Posted on by VP Communications

April 1, 2025 Newsletter

Last week we had a successful trip to St. Andrew’s where all of our boats got a chance to race. This weekend, the team will be back on the Occoquan for the Darrell Winslow regatta. Stay tuned on Thursday for more info. Meanwhile – check out everything else we’ve got going on!

1. REMINDER: NO PRACTICE FRIDAY, APRIL 4
2. FRIDAY NIGHT TEAM DINNERS START FRIDAY, APRIL 4!
3. SPRING BREAK PRACTICE SCHEDULE (April 14 – 18)
4. IT FEELS LIKE WE ARE BEGGING BECAUSE WE ARE …
5. SHOW YOUR SPIRIT!
6. *RSVP* SENIOR NIGHT – FRI, APRIL 25, 7p
7. *COMING SOON* STOTESBURY INFORMATION
8. END-OF-YEAR AWARDS BANQUET, WED, MAY 28, 7p
9. CALENDAR AT-A-GLANCE
SUPPORT THE TEAM

IMMEDIATE ACTION ITEM
Athlete RSVP for April 4 Friday Dinner

1. REMINDER: NO PRACTICE FRIDAY, APRIL 4
The Director of Student Activities has cancelled all Woodson athletic practices since that is the night of Woodson Prom.

2. FRIDAY NIGHT TEAM DINNERS START FRIDAY, APRIL 4!
It is a tradition for our athletes to gather at Woodson AFTER Friday practices to enjoy dinner together before each regatta. Even though practice is cancelled and our seniors won’t be there – we are a GO for our first team dinner this Friday! Athletes should meet in Cafeteria B by 6:30p. Food will be served as soon as most of the athletes arrive. Carpools should discuss arrangements for returning home around 8:00p.

FOR THIS FRIDAY ONLY, RSVP NEEDED: Due to the cancellation of practice and the senior prom, please help us get an accurate attendance count to avoid unnecessary costs or food waste. If we don’t hear from the families of Seniors, we’ll assume they will not be attending. RSVP here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1H3kqKjp1KvQdQjXaw3pKhAVam1PxN0TCWQuvs5-vfv4/edit 

All volunteer slots are filled for this dinner. THANK YOU ALL! Feel free to check out this link for future team dinner volunteer needs: Team Dinner Volunteer Positions.

3. SPRING BREAK PRACTICE SCHEDULE (April 14 – 18)
From a physiology training perspective, ideally there would be 2 practices a day over spring break. However, from a logistics perspective, coaches understand that one large practice block may be easier to manage for families and carpools. As a result, the spring break schedule will be a compromise between these two forces. The spring break schedule is as follows:

  • MONDAY, APRIL 14: 8:30a-12:30p
  • TUESDAY, APRIL 15: 8:30a – 10:45a AND 4p-6:30p
  • WEDNESDAY APRIL 16: 8:30a-12:30p (Bull Run row. This is a long row out with a picnic lunch at Bull Run before the long row back. Stay tuned, we may need parent volunteers to meet the team at Bull Run with food and coolers).
  • THURSDAY, APRIL 17: 8:30a – 10:45a AND 4p-6:30p
  • FRIDAY, APRIL 18: 8:30a-12:30p practice, then Team Dinner at Woodson (6:30p report time for volunteers, 7p for athletes).
  • SATURDAY, APRIL 19: Ryz Obuchowicz Regatta at Sandy Run. Race and report times will be released on the Thursday or Friday before.

4. IT FEELS LIKE WE ARE BEGGING BECAUSE WE ARE … 
We are still seeking volunteers to serve on this year’s nominating committee. The nominating committee will identify parents with interest in serving on the Board in the 2025/26 school year and beyond! The nominating committee would submit recommendations for future Board members by mid-May 2025. This is a great opportunity to get to know your fellow parents and to also get a feel for what each Board member does. Ideally, we would have a MINIMUM of 2 parents step up for this role, one from the boys’ team and one from the girls’ team. But, the more the merrier. If you are interested in serving on the Nominating Committee, please contact Catherine Backmeyer on Slack to find out more on what the responsibilities entail.

5. SHOW YOUR SPIRIT!
We have a limited number of 2025 sponsor t-shirts and tank tops available to purchase for $20 a piece! Check out these options and more on our website at Woodson Rowing Spirit Wear! Share the website and links with family members so that they can also sport their support near or far!

6. SENIOR NIGHT – FRI, APRIL 25, 7p
Senior Parents! We want to be able to fully plan for Senior Night, which will be held in conjunction with the Friday Night Team Dinner on Fri., April 25 at 7p. Please check your calendars and RSVP here: Senior Night RSVP

7. *COMING SOON* STOTESBURY INFORMATION
It seems far away, but it is creeping up on us! There are always lots of questions leading up to this regatta, so please know that we are working on details (including compiling the information for spectator room blocks) and will be releasing that within the next week or so. For planning purposes, here are some details:

– The team will travel to Philadelphia via charter bus on Thursday, May 15 with the intent of getting in a bit of practice on the Schuylkill River before the competition begins on Friday, May 16. The time trials will run continuously on Friday, and finals are on Saturday, May 17.

– A limited availability room block will be available for spectators at a DIFFERENT hotel than where the athletes are staying. Spectators are NOT required to book within the block, so if you already know you want to stay somewhere closer to the racing, we suggest you book soon since rooms tend to fill up quickly over the race weekend.

– AP Tests that are currently scheduled over our travel dates: Art history, Spanish Language and Culture, Computer Science Principles, Physics C, Physics 1: Algebra-Based, Spanish Literature and Culture and Psychology. Athletes who are taking any of these classes may want to discuss the possibility of alternate testing arrangements with their teachers sooner rather than later.

8. END-OF-YEAR AWARDS BANQUET, WED, MAY 28, 7p
RSVP and help out at the End-of-the-Season Banquet on Wednesday, May 28, 7p at Woodson Cafeteria A. Please join us in celebrating all the whole team; athletes, coaches AND parents/guardians! This is more than just an end-of-season celebration. Coaches will present awards, we will recognize our seniors and attending parents will have an introduction/vote for next year’s new board members!

9. 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/

Graphics of our various schedules can be found at the links below:
Winter Conditioning (October through February)
On-The-Water Practice (late February through May)
2025 Regatta Schedule (March through May)

Important dates: 

APRIL

MAY

SUPPORT THE TEAM!

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

REP THE TEAM WITH PRIDE!

There are many ways for you to shop and benefit the team all while sporting your support! See our Spirit Wear Page for more info!

SPONSOR WOODSON ROWING!

Visit our Sponsorship Page or contact Woodson Rowing Fundraising.

FEELING GENEROUS?

No amount is too small or too big and is a HUGE part of our successes!!
Visit our Donors page for information on how your donation will be used!

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