Frequently Asked Questions

Vocabulary

USRowing's Glossary of Rowing Terms

Safety

• Do I need to wear a life jacket?
• Do I need to complete a swim test?
• Where can I get a swim test completed?
• When is the swim test due?
• What can I do to stay safe on the water?
  

Races

• When do we race?
• How do the coaches decide who rows in which boats?
• What about travel to races?
• What do I bring to races?
• What about food?
• Where do we stay?
• What is a typical race schedule like?
• What are my responsibilities at races?
• Where can I find racing rules?
  

Equipment

• Who owns the boats and oars?
• How much are boats and oars?
  

Membership

• What are the types of memberships?What does my membership in SCRC pay for?
• What extra costs should I budget for?What are my membership responsibilities?
• Why do we do fund raisers?
  

Practices

• What is the practice schedule?
• What do I do if I’m going to be late?
  

Myths

• Some Myths

Safety

Do I need to wear a life jacket?

Youth under the age of 13 must wear personal flotation devices (PFDs), which SCRC provides. PFDs can be worn at any age, if the rower or parent has a concern.

Do I need to complete a swim test?

Yes. Every member of SCRC and every high school rower needs to prove his/her swimming ability. We must have written record that a certified lifeguard has observed your ability to:

• Swim 150 yards
• Remain afloat for 5 minutes
• Put on a PFD while treading water

If you have current swim, lifeguard, or scuba certification documents, copies of these can be submitted to fulfill the swim requirement.

Where can I get a swim test completed?

Since we have not pool facilities at our location, participants are responsible for getting the swim test taken care of on their own. We suggest you try the local YMCA pool.

When is the swim test due?

A copy of your swim test must be submitted within two weeks of the first day of the rowing program in which you are participating.

What can I do to stay safe on the water?

1. Read the Safety Manual, located in the weight room. (Also, please sign it, to verify that you have read and understood its contents.)
2. Always listen to your coaches. They know the river, they are watching the weather, and your safety is their first concern.
3. Stay out of the middle of the river, to the inside of the buoys. Barges and motorized craft travel in the center of the river.
4. Beware of dams at either end of this pool of the Allegheny River! If you have any question about how dangerous these can be—and where to turn around, ask your coaches.
5. Stay within sight of the launch (the boat that the coaches follow you in) and with your group of rowers.
6. No talking while you are rowing. Only designated coxswains or bowspersons of a boat may speak.

Races

When do we race?

Year-round. The races, by season, are listed below. Please note that:

• Several of the races require a rower to have qualified for the race.
• Other races have limited space, so your coaches will select who attends, based upon their stated interest, parents’ agreement, and their performance (Juniors: see Contract)
• Some races are for high school teams, others for clubs.

Fall: Head races, on rivers, without lanes and staggered starts

October: Head of the Ohio, Pittsburgh (Juniors, Open, Novices, Masters)
October: Head of the Charles, Boston (Juniors, Open, Masters)
October: Head of the Schuylkill, Philadelphia (Juniors, Open, Masters)
November: Occoquan Challenge, Northern Virginia (Juniors, Open, Novices, Masters)

Winter (indoor rowing races on ergometers)

February: Pittsburgh Indoor Sprints, Pittsburgh
February: Crash B Sprints, Boston

Spring: Races with marked courses, in heats with up to 8 boats rowing against each other

May: Scholastic Sprints, Lake Arthur in Butler County (Juniors, Novices)
May: Midwest Scholastic Championships, Cincinnati (Juniors, Novices)
May: Midwest Youth Championships (Juniors)
June: U.S. Rowing Youth Invitational (Juniors)
June: U.S. Rowing Trials (Juniors, Open)

Summer: same as above

July: Independence Day Regatta, Philadelphia (Juniors, Open, Masters)
July: U.S. Rowing National Championship, New Jersey (Juniors, Open)
August: Royal Canadian Henley Regatta (Juniors, Open, Masters)
August: Junior World Championships (Juniors)
August: U.S. Masters Nationals

How do the coaches decide who rows in which boats?

The coaches work very hard to make sure to put-together winning boats. (When we say “boats” we mean the crew in the boat.) We weigh several factors:

• How hard rowers have worked and how consistently they have practiced
• Their attitude and respect for the team and their coaches
• Their performance—including proper technique, how hard they pull, and ability to blend and work with others.

In addition, we need to do some very complicated work in determining who can actually be available for a particular race. If you are rowing in a single at 9 a.m., will the quad you also want to race need to be at the starting line while you are still rowing in your single? And will we have the right combination of equipment (oars, boat) to even enter that race? Multiply that times two dozen individual races at one event and you can see how tricky it can be to make everyone happy.

This means that you are bound to be disappointed in your boat at least some of the time. This happens to everyone on every team. If it seems that you are consistently in boats that do not challenge you, speak with one of the coaches.

What about travel to races?

A few days before the race (when the coaches have compiled all of the pertinent information) look for a detailed e-mail from SCRC. It will specify travel arrangements, food arrangements, etc.

Parent volunteers coordinate travel arrangements to races. Most often, we go together in vans. Other times, parents car pool. We usually leave from Verona, but not always.

We typically leave early the morning before the first day of racing and return the evening of the last day of racing—but that varies by the race.

For SCRC rowers, the cost of travel is built-in to the “race fee” you will pay in addition to membership. For W.T. rowers, the school pays for transportation.

What do I bring to races?

Bring your racing clothes. This includes:

• SCRC or W.T. unisuit (SCRC sells these; W.T. provides these)
• SCRC or W.T. crew shirt (also called “J.L.s”)—SCRC sells these, W.T. provides these)
• Jacket (both SCRC and WT have these, for purchase)
• sweat pants and sweat shirt, like a hoodie (SCRC sells these)
• several changes of socks
• hat & gloves, if it is cold
• running shoes
• shoes to wear on the dock
• pogies, during cold weather (these cover your hands and fit over the oars)
• rain gear
• water bottle (not neoprene—the softer ones that won’t damage the boats)

Also bring:

• homework, which you can do between races
• a watch
• your race schedule—you are responsible for keeping an eye on the clock to get to the launch site on time, since the coaches are at the launch site, getting each crew ready to go

What about food?

Parent volunteers coordinate food. The cost of breakfast and lunch at the races is built-in to the race feel you will pay in addition to membership. W.T. rowers—check with the Athletic Director to see if this is included or if you need to chip-in for food.

Where do we stay?

At hotels. Which brings up conduct: It is essential that every rower understand that they represent their family, their school, Steel City Rowing Club, and our region. Therefore, they must behave maturely. The rules of conduct for juniors are specified in the “Junior Contract” that each rower and his/her parent/guardian must sign. Among the key aspects of this agreement are that:

• Rowers will be in their rooms by curfew time
• No females in male rooms or vice versa—ever.
• If rowers violate these or other parts of the contract, their races will be cancelled and they will be sent home.

The cost of hotels is also part of the “race fee” connected with each race.

What is a typical race schedule like?

• Two days before, we take the rigging off the boats, wash them, and load them onto a large trailer that we take to the race.
• Day before, meet at SCRC or other departure point to go together to race
• Park trailer, unload boats, rig them
• When possible, row the course the day before
• Day of the race: arrive at race site at early in the a.m. for meeting with race officials, who will go over rules (can be as early as 6 a.m.)
• Weigh-in at a weigh-in tent, for lightweight rowers and coxswains??
• Go to launch site with your crew
• Check rigging, etc.
• Boat is checked-over by race officials. Please plan time to check your equipment for safety items before the race.
• Row to starting line
• Race to finish line
• Row boat back to launch site for other rowers to use

What are my responsibilities at races?

• Know when you race and be at the launch site on time, ready to race
• Help your crew with whatever they need—which can include running to get an extra oar, etc.
• Be respectful of race officials at all times

Where can I find racing rules?

Each race has different rules. Rules are listed per race on regattacentral.com

Equipment

Who owns the boats and oars?

Many are the personal property of Dori and Laci Tompa. The others are owned by members of SCRC, who allow us to use them. (This is in addition to those owned by W.T.) Rowers are borrowing these boats, which is why it is so important that we are careful with every piece of equipment.

How much are boats and oars?

An eight costs upwards of $20,000. Oars are $250 each. The cost of repairing a boat that becomes punctured can be $2,000.

Membership

What are the types of memberships?

• Junior rower: competitive= three days/week or more
• Junior rower: non-competitive= two days/week or fewer
• Adult rower

What does my membership in SCRC pay for?

• For juniors, coaching at each session. For adults, coaching is provided on a limited basis.
• Use of boats and oars and their storage
• Cost of minor repairs to equipment
• Use of indoor equipment
• Use of facilities—dock, club house

What extra costs should I budget for?

Racing fees, which include the race entry fee that the sponsoring organization charges, hotel, some food, coaches’ costs, and transportation. For week-long races (nationals), this has cost about $400. The cost for the Head of the Ohio is about $80. Dori will provide an estimate of the costs/race prior to each race.

What are my membership responsibilities?

• Help with fund raising.
• Being part of a work crew that maintains our club
• Volunteering to teach newer rowers and participating in community service that the Club performs (e.g. Row for the Cure)

Why do we do fund raisers?

Memberships pay for approximately 20 percent of SCRC’s costs. The balance is paid through fund raising.

Part of our fund raising is selling items like Entertainment Books and pies. We try to incorporate incentives for you to sell, such as offsetting your membership fee by the amount you sell over a certain minimum.

The bottom line is that, without, additional funds, the cost of membership would be $3,000 per year per rower.

Practices

Practices are updated on the Calendar.

Check there for pratice times as well as race information and other important dates.

What do I do if I’m going to be late?

Leave a message at 412-828-5565. Try to do so at least 1 hour ahead of time

Myths

"We wanted to let you know that all of these are only myths:

“Someone will carry the boat to the water for me”

“It’s good to wear gloves so I don’t develop calluses”

“The coaches will rig the boats and load them on the trailer.”

“The cleaning staff will take care of the Club.”