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| www.BrooklineRowing.org |
| Novice Information for New Rowers, Coxswains, and their Parents |
                 This program is funded in part by a grant from the  |
Welcome to Brookline
High School Rowing!
There is a lot of information here which will be very helpful to you - please be sure to read everything. Especially helpful is Head Coach John Sisk's "Rowing Clothing Basics," which is below. About Brookline Rowing BHS has a tradition of excellence in rowing that dates back over a century. Brookline Rowing's co-educational athletes represent approximately one-sixth of all spring BHS athletes. We are the largest team at BHS. Brookline is one of only 15 of the state's 335 public high schools with varsity rowing. We have won the Massachusetts Public School Rowing Championship five of the past eight years. Brookline Rowing competes with many of the region's top private schools. In 2006, our boys and girls finished 6th and 7th, respectively, in the New England Inter-Scholastic Rowing Championships. The boys' team qualified for the US National Championship. The Friends of Brookline Rowing (FBR) is a very active parents group that funds most of the team's costs. The FBR website, www.BrooklineRowing.org, will provide most of the information you will find yourself looking for. Read the Friends of Brookline Rowing FAQ, the rowing glossary, directions to all regattas, contact information, and lots more. Who should join the team Any student who wants to work hard, get in shape, and learn a great sport. How to join the team Contact our novice coaches to let them know you're interested. Girls Novice Coach - Mari Folco Boys Novice Coach - Emily Cura Pick up, fill out, and return a clearance form to the BHS Athletic Department along with the $175 athletic fee and record of a recent (within 13 months of the season start) physical exam. Time Requirements Rowers train hard. Practice begins on Monday, February 23rd, continues through April vacation and runs through the end of May. Practices will be held from 3:00-5:30 pm (Monday through Friday) and on Saturdays in the late morning to early afternoon. The races are on weekends (mostly on Saturdays and a few on Sundays) from April 4th through May 24th. Every team member is required to participate in fund raising efforts during the year. Our next big fund raising event is the Crew-a-thon on Sunday, March 29th. Practice Locations Early in the season land practices will be held in the BHS winter training room. In early to mid-March (depending on the weather) practices will launch from the Riverside Boat House on Memorial Drive in Cambridge. Getting to Riverside For directions to Riverside, see our Directions page. Some athletes take the T, some bike to practice, and others carpool. Problems with transportation are not excuses for being late to practice. The Friends of Brookline Rowing will help to arrange carpools for those who wish to participate. Rowing Clothing Basics Synthetic Fabrics Synthetic fabrics such as Polypro, CoolMax and similar fabrics are best because they keep the rower relatively warm even when wet, and they dry quickly. Athletes will get wet from perspiration, rain, and splash. The key is that they have synthetic clothing that will keep them warm even when wet. Best Clothing The best clothing for rowing is soft, stretchy, breathable, and fairly form-fitting. Loose shorts can get caught in the slides under the moving seats, so avoid basketball style shorts or warm-ups. Loose tops can get caught in the oar handles, so avoid bulky jackets or sweatshirts. In general, athletes should dress as though they are going running in the elements or Nordic skiing. Layering Layering is important for keeping warm, and maintaining the right temperature. The athlete's needs will change during a practice depending on exertion and changing conditions. Having the appropriate layers enables them to regulate their insulation and protection. Sometimes an athlete may mix two out of three layers, depending on conditions.
An athlete can lose a lot of body heat through the head. On cold days it's important that they wear an insulative hat to keep them warm. Feet Athletes should have a pair of rubber sandals (or slip on or off shoes) for rowing on the water days. Keep in mind that these shoes will need to be put on and taken off very quickly, and be left on the dock where they will most likely get wet. (On dry land days - or any day the weather turns and water practice is impossible - rowers should have running shoes handy.) Hands Hands can get cold while rowing. However, you will not see athletes rowing with gloves. The reason for this is that rowing requires a tactile feel of the handle. Athletes can put their hands under their legs or armpits to keep them warm. If an athlete gets especially cold hands, they can purchase Pogies from one of the rowing sites. They fit over both the oar handle and your hands. Consequently there are separate designs for sculling and sweep. One caution on Pogies is that they can keep your hands too warm and retain moisture, causing an ideal environment for blisters. Coxswains Coxswains may want to invest in flotation suits, waterproof gloves and socks: http://www.regattanorthwest.com/ Dry Clothes on Land VERY IMPORTANT!!! On especially wet days, athletes should have dry clothes to change into when they get back on land. Athletes are asked to change quickly so that we can continue with team activities. Shoes Athletes must have running shoes every day for practice (you never know when a land day might happen). A good pair of shoes is important to reduce chances for injury. Running shoes should be replaced every 300-400 miles. Socks Socks should be synthetic or wool to help ensure that feet stay warm while wet. Athletes should have a second pair on land. Waterproof Clothing Waterproof clothing is not required for rowing. If you do purchase waterproof clothing, ensure that it is highly breathable. Really waterproof clothing tends not to breathe as well, increasing body heat and sweating, and then holding the perspiration within the clothing. This makes it difficult to regulate temperature, and may encourage athletes to remove clothing, which is counterproductive, and results in them getting chilled again. No Cotton Athletes should avoid cotton. Cotton does not keep a person warm when the fabric is wet, and instead can serve to chill an athlete. Cotton should not be used as the base layer, because it does not wick moisture away from the skin. No Down Down should never be worn on the water. When down gets wet, it will clump, get very heavy, and has no insulative properties. Label your clothing We recommend writing your name on the tag of all of your clothing. This will make it clear who it belongs to, and reduce the chance that you will lose your clothing at the boathouse or regattas. Clothing Retailers There are a variety of rowing clothing manufacturers and retailers on the Internet, including:
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