DEADLINE TO ORDER UNIFORMS EXTENDED TO FRIDAY, JAN 31.
Find links and all the information you need to order uniforms or training items on our website: Uniform Store Info.
This year’s uniform is consistent with prior years, so it is not a requirement to purchase a new uniform if your athlete already has one. New athletes MUST purchase a new uniform by this Friday. If cost is an issue, please contact our Sportswear Chair, Cheryl Urban at [email protected] or via Slack.
Early in the season the “uniform rule” may be waived for weather, but for the most part all athletes in a boat must have on the same uniform. Therefore, it is critical that the uniforms be purchased now as they are made to order.
Samples have been made available for students to try on during conditioning hours, so talk to your athlete about sizing. The uniform sizes do tend to run small, so please order up a size if your athletes did not get the chance to try one on.
Find links and all the information you need to order uniforms or training items on our website: Uniform Store Info.
Direct all questions to Cheryl Urban, Sportswear Chair at [email protected] or via Slack. Thank you!
The uniform storm will close on SATURDAY. If you haven’t submitted your order, please do so ASAP! Also, sign up for ErgSprints TODAY to avoid late fees.
1. UNIFORM STORE CLOSES JANUARY 25, 2025 2. ERGSPRINTS – SIGN UP TODAY TO AVOID LATE FEES 3. LINK TO NUTRITION PRESENTATION 4. MAVERICK ROWING, FEB 15 5. THERE IS WINTER CONDITIONING ON WED., JAN 29 6. SEEKING A CARPOOL COORDINATOR 7. REGISTER BEFORE WE GO ON-THE-WATER 8. WINTER SWIM TESTS, FEB 8 AND FEB 15 9. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED 10. ON-THE-WATER MEETING, WED, FEB 12, 7p IN CAFE B 11. CALENDAR AT-A-GLANCE
1. UNIFORM STORE CLOSES JANUARY 25, 2025 This year’s uniform is consistent with prior years, so it is not a requirement to purchase a new uniform if your athlete already has one. Samples have been made available for students to try on during conditioning hours. This will continue throughout the next week so all participants can determine sizing. The uniform sizes run small, so please order up a size if your rower does not get the chance to try one on.
Find links and all the information you need to order uniforms or training items on our website: Uniform Store Info.
There are a limited number of sample unis and shirts that may be purchased directly from our Sportswear Chair at a discount. If you are interested, please contact Cheryl via email at [email protected].
2. ERGSPRINTS – SIGN UP TODAY TO AVOID LATE FEES ErgSprints is the largest indoor rowing competition in the United States, and it is held locally at Alexandria City HS! In this competition, athletes have the opportunity to experience the excitement of competition and compete against rowers from all over the DC Metro Area. Events include 2k’s, 20 minute pieces, relays, and more. It will take place on Saturday, February 1st. Rowers, coaches and even parents have participated in the past. All are welcome. All rowers are highly encouraged to attend and can get help planning out their events with their coaches.
Participation is optional and athletes who are looking to participate should register on their own (but the more the merrier)! More information and registration can be found at: https://www.ergsprints.com/. Please note that you are with the W.T. Woodson Crew Boosters when registering (They haven’t updated our high school’s name change on Regatta Central yet)!
3. LINK TO NUTRITION PRESENTATION On Friday, January 17, 2025, Estela Schnelle, MS RD visited the team to speak about the unique nutritional needs of high school rowers. For those that were not able to attend (or if you want to refresh all the good information you learned), you can find her presentation on our website at: https://woodsonrowing.org/resources/. Should you have any questions, please reach out to Estela on Slack!
4. MAVERICK ROWING, FEB 15 The Maverick Rowing event on January 18 was a huge success. You can check out photos of the event on our smug mug here: Pre-Season Photos. We will host another event on Feb 15th, so sign up now! Since we would still like to give as many people an opportunity to participate as possible, we continue to ask that you first sign up for only one of the hour-long slots. As was the case for the January 18 event, once we get closer to the date and see how many rowers are registered, we will open it up for rowers to sign up for the second hour as space permits. Cost to participate is $20 – a link will be sent for payment closer to the date. Please indicate your interest in participating here: Maverick Rowing Sign Up Genius
5. THERE IS WINTER CONDITIONING ON WED., JAN 29 Although Wednesday Jan 29 is a day off from school, winter conditioning will take place as usual! Don’t miss out.
6. SEEKING A CARPOOL COORDINATOR We are looking for someone to fulfill the role of Carpool Coordinator. Now that we are aware that a practice bus isn’t financially feasible, this person will help to facilitate carpools for on-the-water practice. Generally speaking, if you are somewhat organized this is a great role for you to earn your team volunteer credits at your own pace. Please contact Maz at [email protected] if you are interested in fulfilling this role.
Given the small number of people interested in a charter practice bus, it is not feasible to contract for a practice bus again this season. Negotiations with numerous local bus companies have not been successful, and the transportation office at FCPS has not given us any guarantee around being able to provide bus drivers on a regular basis, which makes that option very disruptive. Do not despair! We have been very successful in the last few seasons ensuring all athletes get to the water on time for practice and home in time for dinner. To that end, we are looking for a carpool coordinator to help families coordinate rides. Please contact Maz at [email protected] if you are interested in fulfilling this role. If we don’t find a volunteer, it is up to parents (and students) to coordinate carpools by themselves – the carpool channel on Slack is a good resource at your disposal.
7. REGISTER BEFORE WE GO ON-THE-WATER If you’ve been participating in winter conditioning and know you want to join the team on-the-water, please sign up to register now! 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.**
8. WINTER SWIM TESTS, FEB 8 AND FEB 15 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.
9. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED We highly recommend you jump into volunteering early as it makes it easier to meet your volunteer requirements for the season and gives new families the opportunity to meet returning families! The team tracks participation by assigning “credits” each time a family or athlete volunteers. Failure to meet your volunteer credits by the end of the season will result in a $200 per credit charge. If you want to learn more about volunteering with Woodson Rowing, please visit our website at: www.woodsonrowing.org/volunteering.
A. BOATHOUSE WORKDAY / GREEN DAY, FEB 8: 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.
B. CHUCKWAGON WORKDAY, MAR 8: The Chuckwagon is an important part of uplifting the morale of the team. We will be doing a pre-season inventory and cleaning on Saturday, March 8 before we race off into the season. Sign up here: Chuckwagon Workday
10. ON-THE-WATER MEETING, WED, FEB 12, 7p IN CAFE B The Board is hosting an on-the-water meeting in the evening on Wednesday, February 12 at 7:00pm in Cafe B at Woodson. Join us to learn what to expect once the competitive regatta season starts. We will share important information for novice and returning parents alike. Athletes are welcome to attend. Board representatives and coaches will be on hand to answer questions. If you cannot attend, we will share a link to the slides following the meeting.
11. 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/
We are in full swing planning for on-the-water practice to begin at the end of February. There are many things you can do to support that – so keep reading to find out.
1. *NEW* UNIFORM STORE IS OPEN! 2. *NEW* RESTAURANT FUNDRAISER ALL DAY TODAY! 3. *NEW INFO* JAN 18 INDOOR ROWING PAYMENT & WAIVER NEEDED 4. *NEW* UPDATE ON BUS TRANSPORTATION 5. ERGSPRINTS – SIGN UP NOW! 6. IF YOU HAVEN’T REGISTERED, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? 7. WINTER SWIM TESTS, FEB 8 AND FEB 15
8. VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES A. SEEKING A CARPOOL COORDINATOR B. BOATHOUSE WORKDAY / GREEN DAY, FEB 8 C. CHUCKWAGON WORKDAY, MAR 8
9. ON-THE-WATER MEETING, WED, FEB 12, 7p IN CAFE B 10. CALENDAR AT-A-GLANCE
1. *NEW* UNIFORM STORE IS OPEN! This year’s uniform is consistent with prior years, so it is not a requirement to purchase a new uniform if your athlete already has one. Samples have been made available for students to try on during conditioning hours. This will continue throughout the next week so all participants can determine sizing. The uniform sizes run small, so please order up a size if your rower does not get the chance to try one on.
Find links and all the information you need to order uniforms or training items on our website: Uniform Store Info.
ORDERING DEADLINE: JANUARY 25, 2025. All items will be distributed in late March. Questions? Please contact the Sportswear Chair, Cheryl Urban, via Slack or email: [email protected].
There are a limited number of sample unis and shirts that may be purchased directly from our Sportswear Chair at a discount. If you are interested, please contact Cheryl via email at [email protected].
3. *NEW INFO* JAN 18 INDOOR ROWING PAYMENT & WAIVER NEEDED There are slots available, but you must move quickly. We will close signs up at 10:00 am tomorrow (Friday, Jan 17). Based on our numbers, we can accommodate all rowers for the full two hours: from 10am-12pm.
To participate, here at the steps you need to take BEFORE Saturday, Jan 18:
Please plan to be there by 9:45a. If you will not be participating in the entire 2 hour time slot, please coordinate with Coach Tylander.
RE: the Feb 15 event – there is still plenty of time and space to sign up. Since we would still like to give as many people an opportunity to participate as possible, we continue to ask that you first sign up for only one of the hour-long slots on each day (but feel free to sign up for Jan 18 and one hour on Feb 15). Once we get closer to the date and see how many rowers are registered, we will open it up for rowers to sign up for the second hour as space permits. You can sign up for the Feb 15 event here: Maverick Rowing Sign Up Genius
4. *NEW* UPDATE ON BUS TRANSPORTATION Unfortunately, given the small number of people interested in a charter practice bus, it is not feasible to contract for a practice bus again this season. Negotiations with numerous local bus companies have not been successful, and the transportation office at FCPS has not given us any guarantee around being able to provide bus drivers on a regular basis, which makes that option very disruptive. Do not despair! We have been very successful in the last few seasons ensuring all athletes get to the water on time for practice and home in time for dinner. To that end, we are looking for a carpool coordinator to help families coordinate rides. Please contact Maz at [email protected] if you are interested in fulfilling this role. If we don’t find a volunteer, it is up to parents (and students) to coordinate carpools by themselves – the carpool channel on Slack is a good resource at your disposal.
5. ERGSPRINTS – SIGN UP NOW! ErgSprints is the largest indoor rowing competition in the United States, and it is held locally at Alexandria City HS! In this competition, athletes have the opportunity to experience the excitement of competition and compete against rowers from all over the DC Metro Area. Events include 2k’s, 20 minute pieces, relays, and more. It will take place on Saturday, February 1st. Rowers, coaches and even parents have participated in the past. All are welcome. All rowers are highly encouraged to attend and can get help planning out their events with their coaches.
Participation is optional and athletes who are looking to participate should register on their own (but the more the merrier)! More information and registration can be found at: https://www.ergsprints.com/. Please note that you are with the W.T. Woodson Crew Boosters when registering (They haven’t updated our high school’s name change on Regatta Central yet)!
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.**
7. WINTER SWIM TESTS, FEB 8 AND FEB 15 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.
8. VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES We highly recommend you jump into volunteering early as it makes it easier to meet your volunteer requirements for the season and gives new families the opportunity to meet returning families! The team tracks participation by assigning “credits” each time a family or athlete volunteers. Failure to meet your volunteer credits by the end of the season will result in a $200 per credit charge. If you want to learn more about volunteering with Woodson Rowing, please visit our website at: www.woodsonrowing.org/volunteering.
A. SEEKING A CARPOOL COORDINATOR We are looking for someone to fulfill the role of Carpool Coordinator. Now that we are aware that a practice bus isn’t financially feasible, this person will help to facilitate carpools for on-the-water practice. Generally speaking, if you are somewhat organized this is a great role for you to earn your team volunteer credits at your own pace. Please contact Maz at [email protected] if you are interested in fulfilling this role.
B. BOATHOUSE WORKDAY / GREEN DAY, FEB 8 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.
C. CHUCKWAGON WORKDAY, MAR 8 The Chuckwagon is an important part of uplifting the morale of the team. We will be doing a pre-season inventory and cleaning on Saturday, March 8 before we race off into the season. Sign up here: Chuckwagon Workday
9. ON-THE-WATER MEETING, WED, FEB 12, 7p IN CAFE B The Board is hosting an on-the-water meeting in the evening on Wednesday, February 12 at 7:00pm in Cafe B at Woodson. Join us to learn what to expect once the competitive regatta season starts. We will share important information for novice and returning parents alike. Athletes are welcome to attend. Board representatives and coaches will be on hand to answer questions. If you cannot attend, we will share a link to the slides following the meeting.
10. 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/
Welcome to a new year with Woodson Rowing. There is already a lot going on, so check out the “Action Items” if you don’t have time to comb through the whole newsletter right now. But make sure you come back and read it all to catch up on what’s in store for 2025!
INDOOR ROWING OPPORTUNITY, SIGN UP NOW!
ERGSPRINTS – SIGN UP NOW!
REGISTRATION IS OPEN!
REGISTERED DIETITIAN and NUTRITIONIST VISIT, JAN 17
1. INDOOR ROWING OPPORTUNITY, SIGN UP NOW! Help break up the monotony of winter conditioning and get out on the water in the comfort of the indoors! We hope you will join us for this fun and unique opportunity to get “on the water” before the season officially starts. We have reserved a two-hour time slot at Maverick Rowing Center on January 18 and February 15. This cool new facility near Ashburn, VA (approx 35 min drive from Woodson) has indoor tanks and state of the art equipment for rowers to row indoors – but in a real boat and on water, not on ergs! Check out their website at maverickrowing.com.
Our time slots are from 10am-12pm on Jan 18 and Feb 15. The facility can accommodate 35 rowers at one time so we can take 35 rowers for the full two hours or two sets of 35 rowers for one hour each. We’d like to give as many people an opportunity to participate as possible so we ask that you first sign up for only one of the hour-long slots on each day (but feel free to sign up for one hour on Jan 18 and one hour on Feb 15). Once we get closer to the date and see how many rowers are registered, we will open it up for rowers to sign up for the second hour as space permits.
There is a $20 cost per rower per day to participate. The cost will be the same for all rowers regardless of whether you do one or two hours on a given day. We will be in touch with all families who signed up to make payment prior to the event. Transportation will be the responsibility of the athlete. Sign up for the opportunity here: Maverick Rowing.
2. ERGSPRINTS – SIGN UP NOW! ErgSprints is the largest indoor rowing competition in the United States, and it is held locally at Alexandria City HS! In this competition, athletes have the opportunity to experience the excitement of competition and compete against rowers from all over the DC Metro Area. Events include 2k’s, 20 minute pieces, relays, and more. It will take place on Saturday, February 1st. Rowers, coaches and even parents have participated in the past. All are welcome. All rowers are highly encouraged to attend and can get help planning out their events with their coaches.
Participation is optional and athletes who are looking to participate should register on their own (but the more the merrier)! More information and registration can be found at: https://www.ergsprints.com/. Please note that you are with the W.T. Woodson Crew Boosters when registering (They haven’t updated our high school’s name change on Regatta Central yet)!
3. REGISTRATION IS OPEN! 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.**
4. 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.
5. WINTER SWIM TESTS, FEB 8 AND FEB 15 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.
6. VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES We highly recommend you jump into volunteering early as it makes it easier to meet your volunteer requirements for the season and gives new families the opportunity to meet returning families! The team tracks participation by assigning “credits” each time a family or athlete volunteers. Failure to meet your volunteer credits by the end of the season will result in a $200 per credit charge. If you want to learn more about volunteering with Woodson Rowing, please visit our website at: www.woodsonrowing.org/volunteering.
A. BOATHOUSE WORKDAY / GREEN DAY, FEB 8 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.
B. CHUCKWAGON WORKDAY, MAR 8 The Chuckwagon is an important part of uplifting the morale of the team. We will be doing a pre-season inventory and cleaning on Saturday, March 8 before we race off into the season. Stay tuned for a sign up, but if you know you can help on this day, set the time aside now!
7. ON-THE-WATER MEETING, WED, FEB 12 The Board is planning to host an on-the-water meeting in the evening on Wednesday, February 12 (time and location TBD – mostly likely 7p in the Woodson Cafeteria). Join us to learn what to expect once the competitive regatta season starts. We will share important information for novice and returning parents alike. Athletes are welcome to attend. Board representatives and coaches will be on hand to answer questions. If you cannot attend, we will share a link to the slides following the meeting.
8. 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!
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/
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/
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?
ACTION ITEMS – Register for the season to get the early bird discount
1. EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT ENDS ON SATURDAY!!!
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! Don’t delay.
Still have questions? Reach out to our membership team at [email protected].
2. TACO BAMBA FUNDRAISER, WED DEC 18, 9a-9p
Who doesn’t love tacos?! A portion of your purchases will benefit the team.
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
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.
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 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/
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
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/
1. PRACTICE BUS SURVEY Only 29 people have filled out the survey so far. Please take 3 minutes to fill out this 5 question survey. This information is needed 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
2. 2024-25 REGISTRATION OPENS DECEMBER 1 Registration will open on December 1, 2024. A $50 discounted early bird pricing will be offered for those who register before December 15! Please review the registration portion of the website to learn more. Still have questions? Reach out to our membership team at [email protected].
3. 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
4. FROST ROWING PROGRAM RECAP The Inaugural Frost Rowing After-School Program was a roaring success! Being able to expose 7th and 8th graders to the ergs and what rowing is about is how we build the future of our program. We hope that this is just the beginning of a wonderful relationship with our feeder middle school. Big thanks to Frost PTA President M. Nasser Akhtar for starting this process and encouraging such active participation. As always, our coaches and athletes rose above and beyond. Many thank yous to: Coach Joe for doing most of the heavy lifting and organizing, Coach Tylander and Coach Ron for lending their expertise and the athletes who showed up to orient, guide and help manage the nearly 45 middle schoolers that came to each “practice.” If you’d like to see some pictures that were taken, please visit our SmugMug at: https://woodsonrowing.smugmug.com/Inaugural-Frost-Rowing-Program
5. FUNDRAISING REMINDERS Fundraising is a fundamental part of Woodson Rowing, since we are not financially supported by FCPS or Woodson High School. By raising sufficient funds we are able to keep dues down and adequately take care of our athletes. We have yet to reach our pre-season funding goals, so please read on for how you can help!
A. MINI TAG DAY DEC 7. SIGN UP NOW. Please block off this morning to participate and help your team! 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. Please sign up for the DECEMBER 7 mini Tag Day here:Mini Tag Day Sign Up.
B. SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN On the same day as our mini tag day (Dec 7), we will be running a social media campaign to collect more donations. Parents and athletes alike will be invited to share our social media posts and email or text friends and family to boost donations. Meanwhile, please think of who you may be able to recruit to donate to help our team. Stay tuned for more info.
C. CORPORATE SPONSORSHIP If you, or anyone you know, might be interested in becoming a sponsor of our team, the Donors page on the website is a great resource. In addition, please check with your employers to see if they have any matching programs! Some employers will match charitable donations made by their employees. Please our fundraising team at [email protected] with any questions, to arrange sponsorships or set up employer matching!
D. BUY SPIRIT WEAR With the holidays approaching, your purchase of spirit wear benefits our team AND will delight gift recipients. Purchase Woodson Rowing specific gear at our Squad Locker store!
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/
1. FUNDRAISER TONIGHT! Don’t fret over dinner! Dine in (no dishes) or Carry Out (minimal mess) at Paisano’s in Burke tonight to benefit Woodson Rowing and your sanity.
2. PRACTICE BUS SURVEY We have developed a practice bus survey to get baseline numbers so that our V.P. Activities can pursue receiving quotes to charter a practice bus for the 2025 season. PLEASE FILL OUT THIS 5 QUESTION SURVEY: https://forms.gle/iTDTDWVwdWy2eTHd8 3. 2024-25 REGISTRATION OPENS DECEMBER 1
Registration will open on December 1, 2024. Early bird pricing will be offered, so please plan to register before the new year. Please review the registration portion of the website to learn more. Still have questions? Reach out to our membership team at [email protected].
4. WINTER CONDITIONING SCHEDULE IS SET Winter conditioning is when you make the most important investment in your spring racing. If you did not participate in Green Days, please make sure that you have the following completed BEFORE December 2:
Participation is highly encouraged for all athletes to develop the cardiovascular fitness and camaraderie needed to make winning boats!
5. WE NEED YOUR HELP FUNDRAISING Fundraising is a fundamental part of Woodson Rowing, since we are not financially supported by FCPS or Woodson High School. By raising sufficient funds we are able to keep dues down and adequately take care of our athletes. We have yet to reach our pre-season funding goals, so please read on for how you can help!
A. MINI TAG DAY DEC 7. SIGN UP NOW. Please block off this morning to participate and help your team! 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. Please sign up for the DECEMBER 7 mini Tag Day here:Mini Tag Day Sign Up.
B. SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN On the same day as our mini tag day (Dec 7), we will be running a social media campaign to collect more donations. Parents and athletes alike will be invited to share our social media posts and email or text friends and family to boost donations. Meanwhile, please think of who you may be able to recruit to donate to help our team. Stay tuned for more info.
C. CORPORATE SPONSORSHIP If you, or anyone you know, might be interested in becoming a sponsor of our team, the Donors page on the website is a great resource. In addition, please check with your employers to see if they have any matching programs! Some employers will match charitable donations made by their employees. Please our fundraising team at [email protected] with any questions, to arrange sponsorships or set up employer matching!
D. BUY SPIRIT WEAR With the holidays approaching, your purchase of spirit wear benefits our team AND will delight gift recipients. Purchase Woodson Rowing specific gear at our Squad Locker store.
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/
