Coach Meves' Guidelines & Expectations (he's the novice men's coach) |
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Quick Tips for the Novice Rower |
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NOVICE "A" Boat CriteriaNovice rowing is all about technique. Being the strongest rower does not mean you will make your boat faster. The coaches look at individual ability, attitude, attendance, effort and effect on the rest of the boat when deciding line-ups. Erg scores will be used only as a means to evaluate specific aspects of stroke in order to improve and gauge athletic improvement. |
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Rowing is the ultimate walk-on sportWe open membership to any high school aged athlete in the Greater Columbus area. We serve rowers of every ability from the beginner to the experienced rower to those good enough to participate on the national team. In accordance with US Rowing rules and regulations you will be a novice rower for the first calendar year after you start rowing. After that first year, you will move up to the Varsity level. |
Coaching makes the differenceOur paid coaching staff consists of former and current experienced rowers from the community. Each has undergone safety and boating certification. Each is current in their CPR and sports safety certification. All of our coaches are working on either their Level II or Level III Coaching Certification. The Board has run background checks on each coach and the Club carries liability insurance on our coaches. The coaches are all members of US Rowing. |
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Rowing is a total body workoutRowing only looks like an upper body sport. Although upper body strength is important, the strength of the rowing stroke comes from the legs. Rowing is one of the few athletic activities that involves all of the body's major muscle groups. It is a great aerobic workout, in the same vein as cross-country skiing, and is a low-impact sport on the joints. We offer an off season fitness and conditioning opportunity at our Indoor Education Center in the Dublin Village Shopping Center on Sawmill Road at 270 (at the clock tower). |
Rowers are probably the world's best athletesRowing looks graceful, elegant and sometimes effortless when it is done well. Don't be fooled. Rowers haven't been called the world's most physically fit athletes for nothing. The sport demands endurance, strength, balance, mental discipline, and an ability to continue on when your body is demanding that your stop. We row out of the Griggs Reservoir during its spring and fall seasons. At our “home base” we work on land and on the water. In accordance with proper sports conditioning, a land warm up always precedes a water work out. |
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The boatAlthough spectators will see hundred of different races at a rowing event (called a regatta), there are only six main boat configurations. Sweep boats are mostly pairs (2-), fours (4+) and eights (8+). Scullers row in singles (1x), doubles (2x) and quads (4x). Sweep rowers may or may not carry a coxswain (“cox-n”), the person who steers the boat and serves as the on-the-water coach. All eights have coxswains, but pairs and fours may or may not. In all sculling boats and sweep boats without coxswains, a rower steers the boat by using a rudder moved with the foot. Our equipment inventory includes a double, some fours and some eights so we can accommodate crews of varying size grouped by interest and ability. |
The categoriesRowers are categorized by sex, age, and weight. Our rowers fall into the category of “junior” rowers. By definition junior events are open to rowers 18 or under or those who spent the previous year in high school. There are two weight categories: lightweight and open weight. We offer both open weight and lightweight crews. |
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The equipmentToday's rowing boats are called shells, and they're made of lightweight carbon fiber. The smallest boat on the water is the single scull, which is only 27-30 feet long, a foot wide and approximately 30 pounds. Eights are the largest boats at 60 feet and a little over 200 pounds. Rowers use oars to propel their shells. Sweep oars are longer than sculling oars, typically with carbon fiber handles and rubber grips (although some sweepers still prefer wooden handles). Sculling oars are almost never wood. |
The crewAthletes are identified by their position in the boat. The athlete sitting in the bow, the part of the boat that crosses the finish line first, is the bow seat or Number 1 seat. The person in front of the bow is Number 2 sear, then Number 3 seat, and so on. The rower closest to the stern (that cross the finish line last) is known as the stroke. The stroke of the boat must be a strong rower with excellent technique, as the stroke is the person who sets the rhythm of the boat for the rest of the rowers. |
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SPM not MPHRowers speak in terms of strokes per minute (SPM), literally the number of strokes the boat completes in a minute's time. The stroke rate at the start is high – 38 to 45, even into the 50s for an eight – and then “settles” to a race cadence typically in the 30s. Crews sprint to the finish, taking the rate up once again. Crews may for a “Power 10” during the race – a demand for the Crew's most intense 10 strokes. |
Race watchingThe crew that's making it look easy is most likely the one doing the best job. When watching a race, look for a continuous, fluid motion from the rowers, synchronization in the boat; clean catches, i.e., oars entering the water with little splash; and the boat with the most consistent speed. |
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Sweep (like a broom) and Sculling (with a “c”)There are two basic types of rowing: Sweep rowing and sculling. In sweep rowing, athletes hold one oar with both hands. In sculling, the athletes have two oars, one in each hand. |
Teamwork is number oneRowing isn't a great sport for athletes looking for MVP status. It is, however, teamwork's best teacher. The athlete trying to stand out in an eight will only make the boat slower. The crew made up of individuals willing to sacrifice their personal goals for the team will be on the medal stand together. Winning teammates successfully match their desire, talent and blade work with one another. |
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| Some information plagiarized liberally from US Rowing's "Get a Grip on Rowing" brochure
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Novice
As a novice rower, you may be unfamiliar with some aspects of rowing. You may even be less familiar with our team. The information below will help you get to know Rowing with our team.