Welcome to a special edition newsletter on our first regatta of the season! Lots of details below, so take your time reading through and ask questions!. The weather is set to be sunny and cool. Fingers crossed it stays that way! Spectators should plan accordingly – lots of layers – as the grandstands are open to the elements.

1. REGATTA VOLUNTEERS

2. POLAR BEAR REGATTA THIS SATURDAY, 3/22
A. ATHLETE ATTENDANCE
B. REPORT TIMES

3. REGATTA PARKING AND GETTING TO THE GRANDSTAND
A. OFFSITE PARKING FOR SPECTATORS
B. ONSITE PARKING

4. FOOD

5. SPECTATOR TIPS AND CHEERING

6. DON’T FORGET YOUR SPIRIT WEAR!

7. CALENDAR AT-A-GLANCE

SUPPORT THE TEAM!

ACTION ITEMS BEFORE THIS REGATTA

Fill out a VASRA waiver for your athlete. This is a new requirement this season, but it is REQUIRED before your athlete can race. Many thanks to those who already completed this requirement.
RSVP for the Parent social taking place Friday, 3/21 from 6-9p

1. REGATTA VOLUNTEERS
Gentle reminder that if you sign up, you’re expected to volunteer. 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.

All volunteer slots for the regatta this weekend are full. THANK YOU VOLUNTEERS! Sign up here to help at future regattas. Feel free to check back frequently, even if shifts appear to be full, in case others are unable to fulfill their duties. If you sign up to drive a launch, you must have completed the recent launch driver training AND have practiced with a coach!

2. POLAR BEAR REGATTA THIS SATURDAY, 3/22
Our first regatta for our varsity boats is this Saturday. Woodson will be racing 5 boats between, approximately, 9am to 1p. According to the current TENTATIVE event list, smaller boats will be racing first. So, all of our boats should be prepared/plan to be the later races of the day. Specific race times will be finalized and shared with coaches late tonight. Athletes should anticipate hearing more about timing by practice on Friday, 3/21.

Feel free to check here for more information: Regatta Central – Polar Bear Regatta.

Results and heatsheets will be posted here, when available: VASRA website.

A. ATHLETE ATTENDANCE
While no novice boats row at this regatta, novice athletes are highly encouraged to attend, if available. Regattas are a unique experience and familiarity with how they run will help the athletes as they prepare for their first regatta, next weekend. Learning the mechanics and rhythms of a regatta before they participate builds confidence and experience. Plus, it’s fun to watch your teammates race without dealing with your own nerves!

Novices should plan to be at the boathouse about 1 hour before Woodson boats hit the water.

Returning Athletes will hear from your coaches what boat you will be on. Unless told otherwise by a coach, athletes are advised to be at the boathouse no later than two hours before their scheduled race, and coxswains must be there for the coxswain’s meeting.

B. REPORT TIMES
Will be communicated via Slack as it becomes available. If you aren’t yet on Slack, send a message to [email protected]. Official lineups will be posted on Slack and social media after the schedule is set.

3. REGATTA PARKING AND GETTING TO THE GRANDSTAND
This is always a big deal and a big issue until you realize what the system is like, so we highly recommend that you plan lots of excess time to get to where you need to go. As we all know, Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance, so a little goes a long way. All of the information below, and more, is located on our website. If you’re nervous or curious, to learn more visit our website: Sandy Run Park Info.

A. OFFSITE PARKING FOR SPECTATORS: There is no spectator/visitor parking at Sandy Run. As a result, families should plan accordingly.

❖ Parents driving athletes can drop athletes off at Sandy Run and then proceed to the offsite parking area. If you are only dropping off your rower, plan on arriving on site at least 15 minutes before your rower needs to report because Hampton Road and Van Thompson Road are often backed up with cars. Tell the parking volunteers that you are dropping off a rower, and they will direct you.

❖ OFF SITE PARKING IS LOCATED AT SOUTH COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL. South County High School is located at 8501 Silverbrook Rd, Lorton, VA 22079.

❖ Spectators will park at South County High School and take a shuttle bus to the regatta. The cost of the shuttles is $10 EACH WAY ($20 total). Please bring cash. You will pay at South County prior to boarding the bus AND AGAIN at the bus pick up spot in Lot C at Sandy Run. Athletes in uniform can ride the shuttle for free. Families should plan for a 15-20 minute walk or a shorter shuttle ride between where the buses stop (Lot C) and the grandstand.

❖ The shuttles are scheduled to begin at 7:00 am (2 hours before the first race) and will conclude running from Sandy Run NLT 1 hour after the last race.

To get to the grandstands from Lot C, you have two options:

You can walk. The path is unpaved and very hilly. It is about ¾ of a mile and takes about 20 minutes to walk.
You can take the shuttle van which costs a small fee each way. In the past this fee has been $5 EACH WAY. Cash is preferred. Please plan accordingly. The shuttle runs continuously and takes about 5 minutes.

B. ONSITE PARKING: Onsite parking is limited to the groups below only. There is no fee for these groups to park at Sandy Run.

❖ ATHLETES: parking is available in the Loisvale Lot until the lot is filled. Please plan for the short walk from parking to the water!

❖ VOLUNTEERS: Lot D (larger gravel lot that is to the right as you pass the gated entry to the park)

❖ COACHES: Lot D. There will be designated parking. Please display your green coaches hangtag.

❖ STAFF / LOC: B lot, second row from the back. This is the paved lot closest to the water on the right.

❖ REFEREES: B lot, back row

❖ HANDICAPPED: Lot C, as designated.This is the smaller gravel lot to the left as you pass through the gated entry.

4. FOOD
For athletes, the team provides snacks. If your athlete has food restrictions, those will have been accounted for by the team – but if they have specific nutritional needs we recommend packing them what they need. They may buy from the Headquarters concession stand, but may not have the time or opportunity to do so until after their race, so plan accordingly.

For spectators, there is a concession stand at the grandstand. Bring cash to make your life easier because mobile payments are notoriously hard due to spotty wi-fi coverage on the water.

You can find concession menus on the VASRA website here: https://www.vasra.org/regattas/concessions-menu

5. SPECTATOR TIPS AND CHEERING
Check out a list of tips for regatta watching here: https://woodsonrowing.org/regatta-spectator/.

All the Woodson families try to sit together as a team. So, where is the team? Well – look for the swag. We know it’s challenging when you’re new to the sport and new to the team, but trust that everyone is friendly and interested in meeting you!

Cheering is one of our primary duties as spectators! When a Woodson boat goes down the course on their way to the start, all the parents get together to yell “HEY, WOODSON!” as loud as possible. We will know that the kids hear us when a coxswain or rowers take a moment to wave at us.

If you’re interested and brand new to the sport of rowing, we have a lot of resources on our website to help you feel “in-the-know” once you get to the grandstands. Some suggested reading:

Novice Tips from a parent
Regatta Viewer’s Guide: General information about rowing and rowing parlance
Regatta Information: General info on the types of regattas we attend as a team
Regatta Spectator Tips: How to dress, what to expect and more!
Sandy Run Park: info on the world-class facility where we get to train and race!
Follow VASRA on X to get real time updates (although be prepared for lagging if you are at the grandstands because the wi-fi is spotty there).

6. DON’T FORGET YOUR SPIRIT WEAR!
Purchase Woodson Rowing Spirit Wear to show your support and benefit our team!

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)

Important dates:

MARCH: