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March 13, 2025 Newsletter

REMEMBER: newsletters will begin coming out TWICE per week (Tuesdays and Thursdays) beginning next week. Generally, Tuesday newsletters will be full of “things to do” while Thursday newsletters will be more regatta focused. If there are other people in your family that need to be added to the newsletter list, please make sure to send an email to [email protected] to be added to the newsletter list. In the alternative, you can always view our newsletter archives on our website.

1. *LAST CALL* DOES YOUR ATHLETE HAVE ALLERGIES/DIETARY RESTRICTIONS?
2. *RSVP NOW* PARENT SOCIAL: FRI, MARCH 21
3. *NEW* SEEKING A TEAM PHOTOGRAPHER
4. REGATTA VOLUNTEER NEEDED, SAT. MAR 22
5. *NEW* NOMINATING COMMITTEE VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
6. *NEW* BOARD AND COMMITTEE POSITIONS AVAILABLE FOR SHADOWING!
7. NEW SPIRIT WEAR AVAILABLE
8. *SAVE THE DATE* SENIOR NIGHT – FRI., APRIL 25, 7p
9. CALENDAR AT-A-GLANCE

WAIT – THERE’S MORE?

1. *LAST CALL* DOES YOUR ATHLETE HAVE ALLERGIES/DIETARY RESTRICTIONS?
If so, we need you to fill out this form ASAP: Dietary Restrictions & Allergies Form. You only need to fill out this form if your athlete needs some accommodation for their food allergies or dietary restrictions. Please contact Gloria Totten, Team Dinners Coordinator, via Slack with any questions.

2. *RSVP NOW* PARENT SOCIAL: FRI, MARCH 21
We hope you can join us at a Parent/Guardian Social on Saturday, March 21 at the home of Maz and Fredy Chinoy from 6-9p. This is an opportunity to get to know other parents, meet some coaches and members of the board and learn more about the sport and season. This gathering is a potluck! Please RSVP and bring something to share. Wine will be provided by our hosts, but feel free to bring any other beverage of choice. The RSVP Sign Up Genius lists the location and directions, so make sure you check it out!

3. *NEW* SEEKING A TEAM PHOTOGRAPHER
Have you seen our collection of team photos on SmugMug? Wonder how you can get those cool racing photos of your kids at regattas? Whether you’re a professional, hobbyist or amateur photographer, we want your help in turning this season’s events into memories. The team photographer will work with the VP Communications to take photos at events they attend as well as collect photos from parents and athletes to post to the team SmugMug. Contact Jenn McRobbie, VP Communications, via Slack if you are interested in taking up this role. P.S.: This role will fulfill your volunteer requirements for the year.

4. REGATTA VOLUNTEER NEEDED, SAT. MAR 22
It’s an early morning shift, but it sets you up to be in the PERFECT place to watch races while satisfying a VASRA volunteer credit. We are still looking for a volunteer to work Grandstand Concessions from 6:30-9:30a at the Polar Bear Regatta on Saturday, March 22. If you are interested, sign up here: 2025 VASRA Regatta Sign Up.

This is also a gentle reminder that if you sign up for a position at a regatta, you’re expected to show up. If it is a regatta weekend and you are unable to fulfill your duties, please contact our Volunteer Coordinator, Lisa Veigel, so that she can try to help you find a replacement for your shift.

VOLUNTEER CREDIT REMINDER: Each family is required to do 5 volunteer shifts/credits, one of which should be a VASRA task. Athletes are also expected to volunteer (3 credits for novice athletes, 5 for returning athletes). 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, sign up to participate or just keep up with the current volunteering opportunities, visit our website: www.woodsonrowing.org/volunteering.

5. *NEW* NOMINATING COMMITTEE VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
We are 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.

6. *NEW* BOARD AND COMMITTEE POSITIONS AVAILABLE FOR SHADOWING!
While the Board is, thankfully, fully staffed this season (https://woodsonrowing.org/board-of-directors/), there will be several roles available next year due to term limitations and graduating athletes! If you are at all interested in any of these roles, please contact the current committee member (just search the role on Slack and the current member’s name will pop up). All would love a “shadow” to help learn the ropes so that there can be a smooth transfer of information throughout the season! Roles that we already know will be available next year (with others potentially arising) are:

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE:

  • Treasurer
  • Secretary
  • Senior VP (non-voting, has interest in potentially becoming the Board President in 2 years)

COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSON:

  • Membership
  • Fundraising
  • Sportswear/Uniforms
  • Booster Liaison

KEY SUPPORT ROLES:

  • Craft Show Coordinator (shadow needed ASAP for this role. This person would start right away shadowing Gail Lee, who has several years of experience with one of our biggest fundraisers of the year. The Craft Show takes place at Woodson in early November.)
  • RAFT Coordinator
  • Restaurant Night Coordinator

7. NEW SPIRIT WEAR AVAILABLE

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!

8. *SAVE THE DATE* SENIOR NIGHT – FRI., APRIL 25, 7p
It seems so early to be talking about how our very large group of seniors (16!!!) will be moving on from the team next year! Plans are clearly in the very early stages, but parents of seniors – mark your calendars now! Senior night will take place at the team dinner on Fri., April 25 at 7p.

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: 

MARCH:

  • Sat, 3/15: VASRA Work Day #4, 8a-noon or 1-4p, Sandy Run
  • Fri, 3/21: Noodles & Co. Restaurant Fundraiser AND parent social
  • Sat, 3/22: Polar Bear Regatta (Varsity Only), Sandy Run
  • Sat, 3/29: Noxontown Regatta, St. Andrew’s, Middletown, DE

APRIL

MAY

RECRUITMENT:

Direct interested athletes and their parents to our interest form or have them send an email to our membership team at: [email protected].

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

INTERESTED IN SPONSORING WOODSON ROWING?

Visit our Sponsorship Page or contact Woodson Rowing Fundraising.

Can’t sponsor but want to donate?Check out our Donors page for instructions and information on how your donations benefit our team!

NEED SWAG?

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!

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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March 6, 2025 Newsletter

On-the-water is in full swing!! With regatta season upon us, your newsletters will begin coming out TWICE per week (Tuesdays and Thursdays) beginning March 18. Generally, Tuesday newsletters will be full of “things to do” while Thursday newsletters will be more regatta focused. If there are other people in your family that need to be added to the newsletter list, please make sure to send an email to [email protected] to be added to the newsletter list. In the alternative, you can always view our newsletter archives on our website.

1. *TODAY* SPRING PICTURES FOR ATHLETES!!
2. LAUNCH BOAT DRIVER TRAINING, CHECK YOUR EMAIL BEFORE MARCH 8
3. ALLERGIES FORM DUE MARCH 12
4. WEATHER NOTES, FROM YOUR COACHES
5. REGISTRATION & NOVICE REFUND POLICY
6. VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITIES
7. GET YOUR SPIRIT WEAR BEFORE THE FIRST REGATTA
8. ENSURE YOUR SLACK APP IS UPDATED
9. CALENDAR AT-A-GLANCE
WAIT – THERE’S MORE?

1. *TODAY* SPRING PICTURES FOR ATHLETES!!
All athletes should report to the Main Gym at 3:05p to have your pictures taken for the yearbook. Your team shirts will be handed out at that time. Once in the gym, all girls should head to Photographer 1, boys to Photographer 2. Seniors should have a separate senior headshot taken with photograph 3. SENIORS: please make sure you take TWO photos before you leave!

Carpools should be staged in front of the school (by the big rock is a good place to meet) so that athletes can hustle to the water as soon as photos are finished.

2. LAUNCH BOAT DRIVER TRAINING, CHECK YOUR EMAIL BEFORE MARCH 8
If you have already signed up for the launch boat training, you should have received an email  with an attachment and video to review prior to attending the training. 3 spots still remain, however! If you are interested in participating, all parents/guardians are welcome to learn from our very own Coach Joe! Sign up to attend training right after our Saturday practice, here: Launch Boat Driver Training.

If you have already completed launch boat driver training in a previous season and are willing to be a driver again this year, please join the #launch-boat-drivers channel on Slack.

3. ALLERGIES FORM DUE MARCH 12
To ensure everyone can safely enjoy our Friday Night Team Dinners and snacks at regattas, we need to know about any food allergies, intolerances, or religious dietary restrictions. If your athlete has any dietary needs, please take a moment to fill out our Dietary Restrictions & Allergies Form.

Your input helps us plan meals that accommodate everyone. Please complete the form by March 12 so we can make the necessary arrangements. Thank you for your help in keeping our team dinners safe and inclusive! Please contact Gloria Totten, Team Dinners Coordinator, via Slack with any questions.

4. WEATHER NOTES, FROM THE COACHES
While weather forecasts have gotten quite good, they generally do not have the level of granularity to tell us exactly what is going to occur at the exact location we are rowing, especially with regards to thunderstorms. If there is a high level of uncertainty in the forecast, generally the team still goes down to the boathouse so that the weather conditions can be evaluated real-time. Options can be delayed launching and/or stay on shore and work out on land. In rare instances, practice will be canceled ahead of time. Weather certainly is unpredictable for any outdoor sport, but know that our coaches are diligent in balancing athlete safety as well as the need to have consistency in training! If there is impending weather, decisions will be made as soon as possible and disseminated via Slack, social media, and, if needed, announced over the PA system at school. Thank you, as always, for your flexibility!

5. REGISTRATION & NOVICE REFUND POLICY
All the information you need to know is located on our registration website: https://woodsonrowing.org/registration/.

Novice athletes are granted 2 weeks on the water to fully commit to Woodson Rowing. As a result, any first time athlete must submit a written withdrawal to Woodson Rowing Membership by this Friday, March 7, 2025 to receive a refund of all fees minus a credit card fee.

Still have questions? Reach out to Catherine, Membership Chair, via Slack or at [email protected].

6. VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITIES
Each family is required to do 5 volunteer shifts/credits, one of which should be a VASRA task. Athletes are also expected to volunteer (3 credits for novice athletes, 5 for returning athletes). 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, sign up to participate or just keep up with the current volunteering opportunities, visit our website: www.woodsonrowing.org/volunteering.

7. GET YOUR SPIRIT WEAR BEFORE THE FIRST REGATTA
Sport your support AND help the team financially (portions of all proceeds are donated back to the team) with Woodson Rowing Spirit Wear!

8. ENSURE YOUR SLACK APP IS UPDATED
Beginning March 15th, 2025, Slack will be ending support for older app and browser versions. As a result, users will need to ensure they are using the most updated version of Slack. Click here for information on how to update your app: Slack Update.

In addition, some operating systems (OS) will no longer be supported. Users on an unsupported OS will still be able to access Slack if they’re using a supported app version, but they won’t receive future updates. For the best experience, it is recommended that you update the following OS as soon as possible: Redhat 8, Windows 10 Version 21H2 and Android 10.

Questions? Contact Slack help at [email protected]

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: 

MARCH:

APRIL

MAY

RECRUITMENT:

Direct interested athletes and their parents to our interest form or have them send an email to our membership team at: [email protected].

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

INTERESTED IN SPONSORING WOODSON ROWING?

Visit our Sponsorship Page or contact Woodson Rowing Fundraising.

Can’t sponsor but want to donate?Check out our Donors page for instructions and information on how your donations benefit our team!

NEED SWAG?

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!

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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February 27, 2025 Newsletter

Thank you to all who showed up for a very successful Boathouse Workday last weekend. Your hard work set us up to officially begin the season! This first week on-the-water is a lot of logistics – but we so greatly appreciate the team work and sense of community you are all bringing to each hurdle. 

1. *ACTION NEEDED* ALLERGIES FORM DUE MARCH 12
2. *CRITICAL* CARPOOL ASSISTANCE NEEDED
3. LAUNCH BOAT DRIVER TRAINING, 3/8, 11a
4. VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITIES
5. PLEASE UPDATE YOUR SLACK APP
6. HAVE YOU REGISTERED YET?
7. GET YOUR SPIRIT WEAR BEFORE THE FIRST REGATTA
8. CALENDAR AT-A-GLANCE

WAIT – THERE’S MORE?

1. *ACTION NEEDED* ALLERGIES FORM DUE MARCH 12
To ensure everyone can safely enjoy our Friday Night Team Dinners and snacks at regattas, we need to know about any food allergies, intolerances, or religious dietary restrictions. If your athlete has any dietary needs, please take a moment to fill out our Dietary Restrictions & Allergies Form.

Your input helps us plan meals that accommodate everyone. Please complete the form by March 12 so we can make the necessary arrangements. Thank you for your help in keeping our team dinners safe and inclusive! Please contact Gloria Totten, Team Dinners Coordinator, via Slack with any questions.

2. *CRITICAL* CARPOOL ASSISTANCE NEEDED
Hopefully carpools have been working and useful for these first few days of on-the-water practice. Do you still have room in your carpool? We have some new athletes that just joined the team this week and they are looking for long term transportation solutions. If so, please join and post on the #carpool channel on Slack.

3. LAUNCH BOAT DRIVER TRAINING, 3/8, 11a
One of the more exciting volunteer activities at regattas is to drive a launch boat. Launch boat drivers are responsible for ferrying spectators, officials and referees. Being a Launch Boat Driver fulfills your VASRA volunteer requirement and gets you the best seat in the house at regattas! All parents/guardians are welcome to learn how to perform this task from our very own Coach Joe. Attendance is limited due to space constraints. Sign up to attend training here: Launch Boat Driver Training.

If you have already completed launch boat driver training in a previous season and are willing to be a driver again this year, please join the #launch-boat-drivers channel on Slack.

4. VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITIES
Each family is required to do 5 volunteer shifts/credits, one of which should be a VASRA task. Athletes are also expected to volunteer (3 credits for novice athletes, 5 for returning athletes). 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, sign up to participate or just keep up with the current volunteering opportunities, visit our website: www.woodsonrowing.org/volunteering.

5. PLEASE UPDATE YOUR SLACK APP
Beginning March 15th, 2025, Slack will be ending support for older app and browser versions. As a result, users will need to ensure they are using the most updated version of Slack. Click here for information on how to update your app: Slack Update.

In addition, some operating systems (OS) will no longer be supported. Users on an unsupported OS will still be able to access Slack if they’re using a supported app version, but they won’t receive future updates. For the best experience, it is recommended that you update the following OS as soon as possible: Redhat 8, Windows 10 Version 21H2 and Android 10.

Questions? Contact Slack help at [email protected]

6. HAVE YOU REGISTERED YET?
All the information you need to know is located on our registration website: https://woodsonrowing.org/registration/.  Still have questions or can’t remember if you filled everything out? Reach out to Catherine, Membership Chair, via Slack or at [email protected].

7. GET YOUR SPIRIT WEAR BEFORE THE FIRST REGATTA
Sport your support AND help the team financially (portions of all proceeds are donated back to the team) with Woodson Rowing Spirit Wear!

8. 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: 

MARCH:

APRIL

MAY

RECRUITMENT:

Direct interested athletes and their parents to our interest form or have them send an email to our membership team at: [email protected].

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

INTERESTED IN SPONSORING WOODSON ROWING?

Visit our Sponsorship Page or contact Woodson Rowing Fundraising.

Can’t sponsor but want to donate?Check out our Donors page for instructions and information on how your donations benefit our team!

NEED SWAG?

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!

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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February 20, 2025 Newsletter

It’s almost time for on-the-water practice! Read on for all the information you’ll need to start the season prepared!

1. *CRITICAL* REGISTRATION & PAPERWORK REQUIRED BEFORE TUESDAY, FEB 25
2. ON-THE-WATER MEETING SLIDES
3. OPTIONAL APPAREL STILL AVAILABLE FOR ORDER
4. ALL ATHLETE PRACTICE/TRY-OUTS ON MONDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 3:30-5p
5. CARPOOL ASSISTANCE FOR NOVICE/FRESHMAN ATHLETES
6. LAUNCH BOAT DRIVER TRAINING, 3/8, 11a
7. KING CAKE FUNDRAISER
8. TEAM VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITIES
9. VASRA VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITIES
10. CALENDAR AT-A-GLANCE
WAIT – THERE’S MORE?

1. *CRITICAL* REGISTRATION & PAPERWORK REQUIRED BEFORE TUESDAY, FEB 25
Review the registration portion of the website to learn more.

Still have questions or can’t remember if you filled everything out? Reach out to Catherine, Membership Chair, via Slack or at [email protected].

2. ON-THE-WATER MEETING SLIDES
Thanks to all who attended the on-the-water meeting last night at Woodson. You can find a copy of the slides here: February 2025 On-The-Water Slides. Extra thanks to Monika, Kyra and Sayuri for giving a demonstration of clothes to wear for rowers and coxswains. You can find all the information you need to prepare for one-the-water practice on our website here: https://woodsonrowing.org/on-the-water-practice/.

3. OPTIONAL APPAREL STILL AVAILABLE FOR ORDER
The non-required custom apparel that we order through Boathouse requires a minimum number of items for an order to be fulfilled. Apparently the shop is still open – so place any remaining orders ASAP at: https://cgwoodson2024.itemorder.com/.  (Choose the “bulk shipping” option at check out. Items will be delivered to our sportswear rep for distribution.) Questions? Contact Cheryl, our Sportswear Chair via Slack or [email protected]

4. ALL ATHLETE PRACTICE/TRY-OUTS ON MONDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 3:30-5p 
If you are interested in being on the rowing team for Spring 2025, please make sure you come to practice/try-outs on Monday, February 24 from 3:30-5p in Cafe B. While rowing is a no cut sport, everyone tests on the ergs. The best scores are more likely to make initial boat assignments. Attendance on Monday is crucial for coaches to be able to begin planning boat line ups.

5. CARPOOL ASSISTANCE FOR NOVICE/FRESHMAN ATHLETES
While we do not have a team carpool coordinator this year, two parents have offered their help for our freshman and novice families! We know how hard it can be to start up carpool arrangements when you don’t know a lot of people on the team yet. So, if you need assistance arranging a carpool, send a message via Slack with your name, athlete’s name/grade, and neighborhood to:

  • Boys: Gloria Totten
  • Girls: Kirsten Lukas

6. LAUNCH BOAT DRIVER TRAINING, 3/8, 11a
One of the more exciting volunteer activities at regattas is to drive a launch boat. Launch boat drivers are responsible for ferrying spectators, officials and referees. Being a Launch Boat Driver fulfills your VASRA volunteer requirement and gets you the best seat in the house at regattas! All parents/guardians are welcome to learn how to perform this task from our very own Coach Joe. Attendance is limited due to space constraints. Sign up to attend training here: Launch Boat Driver Training.

If you have already completed launch boat driver training in a previous season and are willing to be a driver again this year, please join the #launch-boat-drivers channel on Slack.

7. KING CAKE FUNDRAISER
Celebrate Mardi Gras with a Gambino’s King Cake. 100% of the proceeds will be donated to Woodson Rowing, so laissez les bons temps rouler and benefit the team at the same time! Note: if you normally order on your own, ordering through us saves you the $31 shipping charges!!! Reserve by emailing Emmy Obruba (mom to athlete Nathan) at [email protected]. Payment will be via PayPal or Venmo. TEXT ONLY (no calls, please) to 757-613-2862 if you have questions. Instructions for pick up will be provided upon payment.

8. TEAM VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITIES
Each family is required to do 5 volunteer shifts/credits, one of which should be a VASRA task. Athletes are also expected to volunteer (3 credits for novice athletes, 5 for returning athletes). 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 WORK DAY, 2/22, 9-11a
Let’s get the boathouse ready for the season! Even if the Sign Up is full, please feel free to show up, get a volunteer credit and maybe even a little tour of the area! Sign up or modify your sign up here: Boathouse Workday.

    B. FRIDAY NIGHT DINNERS
    THANK YOU TO ALL WHO HAVE VOLUNTEERED! Stay tuned to the newsletter – as we approach the Friday night dinners if spots open up for volunteers as schedules change. View the sign up here: Friday Night Dinner Volunteering

      9. VASRA VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITIES
      The Virginia Scholastic Rowing Association (VASRA) is our local governing body. They are responsible for all of our at-home regattas and more. Volunteering with them is a requirement of participation on our team and also a way to give back to this amazing community. Of your family’s 5 volunteer shifts/credits, AT LEAST one should be a VASRA task. See details about the available tasks below!

      A. PRE-SEASON WORKDAYS
      All slots are currently full! Thank you to the Woodson team members who already signed up. If you didn’t get a chance to sign up but would like to participate, keep an eye on the sign up genius for openings. If you choose to show up for any of these work days when the Sign Up is full, please make sure you reach out to Lisa, our volunteer coordinator, via Slack to ensure you get team credit for your attendance.

        B. REGATTA TASKS
        We are required to provide volunteers for the Virginia Scholastic Rowing Association (VASRA) jobs at the Regattas in which we participate.  Each family should strive to do at least 1 shift per season. There are several dates, times, and locations within the park ~ all shifts on this signup take place before/during the regattas held at Sandy Run, 10450 Van Thompson Road, Fairfax Station. Many of these jobs are very exciting and give you a front row seat to all the action! Get the cream of the crop assignments by signing up early here: 2025 VASRA Regatta Tasks

          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/

          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)

          Other important dates: 

          FEBRUARY:

          MARCH:

          APRIL

          MAY

          RECRUITMENT:

          Direct interested athletes and their parents to our interest form or have them send an email to our membership team at: [email protected].

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

          INTERESTED IN SPONSORING WOODSON ROWING?

          Visit our Sponsorship Page or contact Woodson Rowing Fundraising.

          Can’t sponsor but want to donate?Check out our Donors page for instructions and information on how your donations benefit our team!

          NEED SWAG?

          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!

          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

          Posted on

          February 13, 2025 Newsletter

          If you’re participating in our 2nd Maverick Rowing event this Saturday, please see links for payment below!

          1. MAVERICK ROWING THIS WEEKEND
          2. *CRITICAL* BOATHOUSE OPTIONAL APPAREL, MINIMUMS NOT MET
          3. LAST SWIM TEST OPPORTUNITY ON FEB 15
          4. *RESCHEDULED* ON-THE-WATER MEETING, WED, FEB 19, 7p IN CAFE B
          5. *NEW* LAUNCH BOAT DRIVER TRAINING, 3/8, 11a
          6. *NEW FUNDRAISER* KING CAKES!
          7. TEAM VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITIES
          8. VASRA VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITIES
          9. PLEASE REGISTER BEFORE WE GO ON-THE-WATER
          10. CALENDAR AT-A-GLANCE

          WAIT – THERE’S MORE?

          ACTION ITEMS
          Order from optional apparel items from Boathouse (#2 below)

          1. MAVERICK ROWING THIS WEEKEND, 2/15
          There are 5 spots available for anyone interested in participating in this unique indoor rowing opportunity. It’s a great way to put all your winter conditioning to practice. We will accommodate up to 35 rowers for the full two hours: from 10am-12pm.

          To participate, here are the steps you need to take BEFORE Saturday, February 15:

          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.

          2. *CRITICAL* BOATHOUSE OPTIONAL APPAREL ORDER BY 2/16

          The non-required custom apparel that we order through Boathouse requires a minimum number of items for an order to be fulfilled. The following items cannot currently be fulfilled without additional purchases:  

          Pro-Tech Stevenson, 1 more required

          Mens Training tight, 2 more required

          Cold weather half zip, 1 more required

          GoreTex Stevenson, 3 more required

          They will keep the shop open until Sunday, February 16th for any remaining orders. Please order ASAP at: https://cgwoodson2024.itemorder.com/.  (Choose the “bulk shipping” option at check out. Items will be delivered to our sportswear rep for distribution.)

          Questions? Contact Cheryl, our Sportswear Chair via Slack or [email protected]

          3. LAST SWIM TEST OPPORTUNITY ON 2/15
          We currently have no athletes signed up for the February 15 swim test. If you’ve never done a swim test with us before, sign up here: Winter Swim Tests. A swim test is REQUIRED before you will be allowed to go on-the-water with the team. If this date does not work for you, please reach out to your coaches.

          4. *RESCHEDULED* ON-THE-WATER MEETING, WED, 2/19, 7p IN CAFE B
          Due to the school closure on Wednesday, The Board has rescheduled the in-person on-the-water meeting to Wednesday, February 19 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.

          5. *NEW* LAUNCH BOAT DRIVER TRAINING, 3/8, 11a
          One of the more exciting volunteer activities at regattas is to drive a launch boat. Launch boat drivers are responsible for ferrying spectators, officials and referees. Being a Launch Boat Driver fulfills your VASRA volunteer requirement and gets you the best seat in the house at regattas! All parents/guardians are welcome to learn how to perform this task from our very own Coach Joe. Attendance is limited due to space constraints. Sign up to attend training here: Launch Boat Driver Training.

          If you have already completed launch boat driver training in a previous season and are willing to be a driver again this year, please join the #launch-boat-drivers channel on Slack.

          6. *NEW FUNDRAISER* KING CAKES!
          Celebrate Mardi Gras with a Gambino’s King Cake. 100% of the proceeds will be donated to Woodson Rowing, so laissez les bons temps rouler and benefit the team at the same time! Note: if you normally order on your own, ordering through us saves you the $31 shipping charges!!! Reserve by emailing Emmy Obruba (mom to athlete Nathan) at [email protected]. Payment will be via PayPal or Venmo. TEXT ONLY (no calls, please) to 757-613-2862 if you have questions. Instructions for pick up will be provided upon payment.

          7. TEAM VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITIES
          Each family is required to do 5 volunteer shifts/credits, one of which should be a VASRA task. Athletes are also expected to volunteer (3 credits for novice athletes, 5 for returning athletes). 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 WORK DAY, 2/22, 9-11a
          Let’s get the boathouse ready for the season! FYI: there will be no Green Day associated with this work day. Sign up or modify your sign up here: Boathouse Workday.

            B. FRIDAY NIGHT DINNERS
            The team enjoys pre-regatta dinners each Friday night during the season. This season, we will be holding all of our dinners at the Woodson high School Cafeteria. We need parents to help with picking up a meal order, setting up/serving dinner & cleaning up. This is a great time to see the camaraderie of our team grow! Sign up here: Friday Night Dinner Volunteering

              8. VASRA VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITIE
              The Virginia Scholastic Rowing Association (VASRA) is our local governing body. They are responsible for all of our at-home regattas and more. Volunteering with them is a requirement of participation on our team and also a way to give back to this amazing community. Of your family’s 5 volunteer shifts/credits, AT LEAST one should be a VASRA task. See details about the available tasks below!

              A. PRE-SEASON WORKDAYS
              All slots are currently full! Thank you to the Woodson team members who already signed up. If you didn’t get a chance to sign up but would like to participate, keep an eye on the sign up genius for openings.

                B. REGATTA TASKS
                We are required to provide volunteers for the Virginia Scholastic Rowing Association (VASRA) jobs at the Regattas in which we participate.  Each family should strive to do at least 1 shift per season. There are several dates, times, and locations within the park ~ all shifts on this signup take place before/during the regattas held at Sandy Run, 10450 Van Thompson Road, Fairfax Station. Many of these jobs are very exciting and give you a front row seat to all the action! Get the cream of the crop assignments by signing up early here: 2025 VASRA Regatta Tasks

                  C. *NEW* LOC CANDIDATES NEEDED
                  This season Woodson Rowing is required to fill two VASRA Local Organizing Committee (LOC) positions. We have already filled one but still need to fill one more. LOC members are part of the Regatta staff and work the same job for the entire day for every regatta and train the weekly volunteers who assist them on how to perform their duties. The candidate for this position can serve as a Referee Candidate or as a River Rat. No prior experience is required and training will be provided.

                  If you are interested in volunteering for either of these positions, please contact Woodson Rowing’s VASRA Representative, Michael Chase, at [email protected], or in person at the February 19 On-The-Water meeting.

                    REFEREE CANDIDATE DUTIES: This position provides the additional benefit of being able to ride in a launch that follows alongside the rowers during races, which is literally the best seat in the house to enjoy a regatta. Referee Candidates have to attend a minimum of five regattas during the season, which do not all have to be at the Occoquan. No advance study, knowledge, or experience is required to volunteer for this position, and a training clinic will be held in the spring. Must be comfortable riding in launches.

                    RIVER RAT DUTIES: Dedicated course workers who are responsible for the installation and maintenance of the course during the season and the deployment of the platforms for racing. Must be comfortable riding in launches and handling course equipment.

                    BENEFITS OF BECOMING PART OF THE LOC: Filling one of these LOC positions satisfies ALL Woodson Rowing volunteer requirements for your family (team and VASRA), you are given a parking pass to park for free and are allowed to park in the “B” lot if space is available, and VASRA Management works with you to cover for you so you can go to the Finish Line or Grandstand area via a quick ride in a launch instead of hiking through the woods to watch your athlete’s race. Perhaps best of all, you get to see the regatta and student-athletes up close in a way that is not possible from the Grandstand area.

                    9. PLEASE REGISTER BEFORE WE GO ON-THE-WATER
                    If you haven’t yet, please register now! Review the registration portion of the website to learn more. Still have questions? Reach out to our membership team at [email protected].

                    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/

                    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)

                    Other important dates: 

                    FEBRUARY:

                         Swim test for new recruits, 11a-12p, Audrey Moore Rec

                    MARCH:

                    APRIL

                    MAY

                    RECRUITMENT:

                    Direct interested athletes and their parents to our interest form or have them send an email to our membership team at: [email protected].

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

                    INTERESTED IN SPONSORING WOODSON ROWING?

                    Visit our Sponsorship Page or contact Woodson Rowing Fundraising.

                    Can’t sponsor but want to donate?Check out our Donors page for instructions and information on how your donations benefit our team!

                    NEED SWAG?

                    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!

                    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

                    Posted on

                    February 6, 2025 Newsletter

                    We had an incredible showing at ErgSprints this last weekend! Please see our Instagram or Facebook posts to celebrate our hard working athletes!

                    1. PRACTICE BUS TRANSPORTATION UPDATE
                    2. NEW ATHLETES: REQUIRED SWIM TEST ON FEB 8 OR FEB 15
                    3. ON-THE-WATER MEETING, WED, FEB 12, 7p IN CAFE B
                    4. MAVERICK ROWING, FEB 15
                    5. *UPDATED* LOTS OF VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
                    6. PLEASE REGISTER BEFORE WE GO ON-THE-WATER
                    7. CALENDAR AT-A-GLANCE

                    WAIT – THERE’S MORE?

                    ACTION ITEMS

                    1. PRACTICE BUS TRANSPORTATION UPDATE
                    Despite best efforts, the Board has not found a financially viable option for a practice bus this season. We understand the burden this places on some families and are truly sorry that our efforts have not yielded a workable solution. Since we have not had a volunteer step up to coordinate efforts, we highly recommend affected families begin coordinating carpool efforts. The #carpool channel on Slack is a great place to start that coordination, especially if you are new to the team. If you have questions or would like to assist in carpool coordination, please reach out to Maz, our V.P. of Activities at [email protected].

                    2. NEW ATHLETES: REQUIRED SWIM TEST ON FEB 8 OR 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.

                    3. 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. Stay tuned to Slack for updates regarding the impact of potential weather next week.

                    4. MAVERICK ROWING, FEB 15
                    There is still space in the Maverick Rowing event 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. Sign Up here: Maverick Rowing Sign Up Genius

                    5. *UPDATED* LOTS OF 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. *RESCHEDULED* BOATHOUSE WORK DAY, FEB 22
                    Due to potential bad weather on Saturday, we have rescheduled the boathouse work day to Saturday, February 22. We had to cancel the associated Green Day because we will be in an FCPS-designated time period when Green Days are not allowed. If you previously signed up for the Feb 8 work day and are still available, you don’t need to do anything. Just show up on the 22nd! If you are no longer free to help on that day, please remove yourself from the sign up genius. Sign up or modify your sign up here: Boathouse Workday.

                      B. VASRA WORKDAYS: 2/22, 3/01, 3/08, 3/15
                      Please review the sign up genius and sign up for slots based on your availability. You should be willing to get dirty and wet – but no experience required. Don’t forget to indicate that you are representing the Woodson Rowing team. Note: Athletes are encouraged to sign up for these workdays. You will receive school volunteering credits for participating! Remember, as a team, each family should strive to complete AT LEAST one VASRA shift per season (you might find you do more because they can be really fun and informative). Get started now!

                        C. *NEW* REQUIRED VASRA REGATTA VOLUNTEERING
                        We are required to provide volunteers for the Virginia Scholastic Rowing Association (VASRA) jobs at the Regattas in which we participate.  Each family should strive to do at least 1 shift per season. There are several dates, times, and locations within the park ~ all shifts on this signup take place before/during the regattas held at Sandy Run, 10450 Van Thompson Road, Fairfax Station. Many of these jobs are very exciting and give you a front row seat to all the action! Get the cream of the crop assignments by signing up early here: 2025 VASRA Regatta Tasks

                          D. FRIDAY NIGHT DINNERS ARE COMING BACK IN APRIL!
                          The team enjoys pre-regatta dinners each Friday night during the season. This season, we will be holding all of our dinners at the Woodson high School Cafeteria. We need parents to help with picking up a meal order, setting up/serving dinner & cleaning up. This is a great time to see the camaraderie of our team grow! Sign up here: Friday Night Dinner Volunteering

                          6. PLEASE REGISTER BEFORE WE GO ON-THE-WATER
                          If you haven’t yet, please register now! Review the registration portion of the website to learn more. Still have questions? Reach out to our membership team at [email protected].


                          7. 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)

                          Other important dates: 

                          FEBRUARY:

                          MARCH:

                          APRIL

                          MAY

                          RECRUITMENT:

                          Direct interested athletes and their parents to our interest form or have them send an email to our membership team at: [email protected].

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

                          INTERESTED IN SPONSORING WOODSON ROWING?

                          Visit our Sponsorship Page or contact Woodson Rowing Fundraising.

                          Can’t sponsor but want to donate?Check out our Donors page for instructions and information on how your donations benefit our team!

                          NEED SWAG?

                          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!

                          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

                          Posted on

                          January 30, 2025 Newsletter

                          The uniform storm will close on SATURDAY and we need your help evaluating whether a practice bus is viable. First two links under “Action Items” will get you there, so please act now!

                          1. UNIFORM STORE CLOSES JANUARY 31, 2025
                          2. *NEW* PRACTICE BUS SURVEY RESPOND BY SUNDAY, FEB 2
                          3. ERGSPRINTS
                          4. NEW ATHLETES: REQUIRED SWIM TEST ON FEB 8 OR FEB 15
                          5. ON-THE-WATER MEETING, WED, FEB 12, 7p IN CAFE B
                          6. MAVERICK ROWING, FEB 15

                          7. *UPDATED* LOTS OF VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
                          A. CRITICAL NEED FOR A TEAM COORDINATOR
                          B. BOATHOUSE WORK DAY / GREEN DAY, FEB 8
                          C. *NEW* VASRA WORKDAYS: 2/22, 3/01, 3/08, 3/15
                          D. CHUCKWAGON WORKDAY, MAR 8
                          E. *NEW* FRIDAY NIGHT DINNERS ARE COMING BACK!

                          8. PLEASE REGISTER BEFORE WE GO ON-THE-WATER
                          9. CHIPOTLE RESTAURANT FUNDRAISER, WED, FEB 5
                          10. CALENDAR AT-A-GLANCE

                          WAIT – THERE’S MORE?

                          ACTION ITEMS

                          1. UNIFORM STORE CLOSES JANUARY 31, 2025
                          The deadline for the uniform store was extended to tomorrow, Jan 31. Find links and all the information you need to order uniforms or training items on our website: Uniform Store Info.

                          2. *NEW* PRACTICE BUS SURVEY RESPOND BY SUNDAY, FEB 2
                          By request, we are issuing a REVISED Practice Bus Survey due to potential changes in work-from-home policies that may be impacting families in our region. If we are able to get a more significant number of athletes interested in a practice bus, the cost may decrease enough to make contracting with a company viable.

                          EVERYONE should fill out the form, whether you intend to sign your athlete up or not. The more people that fill out this form the better the data so please spread the word.

                          Please fill out the form by Sunday, February 2 in order to give our team time to review the results and consider options: REVISED Practice Bus Interest Form.

                          If you have multiple athletes, we would appreciate you filling out the form once PER athlete so that we can get a more accurate count. Thank you so much!

                          3. ERGSPRINTS
                          Attendance is not limited to those who are competing! Feel free to go by the event and cheer on our registered athletes. The ErgSprints website is a treasure trove of information for spectators and athletes. Some links to critical information (that you should check out BEFORE you go):

                          ATHLETES: know that parking is almost always an issue at this event. So please build in time to arrive, park and to get oriented to the event BEFORE your scheduled check-in time.

                          4. NEW ATHLETES: REQUIRED SWIM TEST ON FEB 8 OR 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.

                          5. 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.

                          6. MAVERICK ROWING, FEB 15
                          There is still space in the Maverick Rowing event 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. Sign Up here: Maverick Rowing Sign Up Genius

                          Check out photos of the Jan 18 event here: Pre-Season Photos.

                          7. *UPDATED* LOTS OF 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. CRITICAL NEED FOR A TEAM COORDINATOR
                          We are looking for someone to fulfill the role of Carpool Coordinator. If the new poll indicates that a practice bus might be possible, this person would be responsible for helping to coordinate the chaperoning process for the practice bus. So no matter what – we need you now!! 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 WORK DAY / 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! Athletes who want to participate in the Green Day portion of this work day should have already completed a swim test. Sign up here: Feb 8 Workday/Green Day.

                              C. *NEW* VASRA WORKDAYS: 2/22, 3/01, 3/08, 3/15
                              Please review the sign up genius and sign up for slots based on your availability. You should be willing to get dirty and wet – but no experience required. Don’t forget to indicate that you are representing the Woodson Rowing team. Note: Athletes are encouraged to sign up for these workdays. You will receive school volunteering credits for participating! Remember, as a team, each family should strive to complete AT LEAST one VASRA shift per season (you might find you do more because they can be really fun and informative). Get started now!

                                D. 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

                                  E. *NEW* FRIDAY NIGHT DINNERS ARE COMING BACK!
                                  The team enjoys pre-regatta dinners each Friday night during the season. This season, we will be holding all of our dinners at the Woodson high School Cafeteria. We need parents to help with picking up a meal order, setting up/serving dinner & cleaning up. This is a great time to see the camaraderie of our team grow! Sign up here: Friday Night Dinner Volunteering

                                  8. PLEASE REGISTER BEFORE WE GO ON-THE-WATER
                                  f you haven’t yet, please register now! Review the registration portion of the website to learn more. Still have questions? Reach out to our membership team at [email protected].

                                    9. CHIPOTLE RESTAURANT FUNDRAISER
                                    Chipotle restaurant fundraiser on Wednesday, Feb 5 between 4-8p!! Order your dinner online or in-person to benefit the team! Show this flyer or use the code KVTT7ZJ to order online for pick-up.


                                    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/

                                    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)

                                    Other important dates: 

                                    FEBRUARY:

                                    MARCH:

                                    APRIL

                                    MAY

                                    RECRUITMENT:

                                    Direct interested athletes and their parents to our interest form or have them send an email to our membership team at: [email protected].

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

                                    INTERESTED IN SPONSORING WOODSON ROWING?

                                    Visit our Sponsorship Page or contact Woodson Rowing Fundraising.

                                    Can’t sponsor but want to donate?Check out our Donors page for instructions and information on how your donations benefit our team!

                                    NEED SWAG?

                                    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!

                                    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

                                    Posted on

                                    January 28, 2025 Uniform Store

                                    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!

                                    Posted on

                                    January 23, 2025 Newsletter

                                    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

                                    WAIT – THERE’S MORE?

                                    ACTION ITEMS

                                    • BEFORE Jan 25: Order your Uniform
                                    • ErgSprints Sign Up by TODAY to avoid late fees
                                    • New Athletes ONLY: sign up for swim test Feb 8 or 15
                                    • Register for the season, if you haven’t already
                                    • Feb 15 Maverick Rowing, sign up here
                                    • Volunteer to be our Carpool Coordinator!

                                    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/

                                        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)
                                        TENTATIVE 2025 Regatta Schedule (March through May)

                                        Other important dates: 

                                        FEBRUARY:

                                        MARCH:

                                        RECRUITMENT:

                                        Direct interested athletes and their parents to our interest form or have them send an email to our membership team at: [email protected].

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

                                        INTERESTED IN SPONSORING WOODSON ROWING?

                                        Visit our Sponsorship Page or contact Woodson Rowing Fundraising.

                                        Can’t sponsor but want to donate?Check out our Donors page for instructions and information on how your donations benefit our team!

                                        NEED SWAG?

                                        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!

                                        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

                                        Posted on

                                        January 16, 2025 Newsletter

                                        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

                                        WAIT – THERE’S MORE?

                                        ACTION ITEMS

                                        • Order your Uniform before Jan 25
                                        • Sign up & Pay for Maverick Rowing (Indoor) Opportunity
                                        • Sign up for ErgSprints
                                        • Register for the season, if you haven’t already

                                        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]. 

                                        2. *NEW* RESTAURANT FUNDRAISER ALL DAY TODAY!

                                        Menu here: http://mammaluciafaircitymall.com/

                                        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)! 

                                        6. IF YOU HAVEN’T REGISTERED, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?
                                        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.**

                                        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/

                                        JANUARY 2025:

                                        Winter Conditioning schedule

                                        • Thu, 1/16: Mama Lucia restaurant fundraiser, 11a-8p
                                        • Fri, 1/17: RD/Nutritionist visit during winter conditioning, Cafe B, 4:30-5:30p
                                        • Sat, 1/16: Maverick Rowing Workshop, 10a-12p, Herndon, VA
                                        • Mon, 1/20: MLK Day, NO WINTER CONDITIONING

                                        FEBRUARY:

                                        MARCH:

                                        TENTATIVE 2025 REGATTA SCHEDULE available at
                                        https://woodsonrowing.org/regatta-schedule/

                                        RECRUITMENT:

                                        Direct interested athletes and their parents to our interest form or have them send an email to our membership team at: [email protected].

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

                                        INTERESTED IN SPONSORING WOODSON ROWING?

                                        Visit our Sponsorship Page or contact Woodson Rowing Fundraising.

                                        Can’t sponsor but want to donate?Check out our Donors page for instructions and information on how your donations benefit our team!

                                        NEED SWAG?

                                        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!

                                        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