multiple purposes. The first is to allow
the rowers more contiguous "on-the-water" time. The second is to build
an aerobic base. Rowing is an extremely aerobically demanding sport and
those crews that are not in the best shape will suffer. Running,
erging, swimming, and cross-country skiing are all very good ways to
build an aerobic base. Please note that the land workouts are NOT
optional.
Q7: Will they be getting any instruction on rowing technique or
coxing on land?
A7: This is already taking place. With a large enough coaching staff,
the team could be provided with even more technical instruction while on
land. The rowing machines (a.k.a. ergs or ergometers) that the program
has allow the rowers to perfect their skills even when on land.
Q8: How do I know if there will be practice if it is raining?
A8: Always assume there is practice - the team will race in the rain,
And so they practice in the rain. However, if practice is cancelled due
to lightning or other bad weather, the team will be informed via the
school announcements at the end of the day. Parents can find out about
practice by visiting the crew's web site (http://www.wwcrew.org) and
checking out the message board found on the "High School Program" page.
Q9: Should my child still come to the land practice even if it is
raining?
A9: Land workouts will continue as normal even when it's raining unless
the coach decides otherwise.
Q10: How come there aren't more "nice" boats to use?
A10: Brand new shells (boats) cost $25,000 (some top of the line boats
cost more than $30,000) and at the inception of this program the WWRA
was fortunate, through a great deal of effort, to acquire the shells we have. We
are always looking for more shells that we can acquire for a reasonable
price.
Q11: Why are the boats we do have so heavy?
A11: The current shells are older boats that were acquired from other
programs in New England and are on the order of 20 years old. The
decision to purchase older (and consequently heavier) boats was done so
that the team could have a row-able fleet of boats for an extremely
reasonable cost. Needless to say, technology has improved since then
and the boats have gotten significantly lighter.
Q12: Why is my child getting blisters, and what can I do to help?
A12: Blisters are a natural reaction to the repeated motions of rowing.
Sometimes extremely bad blisters are the cause of an incorrect grip on
the oar, make sure your child asks the coach about this. Over time the
hands will become callused and resistant to blisters. The severity of
the blisters varies from person to person depending on skin type.
Calluses are the only known "cure" for blisters.
Q13: Are gloves helpful?
A13: For multiple reasons, gloves are far from ideal. The first reason
is the loss of control over the oar. Since rowing technique relies to a
heavily on this control any loss is detrimental. Secondly, gloves can
tend to bunch up while rowing causing further blisters in new areas. As
a protective measure after a blister has formed, it can be drained and
covered with white cloth athletic tape that can be found at most drug
stores. This is a tried and true technique used by rowers throughout
the years.
Q14: What is the proper clothing to wear?
A14: Tight fitting shorts (bike shorts or spandex/lycra "work-out"
shorts) and a comfortable T-shirt are ideal for rowing. While some
might not feel comfortable in tight shorts, it is almost required since
loose shorts can get caught up in the rolling seat and cause major
problems. During colder weather, rowers should dress in many layers.
If long legged pants are needed, then long underwear or spandex/lycra
should be worn. A long sleeve T-shirt or two over top of a short sleeve
T-shirt can provide significant warmth especially when working out. A
light windproof jacket could also be used as a layer provided that it is
not too loose. A hat is also an important item in any cold weather
activity.
Q15: What about in the rain?
A15: In the rain, a light waterproof jacket can be worn as long as it is
not too loose. If garments are too loose they can definitely interfere
with the rowing motion. A hat can also provide a good deal of
protection from the rain.
Q16: How about on their feet?
A16: While rowing, most people just wear socks in the boat. If a
rower's foot is too small to securely anchor into the boat, then shoes
can be worn in the boat. For convenience purposes, running shoes are
usually worn since these will also be when the student is doing land
practice.
Q17: Why can't my child row with his or her friends?
A17: As in all team sports, the coach has the final say on who rows with
whom. Certain combinations of rowers work together and make their boat
go faster better than others, and the coach's job is to identify and
match up these team members. In addition to the time spent in the boat,
there is plenty of time before and practice for the camaraderie that is
needed to form strong team bonds.
Q18: Will there be any planned winter activities for my child to do?
A18: This will be at the discretion of the head coach. There are plenty
of great anaerobic and aerobic activities with which the team members
can continue to improve their strength and stamina, including spending
time on an erg.
Q19: Is transportation from the high school to the lake available?
A19: At this time the program has to rely on self-transportation (either
the team members' own cars, other team members, or parents). Since the
high schools do not sponsor the program, transportation cannot be
provided by the schools. Other options are available but would add
additional cost to the student fees.
Q20: What if my child can't run due to an injury - should they still
come to row or to land practice?
A20: Always check with your physician about strenuous physical activity
with any injury. However, if the injury is chronic and the doctor has
only precluded running (other sports have been deemed acceptable) then
erging can replace running during a land workout. It is important not
to risk making an injury worse than it already is, so if an injury does
occur it is important to talk with the coach and take some time off.
Injuries, however, do not include sore muscles or blisters.
Q21: Do the rowers wear life vests while on the water?
A21: If you watch crews on the Charles River, you'll note that they
don't. Generally speaking, crews in high school, collegiate, and
Olympic rowing do not wear personal flotation devices. PFDs would
interfere with the rowing stroke, as they are rather bulky and somewhat
restrictive. However, safety is our highest priority. Coaches have
enough PFDs and other safety equipment in the boats with them whenever
they are out on the water. Racing shells are are not allowed on the
water unless under the observation of a coach in a launch. In addition,
team members are required to pass a swimming proficiency test, and to
view the safety video issued by the U.S. Rowing Association.
