FRIENDS' ROWING HANDBOOK

FRIENDS' ROWING HANDBOOK

2019/20 Seasons

1. Training and Racing Commitments

Junior Rowers (Under 13’s, Under 14’s Under 15’s)

Under 13 Rowers are not expected to train during morning hours. They would usually train 2-3 times a week from the start of Term 4 until the last regatta, Head of the River in March. The coach and the Head of Rowing will decide upon training times and inform parents at the beginning of the season. Under 13 rowers will be expected to attend all school regattas of which there are five over the course of the season (please see race calendar on Friends’ Rowing website for dates and details). No rowers will race or train over the SATIS Moratorium (a three-week break over the summer holidays).

Under 14 – 15 rowers will usually train 3-4 time during the week. Weekend training sessions may be involved in this. The coach and the Head of Rowing will decide upon training times and inform parents at the beginning of the season. No rowers will race or train over the SATIS Moratorium (a three-week break over the summer holidays). Junior rowers will be expected to attend five regattas over the course of the season dates and locations for these can be found on the Friends’ Rowing website.

Senior Rowing Training and Commitments (Under 16’s, Open Rowers)

The Under 16 and Open Rowing Programs may commence at the beginning of Term 3. All rowing, however, must be secondary to any current Term 3 sports. Training sessions for Senior Rowing Squads requires high levels of commitment. Open Crews can expect to train up to 8 times a week. This is usually a combination of on water training and off water fitness sessions. The head coach of the squad and the Head of Rowing will decide upon training frequency and times and inform parents at the beginning of the season. No rowers will race or train over the SATIS Moratorium (a three-week break over the summer holidays).

2. The Duty of Care at Regattas

Rowing regattas are not school-supervised events. The Head of Friends’ Rowing, along with the coaching staff, are responsible for the organisation and running of the Friends’ Rowing program at school regattas. It is not possible to supervise all students at regattas at all times. For this reason, parents or minders must maintain a duty of care for their child at all times. The Head of Friends’ Rowing will be on hand to assist with any issues that may arise at the regatta. Whilst on the water students will be supervised by a host of boat race officials and boat rescue personnel. These volunteers are provided and organised by Rowing Tasmania and Tasmanian School Rowing Association. A St John ambulance will also be onsite at every regatta.

3. The Sheds

The Friends' School boat shed is Located at the end of Lallaby Rd, Lutana. Through the great endeavours and hard work of members of Friends’ Rowing, and tremendous support from the School, the sheds have been extensively redeveloped over the years. They are sheds to be proud of and they need to be maintained. We encourage parents and families to come inside and help themselves to tea and coffee while waiting for their child to complete training.

Guidelines for use of the sheds

People within the rowing community are encouraged to view the sheds as their own. The boats and equipment within the sheds are a result of our community’s fundraising efforts and therefore should be looked after and maintained by us all to enjoy well into the future. A welcoming and respectful manner is to upheld at all times.

• No students are permitted in the sheds without appropriate adult supervision

• Parents and students must be courteous of our neighbours. This includes keeping noise to a minimum when using sheds for morning training and being mindful of parking during boat loading and pasta nights.

• All equipment at the sheds has a storage location. All equipment is to be returned to its storage location after use

• The change rooms are located on the first floor. They are excellent facilities and are to be maintained in good condition at all times. Adults are encouraged to make use of the toilets on the ground floor.

• Use of ergometers and exercise bikes can only be undertaken under the supervision of coaches

• On arrival, students should proceed to prepare for the training they are there to complete. This includes promptly getting changed, getting oars and gear prepared, preparing coaches boats on the water.

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Car Pooling

Once rowing groups are established it is often possible to share the burden of early morning transport between parents. It is a good idea to get to know the other parents in your group to arrange these time-saving options. Please get in touch with your Parent Representative to offer assistance or inquire about an existing roster.

Breakfast at the Sheds

For those students who are asked to train early in the morning, there are good facilities and services available at the rowing sheds. Students are able to shower and breakfast at the Sheds. The Parent Representative will help organise a roster that shares the duty of topping up breakfast supplies on a weekly basis.

4. Communication of Information

Our Website

The Friends’ Rowing website is a great place to start to find a range of information about the Friends’ Rowing program. The website was built by Isabella Pauchett, a past rower of Friends’ Rowing, and is continually updated at the start of each season by senior rowers of the school.

E-mail

All students and parents will be emailed prior to each regatta. The Head of Friends’ Rowing will send out a race program, boat allocations, and any fundraising details to all parents, students, and coaches. Programs can sometimes be finalised by Tasmanian School Rowing Association and Tasmanian Rowing only one or two days before each regatta. This makes it difficult to disseminate this information well ahead of time.

Parent Representatives

The rowing group that your child is a part of will be appointed a parent representative. The parent representative is a good place to seek information about upcoming events, lift rosters or breakfast rosters. The parent representative will email all parents of their child’s rowing squad at the start of each season.

5. Grievance Process

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On occasion, issues arise within Friends’ Rowing that may affect the positive experience of an individual in our community. At these times, a protocol is in place that allows for the issues to be dealt with in a structured way.

If a parent or rower has an issue with a coach or a coaching decision, we insist that the first communication of the problem be with the Head of Rowing, Peter Gibson. 

For concerns regarding rowers from Years 7 – 10, please contact your child’s Head of House. For senior rowers, students in Year 11 - 12, the Head of Clemes can be contacted. On occasions when it is not appropriate to contact these people, please contact the Head of Rowing.

6. Club Rowing

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Friends’ Rowing is a registered club with Rowing Tasmania. Coaches of senior rowing crews choose to enter their crews in Club regattas. All rowers who compete at Club Regattas, known as State Pennant Regattas, are required to be registered rowers with the Rowing Tasmania, at their own expense. This can be organised through the school.

If a student chooses to be a part of Friends’ Rowing and also joins another club, the students’ and parents’ priority will be to the School. In previous years we have had a good working relationship with a number of clubs who understand this requirement. Early and effective communication between all parties is the key.

7. Crew Selection

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In support of the Friends’ School’s Purpose and Concerns document, Friends’ Rowing focuses on providing students with the opportunity to develop physically, socially and emotionally. We strive to offer all in our care the opportunity to reach their potential as rowers, crew members and individuals that act with integrity.

Crew selection and the seating of crews is the decision of the coach of that group of rowers. During the first regattas of the year, coaches will aim to create crews of rowers with mixed ability. Towards the end of the season, at the School Championships and Head of the River, coaches will aim to crew boats that allow like-minded students with similar abilities to row together. This decision will be based on a number of criteria including demonstrated levels of fitness, technical ability, teamwork, and attitude. Every effort will be made to provide students with the maximum number of rows at each regatta. Illness or injury of crewmates and regatta cancelation may impact these decisions at the last minute. Parents and students can help this process by supporting the coach’s decision. If a query is to be raised it will need to be taken up directly with the Head of Friends’ Rowing.

The Opens Rowing program is to be viewed in the same light as any other 1st team offered by the Friends’ School. Students will be arranged in crews with the goal of creating the fastest boat on the water. The coach will make these decisions with oversight from the Head of Rowing.

The duration of the rowing season allows students to develop their skills and abilities over the course of the year. With this in mind, it is important to understand that a crew selected at the start of the season will not necessarily stay the same. The coach can change crew selections and crew seating at any stage throughout the year.  Rowers who are not successful in a 1st crew will still be given the opportunity to train and row at all regattas.

8. Levies

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Rowing is an expensive sport for the School to provide to its students. Boats, oars, fuel for safety boats and travel expenses to regattas are just some examples of the ongoing expenses incurred by Friends’ Rowing. In addition, it should be noted that Friends’ pays all school regatta entrance fees. Entries for club rowing regattas are charged as an addition to the school accounts at the end of the season.