Membership
Interested in trying high school rowing? Read on!
Our team has an indoor facility (the Education Center) at 6625 Dublin Center in the Dublin Village Shopping Center just south of I-270 on Sawmill Road. Our team rows at Griggs Reservoir out of our Boat Compound. Traveling south on Riverside, turn into the Park at Nottingham. Our compound is south of Fishinger, just north of the City Water Division's facility. You can mail the Club at P.O. Box 764, Dublin, Ohio 43017 or contact us via email. |
Do I need to know how to row?No. The majority of high school rowers have no experience rowing prior to joining our Club. As a matter of fact, every one of the Athens 2004 Gold Medal Men’s Team Olympic Rowing Winners began their rowing careers either in or AFTER high school. Bryan Volpenhein of the 2004 Gold Medal Men’s Rowing Team rowed on Griggs in competition during his high school days. Our novice program is tailored to teach you how to row. Most rowers don't start rowing until they reach high school. The human body is generally not developed enough for the total body work out rowing provides until the high school years. |
How can I try out rowing before I make a financial commitment?The first two weeks of a season is the best time to try out rowing. Usually the first week is land work including conditioning and learning rowing terms and technique. The second week is on the water experience. The mandatory parent/guardian meeting follows the first two weeks when we ask for a financial commitment. Any rower who is new to our Club is required to complete the registration forms (including contact and medical information) and include a $25 cash or check non-refundable registration fee. Then prior to the parents' meeting that new to Dublin Crew athlete can “try out” the sport to determine if it is a good match. During this time period, you are welcome to invite your friends to give it a try as well. Coaches will accept new athletes after the parents meeting, but those athletes will forfeit their ability to “try it out for free.” |
What is expected out of me the athlete?Physically capable |
What grade must I be to start rowing?You must be in at least 9th grade. We have novice rowers in grades 9, 10, 11, and 12. We have varsity rowers in grades 10, 11, and 12 (it is a US Rowing rule that you move up to varsity one calendar year after you start rowing). As long as you are in grades 9 through 12 you can join our Club. We have had and continue to have athletes from a number of Central Ohio high schools including but not limited to: Olentangy Liberty, Hilliard Davidson, Gahanna Lincoln, Thomas Worthington, St. Charles, Bishop Ready, Bishop Watterson, Village Academy, Centennial, Whetstone, Dublin Coffman, Scioto and Jerome, Columbus Alternative, and Columbus School for Girls as well as home schoolers! Wellington athletes can earn a Wellington School Varsity Letter for their participation on our team. |
I am an upperclassman, why would I start rowing?Besides the obvious getting into shape, meeting new friends and fun, many colleges offer scholarships for rowing. It is never too late to start! |
Where does the team practice?Our primary location is at Griggs Reservoir Marina Area, east side of the Scioto River , south of the Fishinger Bridge, right on COTA bus route 58. We do have an indoor educational facility located at 6625 Dublin Center Drive off of Sawmill at 270 in the Village Square Shopping Center, also on COTA bus route 58. |
What time does the team practice?Traditionally, the novice women have practiced Monday – Friday from 4 – 6 pm.. The novice men have practiced Tuesday – Friday 6:00 – 8:00 pm and on Saturday mornings from 8:00 - 10:00 am. These are subject to change due to the coaches' varying schedules with work conflicts at their other jobs. Please check the Practice Information page on this website. Most of the athletes show up approximately 15 minutes early to stretch and warm up prior to the start of practice. Parking can sometimes be tricky, so please plan an additional 5 minutes for parking time. Parents can drop you off at the shelter house just below our boat compound, but please remember the 10 mph speed limit. |
What clothing or equipment do I need to get started?You need fitted athletic clothing, running shoes, and a water bottle. Novices purchase a team tank top for competition. Spandex is a good idea, but not required. |
What does it cost to be a member of the Club?There are three water based racing seasons each year and a winter conditioning season (which has land based competition). You are welcome to participate in any or all of these seasons. The fall season generally runs from mid-August to early November. The winter conditioning session is in December and runs to start of spring season. Spring season runs from the beginning of March to mid-May. If your boat qualifies for Nationals, your season will be extended to early June to allow you to compete. Summer runs 6 weeks during the summer. There is usually one out of town regatta involved and the season builds to that date. Costs vary by season and method of payment. Our fall and spring season (each) rate is $540 if paid by credit card. We give a $15 discount if you pay by cash, check or cash equivalent, reducing your fee to $525. Summer and WInter have a reduced fee of $265 if paid by credit card, with a $15 discount for cash, check or cash equivalent, reducing your fee to $250. We offer a sibling discount of 10% for each family member who joins the team. A late fee is accessed on all late payments. The only credit cards we currently accept are MasterCard and VISA. |
What do I get for $540 (credit card fee) or the $525 (cash fee)?The fees cover the coaching costs, equipment maintenance, gas for coaching launches, trailer fees, race entry fees, insurance, and food for the athletes and parents at regattas. We do not nickel and dime you or your family for our Club expenses. For example, other clubs do not provide food for your family while attending the all day regattas. We do. The only things that are not covered in the membership cost are team uniforms (you will need to buy one as a novice and then again one when you move up to Varsity - your varsity uniform will last you your entire varsity career on our Club), miscellaneous logo or crew related merchandise (we have it available for you to purchase, but these purchases are discretionary – not mandatory), travel to the regattas (although most are in Ohio when they are a distance you are encouraged to car pool or take our hired bus at a very reasonable pre-set rate), lodging at the regattas (you can either stay in a crew room at a discounted price or if your family is traveling with the team, you should stay in their room at the discounted room rate the hotel gives to our Club families), miscellaneous food, souvenirs, t-shirts that you decide you want to do. |
How does the club keep their costs down and their membership fees so affordable?Our Club does what we like to call “passive” fundraising. Here is a link to our fundraising page. Basically there are three fundraisers we do. In the fall we sell winter greenery near to the holiday break. In the spring we sell ads for the program for the regatta we host. In addition there is a slight mark up on the logo merchandise sales and the yard sign sales. In addition some alumni have purchased Kroger cards and use those gift cards when shopping at Kroger. The 5% proceeds from these purchases goes into the club's general fund. We also (once a quarter) receive 20% of any money spent at Max and Erma's on Franz Road as long as a Team Coupon is attached. We also particpate in GoodSearch.com which is a yahoo-powered search engine that generate $0.01 for our Club each time someone uses it. Please add goodsearch.com to your toolbar so every search you do can benefit the club. |
Can you pay some of your Fees by Fundraising?YES - you can actually pay ALL your fees by personal fundraising. There are two important things you should know about fundraising dollars at our Club. First, our Club does not support any type of mandatory fund raising. Second, It is very easy to pay your entire membership fee from fundraising activities. For example, each ad sold for the Governor’s Cup program can be applied at the rate of 50% to your outstanding fees, now and in the future. For example, if you sell a $100 full page ad, $50 of that will be eligible to offset your fees. 11 full page ads and you will have paid for your entire membership fee plus your uniform. The Club participates in the Kroger Cares program. Currently Kroger rebates to the club 5% of all money that is placed on Club issued Kroger gift cards. Please read our Fundraising page for all the details. A short synopsis of the program is that if you and your friends and family members each have a Kroger gift card issued by the club and you and your supporters refill the card and make purchases of groceries, gasoline, or gift cards, 5% of that dollar amount refilled on the cards credited to you will be credited to your account. If you have 9 cards linked to your name and $100 is recharged on those cards each week, you will be able to have earned your entire season's fee from this fundraiser alone. Ask your relatives, friends, neighbors, teachers, doctors, any one you can think of, to make their Kroger purchases using a Club Gift Card linked to your account! |
What if I still am coming up short with funds?Dublin Crew strives to find a way to allow every student-athlete who wants to row the opportunity to row. Please talk with the Treasurer to see what options are available to you. We want to be positive that any high school student who desires to row is not limited in their ability due to financial circumstances. |
How much travel can I expect?Both seasons usually have three out of town regattas and two local regattas. In Fall we usually travel to Dayton, Westerville, Toledo, Indianapolis, Boston (select crews) and Tennessee. In Spring we usually travel to Cincinnati, Westerville , and Tennessee. Last summer we traveled to Chicago. During the winter we have traveled to Cincinnati and OSU. It depends mostly on the calendar and the talent in our boats. In the past we have taken trips to San Diego and Chattanooga as well as the Philadelphia. We will get you to the most competitive regattas we can. Not all rowing clubs do as much travel as our club does. We feel it is extremely important that our athletes are exposed to other venues and other competition but most especially that the college coaches who are at these other venues are exposed to our athletes. If you are considering rowing in college, our Club will take you to regattas where college coaches are actively analyzing talent in the high school boats for recruits. |
How do I get started?You can complete the registration paperwork found on our forms page. After your payment and registration paperwork is received you are free to attend practice and start learning a sport you can continue the rest of your life |
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