Langley Crew Booster Club - Introduction for Parents
A comprehensive overview of the Langley Crew Booster Club's role in managing the team, fundraising, volunteering, and supporting rowers. Learn about upcoming events like the Learn to Row sessions and how parents can get involved in supporting their children's crew activities.
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All Aboard: A Parents Introduction to Crew ADMIT ONE All Aboard SEAT CLASS: Parent SEAT ASSIGNMENT: Zoom link DEPARTURE: 2nd Thursday each month 2nd Thursday each month 7:30-8 pm Langley Crew Booster Club
None of us embark on our students career in crew with any knowledge about the sport other than what we see every four years in the Olympics. We also know that only the parents of our current seniors know what a normal season looks like, thanks to COVID. We ve created this program to help guide you through the season. Each month, we will provide you with Crew season survival skills. We ll tell you: What s coming up in the next few weeks What that means for you What that means for your kids What you need to do What your kids need to do Then we ll open the meeting up to Q&A. Each month, we ll feature a different topic, but the format will be the same: what s going on, what are the impacts, what do you have to do about it, and Q&A. This month, we will be talking about: Langley Crew Booster Club Learn to Row Fall Practice for Returning Rowers Launch Driver Training Volunteering
Langley Crew Booster Club The LCBC is a group of Langley Crew parents who manage the team. Because we are a club, and not a sport, FCPS and LHS provide us with the same level of administrative support provided to other clubs, such as the drama club or the chess club. We get a sponsor, but no financial support, and the sponsor primarily functions as our liaison to the school. But, since this is actually a sport, there are a lot of logistics, and funding, associated with fielding a team. That s where the LCBC comes in. The Booster Club hires coaches, buys boats, contracts the buses, hosts social events, and provides anything else needed for our kids to row. Everything that you see your kids doing related to crew, from the uniform they wear to the ergs they practice on, the buses they ride on and the boats they race in, come through the LCBC. We do this through fundraising and volunteering. Everyone who has a child on the team is a member of LCBC. The Booster Club activities are overseen by a Board, who manage the club s finances, contracts, interactions with the VA Scholastic Rowing Association (VASRA), fundraising, and social events. There is also a Langley Booster Club, that is unrelated to crew. They are the parents who raise funds for all Langley extracurricular activities through membership fees, concessions, donations, fundraising events, and the sale of the really cool Langley Saxons swag you see around. If you want a hoodie, or a front yard sign that your kid is in crew, they are the people to see. They are also a large help to the Crew Booster Club; each year they support us financially by providing us with somewhere between $4,000 and $6,000. All they ask in return is that we join the Langley Booster Club. Membership in the LBC is $50/year. You can join, and buy some really cool Langley swag, on their website: www.langleyboosters.org
Learn to Row/Crew Open House Open House Prospective rowers and their parents are invited to Sandy Run to meet the team, coaches, and other parents. See the boathouse, talk to others interested in the crew team, talk to team members, walk to the grandstands, and learn about crew. Do not wear flip-flops if you plan to tour the grandstand. Learn to Row Prospective rowers get an introduction to crew and what the crew team is all about. They learn the basics, get to know some of the coaches, some of the team members, and get out on the water. LTR lasts for 8 Saturdays, ending with a celebration. After LTR, we will hold an Interest Meeting for anyone who thinks they might be ready join the team and provide any further information you may need. How it impacts your kids since most of them have never rowed before, they have no idea if they ll enjoy crew, so we give them a chance to learn to carry the boats, launch them, get in them without tipping, how to move the oars, how to get out without tipping them, and what to do if you do tip one, after you quit laughing. How it impacts you time and carpools. The kids are going to be here for a few hours each Saturday. You have no role other than to drive, but it s a long way, so there s no point in going back home and then coming back. I strongly recommend carpools. FYI If you have a kid currently on the team, meaning that they were on the team last year and did not graduate, their siblings in 8th grade or higher can participate in Learn to Row at no charge. For example, you have a 10th grader and an 8th grader. Your sophomore rowed last year as a freshman, and the pesky little brother, now in 8th grade, wants to try it out. The peskly little brother can participate in LTR for free. If you are in this situation, reach out at langleyrowing.com to let us know.
What you need to do Register Provide an Emergency Care Form Have them do the swim test Get your kid here on Saturdays and take them back home when we re through with them. Be prepared to feed them they will be really hungry. They will also want to sleep when they get home. Send them to practice with the essentials: Shorts slim, form-fitting shorts, NOT loose basketball-style shorts Visor or hat Sunscreen Shoes they can slip out of easily crocs and slides work best Water Extra socks What your kids need to do Take the swim test Get to practice on time Be prepared to work out Have some fun on the water Come back next week
Fall Rowing What it is: Saturdays, 8:30-10:30 am, returning rowers can practice with the coaches before LTR starts. Participation is optional. How it impacts your kids extra practice in the boats. The more they row, the better they get at it. How it impacts you time and carpools. I strongly recommend carpools. What you need to do Get your kid here on Saturdays and take them back home when we re through with them. Send them to practice with the essentials: Shorts Visor or hat Sunscreen Crocs or slides Water Extra socks What your kids need to do Be prepared to work out Have some fun on the water Come back next week
Launch Driver Training What it is: On September 18, September 25, and October 2, beginning at 11:00 am, we will teach interested parents how to drive the launches. This is essential to the regatta season, as several volunteer roles require being out on the water in a launch, and each school is expected to perform some of those roles. How it impacts your kids fines to the team for not supplying launch drivers mean less funds for the kids. How it impacts you You only need to attend one training session, although you can attend all three if you so desire. There is no cost. A trained driver will take you out on the launch, teach you what you need to know to drive it, let you practice, and show you where the gas and keys are stored. What you need to do Sign up for a practice slot on the Signup Genius Come down to Sandy Run prepared to be on the water: Visor or hat Sunscreen What your kids need to do pester you into learning how to drive a launch
Volunteering What it is: Because crew is a club rather than a sport, there is NO support from FCPS or Langley. We do not have FCPS coaches or referees, and they do not provide our equipment. Making the crew program run is entirely on our parents and community goodwill. We have been very successful, but that success depends on all of us. Volunteering is essential; therefore, it is a requirement for crew parents. How it impacts your kids without parent volunteers, we don t have a team. How it impacts you There are three categories of volunteering chaperoning the buses, team support, and VASRA support. Every family is required to chaperone at least once per athlete, and volunteer for VASRA at least once per athlete. What you need to do Look over the volunteer opportunities in the Volunteers section of the website and see what looks interesting and what could fit your schedule Sign up for at least 4 volunteer activities each season one of these must be as a bus chaperone and one must be as a VASRA support volunteer. The other two are optional. What your kids need to do pester you into volunteering.
Q: Would you post the link to the slide deck in the chat? A: We will be posting it after the call. We intend to update the slide deck once we hear the questions and incorporate that detail into the slides. Q: What are launches? A: Launches are small boats that take officials, coaches, and other regatta people to the race start and finish as needed during the regattas Sign up for a training session: Sept. 18 or 25 and Oct. 9 or 16 at Sandy Run! https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70a084caca629a4ff2-launch2 Q: Where is the launch driver training held? How long is the training? A: The training is held at Sandy Run, at 11 am, after the kids have gotten out on the water. Sandy Run Regional Park, 10450 Van Thompson Rd, Fairfax Station, VA 22039 Q: Could you talk about when the season begins and ends. Also, the timing of practices and meets. My son plays basketball, and I am wondering about overlap between the two. A: Crew is a spring sport, so the season officially begins in late February and ends in late May. Winter conditioning, when they work out in the school, begins in late November. There is no conflict with participating in a winter sport. The primary purpose of winter conditioning is to make sure that the kids are in good physical conditioning so that our time on the water can be focused on technique rather than fitness. If they are participating in a winter sport, they are meeting that goal already. We would recommend that they do attend at least some the winter conditioning workouts so they practice the rowing motion it is unlike anything that they ve been doing. Q: What is the time commitment (in general) when chaperoning on the bus? A: It s a long afternoon. You need to be there at 3:30 and, depending on the time of year, you will get back to Langley between 7:15 and 8:15.
Q: Can you please suggest where do we submit emergency care form? A: The emergency care form is submitted as part of the Learn to Row registration it will take you to a place where you fill it out online and it gets uploaded with the registration. You can also provide a hard copy. Q: Is there a tryout for the spring season? A: No. We don t do tryouts and we don t do cuts. If your child wants to be on the team, you simply need to register them. Actually, it s the opposite the students use Learn to Row to try us out. Q: Will there be a spot to row on the water for every child? A: We can t guarantee that every student will row all practice every practice or will row every regatta. It s a numbers game our boats hold 5 people (4 rowers and a coxswain) or 9 people (8 rowers and a coxswain), so if we have 12 people, then three of them don t have seats in the boats. For practices, the coaches will rotate rowers in and out of the boat. For regattas, we can only enter so many boats in each regatta, but we guarantee that each of our kids will row in at least one regatta. Q: Are you expecting to have indoor winter conditioning this year? A: Yes. Last year, we were not allowed in the building due to COVID, so we did winter conditioning in the parking lot. This year, with the FCPS requirement that all athletes be vaccinated, we expect to be indoors, with appropriate distancing. Q: What about the clubs? Can they participate in clubs/activities? A: They can certainly participate in whatever they want to participate in. We have a number of kids in orchestra and band, and those require participation during the spring. The coaches keep a spreadsheet of dates that students can t participate due to other commitments, and that s fine, as long as the student gives the coaches advance notice. Most activities are scheduled weeks in advance, so as long as there s adequate notice, the coaches will work around it. That said, once the coaches set a lineup in a boat, it s important that they are able to practice as a unit as much as possible, so that they can work on timing; the kids who are there most often will likely be placed in a more competitive boat.
Q: How many times per season are parents expected to chaperone? (as a teacher this is quitechallenging) A: At least once, likely twice, depending on the number of team members we have. If you have a situation that makes this particularly difficult, let us know; we can work something out. Q: My son took the swim test on Tuesday, but he didn t come home with a form. is it possible a coach kept a record? A: We kept all the swim test forms. We need to keep them on file. Q: Confirming that using a BSA certified swim test is also accepted A: Actually, no, it is not. The requirements are different, so we need our form completed. There is another swim test at Spring Hill Rec Center tomorrow at 7 pm. Q: Is US Rowing Waiver required for just learn to row (for my 8th grader who is not yet at Langley)? A: No, it is only required to join the team. Q: Where do you post the time and date of practices/conditioning in November? A: They are posted on the website under Training Logistics, but they ve been pretty set for the last few years: the boys practice 4-6 pm and girls practice 4:30-6:30, M-F, and 9-11 on Saturdays. The coaches will set the schedule in November. Q: Are all the boats sweep rowing boats? How many? Is it boy/girl or mixed boats? A: All our boats are sweep boats, either 4-seat or 8-seat. We don t row sculls, only sweep, and they are men s and women s, no mixed, based on the regatta divisions. Q: Are the practices occurring daily during the season? (M-Th?) A: They practice six days a week Monday through Friday after school and Saturday mornings. When the regattas begin, there is no practice on Saturday, but they are rowing in the races.
Q: How many returning rowers are you expecting in the Spring? A: We have 65 team members from last year that did not graduate. We don t know for sure, but we expect most of them to come back. Q: Links on the website does not seem to work. I have tried to click on form and others, but nothinghappens... trying to upload Emergency Care Form thanks A: Please email us separately at langleyrowing@gmail.com so that we can work with you on this. Q: What is the role of parent volunteer launch drivers? A: During the regattas, there are 4 or 5 launch jobs, including patrolling the course for debris, driving the referees down the course during the race, ferrying people around, etc. The VASRA Volunteer section on the website has detailed descriptions of the jobs. Q: Do current 8th graders participate in spring or summer training? A: Winter conditioning and spring training is only for Langley students on the team. Reminder: Swim Test option tomorrow at 7 p.m
