Welcome to Wayland-Weston Crew

Here are some key facts to help you during your first season. More specific info will be emailed to parents closer to race day.

RACE DAY REGATTAS

Where do I have to have my kid, and when?

• Each week, usually on Wednesday or Thursday, the coaches will send an email out with the details of the weekend regatta. This will include the bus schedule (buses often leave at different times depending on race schedule).

• You can get a general idea of the schedule on Regatta Central in advance of the formal schedule sent by the coaches.

• The novice rowers tend to row first (i.e. very early). You can look at the Event List in the side bar to get an idea of what time your child will row.

• Athletes should arrive to the Beach parking lot 10-15 min before the bus departure time. They can bring a pillow if they want to snooze. Send your child with a protein bar or bagel depending on travel time.

What should my child wear?

• Each athlete should wear his/her uniform (which for novices is shorts (trou) and the WWcrew top). S/he should dress warm since the weather by the water is often variable.

• Find the "what to pack" list on the website.

If I have signed up to work the set-up shift can I bring my only child with me to the regatta? Or home?

The policy is that every athlete should ride the bus with the team. For special circumstances, a parent can request permission to take their child home early but generally this is not ideal since we need all rowers to help load the trailer and unload the trailer (back at the boat house). Staggering of the bus departure times helps to alleviate some of the lengthy waits for the early rowers.

Homework

Many students will bring homework to do if there will be a long wait.

Does my child need to be a member of US Rowing?

Yes - All registrants must complete an online waivers to be eligible to race in the regattas (required by the external regatta organizers).

• Please visit US Rowing to sign the online waiver.

• Enter club code EUZXC and follow prompts.

• Please take note of your child’s US Rowing number.

How does the food tent work?

It is traditional to have a central gathering place for each crew team at a regatta, run by parents. Our goals are to keep our athletes and coaches well-fed, to provide shelter from rain or sun, and to have a place for supporters of the team to get together.

• Parent volunteers are in charge of food each regatta. We require that you help with the food tent one regatta per season. We use SignUpGenius and a sign-up usually goes out by the volunteer coordinator.

When do I get to see my child?

It’s a challenge to see them before a race as they are working on rigging the boat, warming up and getting into a competitive mindset. The best times to see them are:

• About 30 minutes before their race: they will row up the river and often go by the parents. This is a great time to wave and wish good luck as they aren’t competing. Many parents have cow bells to ring as it’s hard for the rowers to hear. Look for the maroon and orange oars that is the best way to spot WW.

• During the race: Approximately 30 min after they row up river you should see your child’s boat zoom by.

  • End of race: You can go near the site where they lift the boat out and wave but really you still can’t talk with them as they need to meet with their coach and take care of their equipment. It is a good place to quickly give a wave.

What volunteer jobs do you recommend for novice parents?

• Anything that seems interesting or possible.

• Generally novices race in the morning so set up or morning to mid-day foot tent slots to volunteer.

• There are other opportunities to help without working at the food tent such as boathouse repairs/updates, publicity, volunteer coordinator, board member, fundraising, treasurer, coordinate an event (like the Ergathon or the Spring Fundraiser/Cocktail Party), website and Facebook manager, uniform coordinator photography..

• If you have a skill and want to get involved there is always ways to help. I suggest reaching out to the volunteer coordinator at volunteers@wwcrew.org.

What’s a great way to contribute substantially and still be able to see my kid participate?

• Volunteering in the Food Tent at regattas is a great way to help. If you can’t attend you could sign up to shop ahead of time or do the dishes the Monday after the regatta

• You will always be able leave the food tent to see your child. All parents work together.

Other tips about regatta day?

• Parking in Lowell and NH (where most races are) tend to be well organized and usually cost ~$10. Be prepared to walk, wear boots, coat, even hats since the wind on the water really can drop the temperature. Lowell has a Dunkin’ across the street with a real bathroom (a treat compared to other event sites).

• You need to dress extra warm — there’s a lot of standing around and the weather can change dramatically over the course of an 8 hour regatta.

What do you recommend PARENTS bring?

• Parents should bring a chair, binoculars, rain gear, blanket, camera – WARM CLOTHES!

Want to Know More?

• See the Parents Guidebook