It’s almost time for winter break! What a great time to sit back and reflect on 2024 with an eye toward how we can make 2025 the best year yet. 

1. REGISTRATION AND SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY

2. WINTER CONDITIONING SCHEDULE FOR BREAK

3. SAVE THE DATES
A. REGISTERED DIETITIAN and NUTRITIONIST VISIT, JAN 17
B. WINTER SWIM TESTS
C. BOATHOUSE WORKDAY / GREEN DAY

4. DON’T MISS OUT ON TEAM UPDATES

5. END OF YEAR DONATIONS

6. CALENDAR AT-A-GLANCE

WAIT – THERE’S MORE?

1. REGISTRATION AND SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY
Although the early bird discount has expired, registration for the season is still open and available! Please review the registration portion of the website to learn more. Still have questions? Reach out to our membership team at [email protected].

If the cost of participating is an issue, consider applying for the Occoquan Boat Club (OBC) Julia Shew Memorial Rowing Scholarship. The details on applying are located on the OBC website https://www.rowobc.org/home/scholarships. The application deadline is January 25, 2025. Direct any questions to Karin Udler at [email protected] **Please note, Woodson Rowing is not affiliated with OBC and is not at all involved in this scholarship process.**

2. WINTER CONDITIONING SCHEDULE FOR BREAK
The team takes a hiatus on our official Winter Conditioning schedule over winter break. HOWEVER, there will be OPTIONAL winter conditioning during the 2nd week of break. All athletes combined at the same time. Meet in Cafe B on the following schedule:

Monday, Dec 30: 10a-12p
Tuesday, Dec 31: 10a-12p
Thursday, Jan 2: 10a-12p
Friday, Jan 3: 10a-12p

Just a reminder that winter break is not the time for athletes to get complacent with fitness! Make sure you stay on top of the strength you have been building. Not able to attend winter conditioning but unsure what to do? Visit our Winter Conditioning page and scroll to the bottom for some ideas. Need a workout buddy? Make sure you’re on the athlete Slack to stay motivated.

3. SAVE THE DATES

A. REGISTERED DIETITIAN and NUTRITIONIST VISIT, JAN 17
On Friday, January 17, 2025, from 4:30-5:30p Estela Schnelle, MS RD will visit the team to speak to the athletes (and any parents that are available to attend) about the unique nutritional needs of high school rowers. If you recognize the name, that’s because Estela is a local registered dietician and nutritionist at the Washington Center for Weight Management and Research, as well as parent to rower Marin Schnelle! Any questions? Reach out to Estela on Slack.

B. WINTER SWIM TESTS
The next two swim tests are scheduled for February 8 and February 15. All athletes must pass a swim test once with Woodson Rowing in order to participate in on-the-water practices. If you’ve never done a swim test with us before, sign up here: Winter Swim Tests.

C. BOATHOUSE WORKDAY / GREEN DAY
We will also have a boathouse workday/green day on Saturday, February 8. Some parent volunteers are needed and athletes should sign up to help/get on the water! Sign up here: Feb 8 Workday/Green Day.

4. DON’T MISS OUT ON TEAM UPDATES
The two best ways to stay up to date on all things Woodson Rowing: (1) this newsletter via email and (2) our Slack community. There are 2 separate Slack spaces: one for coach and athlete communications and a separate space for parent/guardian communications. Please contact our communications team at [email protected] if you need help with getting signed up for either!

5. END OF YEAR DONATIONS
Did you know that the Woodson Rowing Boosters Association is a tax deductible organization? If you haven’t met your donation goals for 2024, please consider making a donation to Woodson Rowing to take advantage of tax savings for the year. Don’t forget to check if your employer offers a donation matching program!! Visit the Donors page on the website or contact our fundraising team at [email protected] if you have questions or need help setting up your final donations for the year. 

6. CALENDAR AT-A-GLANCE
This calendar is constantly updated as events are added. Scroll here for a quick rundown of what’s up and coming. Where relevant and/or available, links are provided for more information. You can also see a visual representation of our calendar on our website: https://woodsonrowing.org/calendar/

DECEMBER:

• 12/23-12/27: enjoy the break!
• 12/30: Optional winter conditioning, Cafe B, 10-12p
• 12/31: Optional winter conditioning, Cafe B, 10-12p

JANUARY 2025:

• 01/02: Optional winter conditioning, Cafe B, 10-12p
• 01/03: Optional winter conditioning, Cafe B, 10-12p
• Mon, 01/06: Regular Winter Conditioning schedule resumes
• Thu, 01/16: Mama Lucia restaurant fundraiser, 11a-8p
• Fri, 01/17: RD/Nutritionist visit during winter conditioning, Cafe B, 4:30-5:30p
• Mon, 01/20: MLK Day, NO WINTER CONDITIONING

FEBRUARY:

• Wed, 2/5: Chipotle restaurant fundraiser, 4-8p
• Sat, 2/8: Boathouse Workday/Green Day, 9a-12:30p
• Sat, 2/8: Swim test for new recruits, 11a-12p, Audrey Moore Rec
• Sat, 2/15: Swim test for new recruits, 11a-12p, Audrey Moore Rec
• Mon, 2/17: President’s Day, NO WINTER CONDITIONING
• Mon, 2/24: last day of Winter Conditioning
• Tue, 2/25: first day of on-the-water practice!

MARCH:

• Sat, 3/22: Polar Bear Regatta (Varsity Only), Sandy Run
  

WAIT – THERE’S MORE?

STAY UP TO DATE: Join the newsletter by sending an email to [email protected] or view the newsletter archives on our website.

VIEW AND UPLOAD PHOTOS: Visit our Woodson Rowing photos page for more information on how you can help protect our legacy with photographs!

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Athletes have been building camaraderie and strength at winter conditioning! Participation is highly encouraged for all athletes to develop the cardiovascular fitness and camaraderie needed to make winning boats.

1. EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT ENDS ON SATURDAY!!!
2. TACO BAMBA FUNDRAISER, WED DEC 18
3. FUNDRAISING
4. WINTER CONDITIONING ONGOING
5. SAVE-THE-DATES
6. CALENDAR AT-A-GLANCE
WAIT – THERE’S MORE?

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ACTION ITEMS
– Register for the season to get the early bird discount

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1. EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT ENDS ON SATURDAY!!!

2. TACO BAMBA FUNDRAISER, WED DEC 18, 9a-9p

3. FUNDRAISING
Our mini tag day last week brought in a little over $1100. Big thanks to the parents and athletes that participated. Unfortunately, we are still about $5000 short of our total fundraising goal across the 3 tag days. Here are 2 ways you can help with getting the word out to folks who would like to support us as a team:

(1) Send friends/family/anyone who will listen to woodsonrowing.org/give. All donations are tax-deductible.

(2) Talk to businesses that you frequent about the possibility of sponsorship. We’ve already had one sponsor provide $1000 just because a parent thought to ask! But no donation is too big or too small. Please let potential sponsors know that we typically have 70-80 families enrolled each year and that we maintain a strong tie to our alumni. Our newsletter goes out to approximately 500 people and our social media can reach almost 800 (more if folks share our posts)! With a reach like that, we can really help boost local businesses’ presence. Please direct anyone interested in becoming a sponsor of our team to the Donors page on the website or to our fundraising team at [email protected].

4. WINTER CONDITIONING ONGOING

5. SAVE-THE-DATES
The next two swim tests are scheduled for February 8 and February 15. All athletes must pass a swim test once with Woodson Rowing in order to participate in on-the-water practices. If you’ve never done a swim test with us before, please feel free to sign up here: Winter Swim Tests.

We will also have a boathouse workday/green day on Saturday, February 8. Some parent volunteers are needed and athletes should sign up to help/get on the water! Sign up here: Feb 8 Workday/Green Day.

6. CALENDAR AT-A-GLANCE
This calendar is constantly updated as events are added. Scroll here for a quick rundown of what’s up and coming. Where relevant and/or available, links are provided for more information. You can also see a visual representation of our calendar on our website: https://woodsonrowing.org/calendar/

DECEMBER:

Registration Ongoing!

Winter Conditioning ongoing!

• Sat, 12/14: Early bird registration discount ends at midnight!
• Wed, 12/18: Taco Bamba restaurant fundraiser, 9a-9p
• 12/23-1/3/25: Winter break
• 12/30-01/03: Tentative optional training. Stay tuned for more info.

JANUARY 2025:

• Mon, 01/06: Winter Conditioning resumes
• Thu, 01/16: Mama Lucia restaurant fundraiser, 11a-8p

FEBRUARY:

• Wed, 2/5: Chipotle restaurant fundraiser, 4-8p
• Sat, 2/8: Boathouse Workday/Green Day, 9a-12:30p
• Sat, 2/8: Swim test for new recruits, 11a-12p, Audrey Moore Rec
• Sat, 2/15: Swim test for new recruits, 11a-12p, Audrey Moore Rec
• Fri, 2/21: last day of Winter Conditioning
• Tue, 2/25: first day of on-the-water practice!

MARCH:

• Sat, 3/22: Polar Bear Regatta (Varsity Only), Sandy Run

WAIT – THERE’S MORE?

STAY UP TO DATE: Join the newsletter by sending an email to [email protected] or view the newsletter archives on our website.

VIEW AND UPLOAD PHOTOS: Visit our Woodson Rowing photos page for more information on how you can help protect our legacy with photographs!

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December is here, which means conditioning for the spring is in full swing. Read on to learn more about what’s happening this winter with Woodson Rowing!

1. REGISTER EARLY FOR A DISCOUNT
2. MINI TAG DAY THIS SATURDAY, DEC 7
3. WINTER CONDITIONING ONGOING
4. WOODSON ATHLETIC BOOSTER KENDRA SCOTT EVENT
5. CALENDAR AT-A-GLANCE
WAIT – THERE’S MORE?

ACTION ITEMS
– Register for the season to get the early bird discount
– Sign up for Mini Tag Day

1. REGISTER EARLY FOR A DISCOUNT
Registration for the 2025 Woodson Rowing season opened on December 1, 2025. For those who register before December 15, there is a $50 discounted early bird pricing! Please review the registration portion of the website to learn more. Still have questions? Reach out to our membership team at [email protected].

2. MINI TAG DAY THIS SATURDAY, DEC 7
Lots of help is still needed! We will only be doing a morning shift. Staging will take place at the Veigel home so that we can send athlete teams to portions of the Woodson pyramid that we were not able to visit over the previous 2 Tag Days. It is CRUCIAL that we get as many participants (both athlete and parent driver) as possible. Sign up here: Mini Tag Day Sign Up.

3. WINTER CONDITIONING ONGOING
Please visit our website for all things winter conditioning (whether you are a novice or experienced rower): https://woodsonrowing.org/winter-conditioning/. Meet in Cafe B at your designated time and be dressed to work out! Recommended attire: sneakers, shorts (not baggy/basketball style) or tights, t-shirt or tank top and a sweatshirt and/or windbreaker for running or to wear afterward so you do not freeze on the way home.

4. WOODSON ATHLETIC BOOSTER KENDRA SCOTT EVENT

5. CALENDAR AT-A-GLANCE
This calendar is constantly updated as events are added. Scroll here for a quick rundown of what’s up and coming. Where relevant and/or available, links are provided for more information. You can also see a visual representation of our calendar on our website: https://woodsonrowing.org/calendar/

DECEMBER:

Registration Ongoing!

Winter Conditioning ongoing!

• Sat, 12/7: 3rd Tag Day
• Sat, 12/14: Early bird registration discount ends at midnight!
• Wed, 12/18: Taco Bamba restaurant fundraiser, Fairfax, Braddock Rd.
• 12/23-1/3/25: Winter break
• 12/30-01/03: Tentative optional training. Stay tuned for more info.

JANUARY 2025:

• Mon, 01/06: Winter Conditioning resumes
• Thu, 01/16: Mama Lucia restaurant fundraiser, 11a-8p

FEBRUARY:

• Wed, 2/5: Chipotle restaurant fundraiser, 4-8p
• Sat, 2/8: Boathouse Workday. Stay tuned for details.
• Sat, 2/8: Swim test for new recruits, 11a-12p, Audrey Moore Rec
• Sat, 2/15: Swim test for new recruits, 11a-12p, Audrey Moore Rec
• Fri, 2/21: last day of Winter Conditioning
• Tue, 2/25: first day of on-the-water practice!

MARCH:

• Sat, 3/22: Polar Bear Regatta (Varsity Only), Sandy Run

WAIT – THERE’S MORE?

STAY UP TO DATE: Join the newsletter by sending an email to [email protected] or view the newsletter archives on our website.

VIEW AND UPLOAD PHOTOS: Visit our Woodson Rowing photos page for more information on how you can help protect our legacy with photographs!

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Welcome to a special edition newsletter about ALL THINGS REGISTRATION!! Read below for all the steps you need to take and what to expect from here on out!

1. HOW DO I GET REGISTERED?

2. ENSURE YOU’VE COMPLETED ALL THE STEPS!
FIRST STEP: Register and pay for Woodson Rowing.
SECOND STEP: Complete the Woodson High School Activity Registration
THIRD STEP: Complete Required Forms

3. PRACTICE BUS SURVEY

4. WINTER CONDITIONING STARTS MONDAY

5. JOIN SLACK

6. CALENDAR AT-A-GLANCE

WAIT – THERE’S MORE?

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1. HOW DO I GET REGISTERED?
It’s easy! Visit our website at: https://woodsonrowing.org/registration/

A $50 discounted early bird pricing is in effect until December 15, 2024. Don’t delay to take advantage of this discount.

2. ENSURE YOU’VE COMPLETED ALL THE STEPS!
Registration is a multi-step process. All parts are vital to ensure your athlete’s eligibility to participate in crew. Some items are required for winter conditioning, but ALL are required prior to on-the-water practice. To ensure your athlete is eligible to participate in all aspects of training, please follow the guidance provided below. 

FIRST STEP: Register and pay for Woodson Rowing.

Complete on the Woodson Rowing website at: https://woodsonrowing.org/2025registrationform/. If you have more than one student-athlete competing for Woodson Rowing this season, please note that you will only be able to register one rower at a time. After registering your first rower, you will be given the opportunity to link back to the homepage to register your second rower. There is a $50 sibling discount added on-top of the early bird discount, so it’s worth it to get them all registered at the same time.

SECOND STEP: Complete the Woodson High School Activity Registration

Complete on the Woodson Athletics website at: https://woodson-ar.rschooltoday.com/. This is a separate registration required for all athletes at Woodson with required concussion training. If your athlete has already participated in another sport at Woodson this year, you may have already completed this step.

THIRD STEP: Complete Required Forms

• VHSL Physical form. The VHSL Physical form is REQUIRED prior to beginning winter conditioning. If this has not already been completed please do so as soon as possible! The appropriate form can be found on the Woodson Athletics website, must be dated after May 1, 2024, and must be on file with the Woodson Athletic trainers. The Rowing team does not keep a separate file or copy of the form. Click here for instructions on how to submit your completed forms.
  
• FCPS Travel Forms: These forms allow students and parents to drive athletes to regattas and other events related to crew. Please fill out one driver form for each possible driver (student, parents, step-parents, etc.). Hard copies with signatures are required. The 3 forms below can be found on the Woodson Rowing website at: https://woodsonrowing.org/physicals-and-required-documents-for-rowers/

Please note: Emailed/electronic copies of the forms will not be accepted. Completed forms should be provided to the Woodson Crew Membership Chair, Catherine Backmeyer. The easiest way to do this is to send the form with your athlete to Winter Conditioning. They can provide the forms to Sarah or Madeline Backmeyer

Still have questions? Reach out to our membership team at [email protected].

3. PRACTICE BUS SURVEY
If you answered “YES” to the practice bus question on the registration form, please take a moment to fill out a 5 question survey designed to get baseline numbers so that our V.P. Activities can pursue receiving quotes to charter a practice bus for the 2025 season. Fill out the survey here: https://forms.gle/iTDTDWVwdWy2eTHd8

4. WINTER CONDITIONING STARTS MONDAY
Don’t forget, Winter Conditioning starts Monday! Meet in Cafe B at your designated time and be dressed to work out! Recommended attire: sneakers, shorts (not baggy/basketball style) or tights, t-shirt or tank top and a sweatshirt and/or windbreaker for running or to wear afterward so you do not freeze on the way home.

Please visit our website to learn about all things winter conditioning (whether you are a novice or experienced rower): https://woodsonrowing.org/winter-conditioning/. This site has recommendations for nutrition and recovery, which is especially crucial if you are new to working out this frequently. Please note that participation is highly encouraged for all athletes to develop the cardiovascular fitness and camaraderie needed to make winning boats. Winter conditioning is when you make the most important investment in your spring racing

5. JOIN SLACK
Slack is a communications tool combining the best elements of text messaging and email. We use Slack for more immediate communications than this newsletter. There are 2 separate Slack spaces: one for coach and athlete communications and a separate space for parent/guardian communications. 

Parent / Guardian Slack: In addition to push notifications for team related information such as weather or other cancellations, Slack creates a space for parents to be able to coordinate carpools, and other team related logistics. If you are a parent or guardian and are not yet on Slack, please send an email to [email protected] with the following information: (1) your name, (2) your email address, and (3) the full name of your athlete. Once your request is processed, you will receive a separate invite link from Slack to join. There is an app you may download on your mobile devices to access Slack or you may log-in using any browser.  

Coach / Athlete Slack: Coaches will ensure that all athletes are added to this Slack space. Athletes not currently on Slack should let coaches know at green days or optional strength training. Please note that you must have a NON-FCPS email to join this space. Parents and guardians do not have direct access to this space. This is your athlete’s responsibility and an opportunity for them to learn to communicate more readily and effectively with their teammates and coaches.

6. CALENDAR AT-A-GLANCE
This calendar is constantly updated as events are added. Scroll here for a quick rundown of what’s up and coming. Where relevant and/or available, links are provided for more information. You can also see a visual representation of our calendar on our website: https://woodsonrowing.org/calendar/

DECEMBER:

• Sun, 12/1: Registration Begins!
• Mon, 12/2: Winter Conditioning Begins.
• Sat, 12/7: 3rd Tag Day
• Wed, 12/18: Taco Bamba restaurant fundraiser
• 12/23-1/3/25: Winter break
• 12/30-01/03: Tentative optional training. Stay tuned for more info.

JANUARY 2025:

• Mon, 01/06: Winter Conditioning resumes

FEBRUARY:

• Wed, 2/5: Chipotle restaurant fundraiser, 4-8p
• Sat, 2/8: Boathouse Workday. Stay tuned for details.
• Sat, 2/8: Swim test for new recruits, 11a-12p, Audrey Moore Rec
• Sat, 2/15: Swim test for new recruits, 11a-12p, Audrey Moore Rec
• Fri, 2/21: last day of Winter Conditioning
• Tue, 2/25: first day of on-the-water practice!

MARCH:

• Sat, 3/22: Polar Bear Regatta (Varsity Only), Sandy Run

WAIT – THERE’S MORE?

STAY UP TO DATE: Join the newsletter by sending an email to [email protected] or view the newsletter archives on our website.

VIEW AND UPLOAD PHOTOS: Visit our Woodson Rowing photos page for more information on how you can help protect our legacy with photographs!

FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA

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• Facebook
• Twitter