About
The Varsity team is a competitive, year-round program for experienced high school rowers (have completed at least two novice seasons) . The club is not affiliated with any school district and rowers come from a range of area-schools (including home-schooled students). Rowers have come from as far away as Corning, Elmira, Watkins Glen, and Whitney Point.
Spring 2026 Season
The Varsity team develops athletes for competing at the highest level regionally and nationally. Intensive physical and technical training is anchored in the values of teamwork, accountability and effort.
Who: Rowers in grades 9-12 who have completed one full year (or two seasons) of novice rowing (Started rowing Spring 2024 or before)
Season Dates and Times
First two weeks: Varsity Boys Squad
Dates: Monday, March 2nd– Friday, March 13 (or longer if the water is not accessible)
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday 4:15-6:15 PM @ YMCA
First two weeks: Varsity Girls Squad
Dates: Monday, March 2nd– Friday, March 13 (or longer if the water is not accessible)
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday 6:00 - 8:00 AM @ YMCA
On water season ALL Varsity (practice at CBC boathouse)
Dates: Monday March 16th - Monday May 25th
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday 5:45-8:00am
*There will be practice over Spring break (March 30 - April 3). Varsity rowers are expected to attend unless they have family commitments. Practice times over break may be moved later in the morning depending on coach availability.
Total fees $1580
Season Fee = $575. This fee includes coaching, programming, equipment and facility use.
Race fees include entry fees, athlete transport, boat transport, regatta nutrition and housing when the regatta requires it.
Mercer Regatta Fee $390 + Syracuse Regatta Fee $105 + States Regatta Fee $400 + 1 day Pittsford Regatta Fee $110
Payment options:
** If an athlete competes both days at States Regatta, there would be a separate fee of $100 for the additional day. This is a coach and athlete decision
***Scholarships are available. The mission of Cascadilla Boat Club is to make rowing available to the Ithaca Community. Please contact [email protected] for more info
Regattas
Varsity Program: Extra Day
What: an opportunity for rowers who want to train more intensely to get additional days on the water.
Who: Rowers in 10th-12th grade who have been rowing for at least one full year and had at least one season on Varsity. Rowers make a commitment to training 6 days a week.
Season dates: Saturday, March 28 - Saturday, May 16
Practice times: Saturdays 6:45-8:45am,
Program Fee: $200
CBC Community Events This Season:
Saturday March 15th - Boathouse Opening/work day (9:30am-11:30am)
Thursday, May 29th – Ithaca Fest Parade (rowers are invited to join the CBC float)
TBD June - Spring Season Banquet 6-8pm @ Stewart Park Large Pavilion
Saturday, June 7th - Learn to Row Day– experienced rowers will be asked to help with an open house, giving rowing lessons to community members.
Time Commitments
Rowers on the varsity squad must make a strong commitment to attend all practices and races. Each boat depends on the punctuality and consistent attendance of every single rower. It is always challenging to balance the practice schedule with academic, family, and extracurricular commitments. But the effort pays off, with rowers continually challenging themselves to improve their overall fitness and set personal records in erg times. It pays off in the confidence rowers develop as they gain technical mastery of the sport. And, finally, the commitment to rowing pays off in the camaraderie that grows as rowers work towards a shared goal, coordinating their strokes into a single, fast, and powerful rhythm. Varsity rowers must also make the commitment to participate in CBC fundraising activities throughout the year.
A note on practices...
All spring, summer, and fall practices meet at the Cascadilla Boathouse in Stewart Park. Weather permitting, practices are held on the Cayuga inlet, the Fall Creek Inlet, and Cayuga Lake. Typically, boats go out in most weather except when there is a strong north wind or thunder. I f the weather does not allow rowing, practices are held on-land and include aerobic workouts, strength training, erging, and stretching.
Spring 2026 Season
The Varsity team develops athletes for competing at the highest level regionally and nationally. Intensive physical and technical training is anchored in the values of teamwork, accountability and effort.
Who: Rowers in grades 9-12 who have completed one full year (or two seasons) of novice rowing (Started rowing Spring 2024 or before)
Season Dates and Times
First two weeks: Varsity Boys Squad
Dates: Monday, March 2nd– Friday, March 13 (or longer if the water is not accessible)
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday 4:15-6:15 PM @ YMCA
First two weeks: Varsity Girls Squad
Dates: Monday, March 2nd– Friday, March 13 (or longer if the water is not accessible)
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday 6:00 - 8:00 AM @ YMCA
On water season ALL Varsity (practice at CBC boathouse)
Dates: Monday March 16th - Monday May 25th
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday 5:45-8:00am
*There will be practice over Spring break (March 30 - April 3). Varsity rowers are expected to attend unless they have family commitments. Practice times over break may be moved later in the morning depending on coach availability.
Total fees $1580
Season Fee = $575. This fee includes coaching, programming, equipment and facility use.
Race fees include entry fees, athlete transport, boat transport, regatta nutrition and housing when the regatta requires it.
Mercer Regatta Fee $390 + Syracuse Regatta Fee $105 + States Regatta Fee $400 + 1 day Pittsford Regatta Fee $110
Payment options:
- Pay the Season Fee when you register for the team. Pay for regatta fees the week of the regatta.
- Split the total fee (training/practice + regatta fees) into three monthly payments over the course of the season.
- If you are in a position to do so, you can use the Donations option on your Payments page in iCrew to pay for all or a portion of an additional rowers regatta fees
** If an athlete competes both days at States Regatta, there would be a separate fee of $100 for the additional day. This is a coach and athlete decision
***Scholarships are available. The mission of Cascadilla Boat Club is to make rowing available to the Ithaca Community. Please contact [email protected] for more info
Regattas
- Mercer Lake Sprints: Friday - Sunday, April 17-19 at Mercer Lake in West Windsor, NJ
- This is an overnight trip. The athletes will depart from Ithaca on Friday morning, arrive rig and practice on the course on Friday afternoon, race all day Saturday and Sunday morning, returning to Ithaca Sunday evening.
- Central District Regatta: Saturday, May 2 – Central District Regatta in Syracuse, NY
- New York State Championships: Friday - Sunday, May 8-10– New York State Championships at Saratoga Springs, NY
- This is an overnight trip. Most athletes on the boys squad will depart Friday noon and return Saturday night. Most athletes on the girls squad will depart Saturday noon and return Sunday Night.
- Pittsford Regatta: Saturday & Sunday, May 23 & 24 in Rochester, NY
- Events are split over two days, rowers may race one or both days, but do not stay overnight.
Varsity Program: Extra Day
What: an opportunity for rowers who want to train more intensely to get additional days on the water.
Who: Rowers in 10th-12th grade who have been rowing for at least one full year and had at least one season on Varsity. Rowers make a commitment to training 6 days a week.
Season dates: Saturday, March 28 - Saturday, May 16
Practice times: Saturdays 6:45-8:45am,
Program Fee: $200
CBC Community Events This Season:
Saturday March 15th - Boathouse Opening/work day (9:30am-11:30am)
Thursday, May 29th – Ithaca Fest Parade (rowers are invited to join the CBC float)
TBD June - Spring Season Banquet 6-8pm @ Stewart Park Large Pavilion
Saturday, June 7th - Learn to Row Day– experienced rowers will be asked to help with an open house, giving rowing lessons to community members.
Time Commitments
Rowers on the varsity squad must make a strong commitment to attend all practices and races. Each boat depends on the punctuality and consistent attendance of every single rower. It is always challenging to balance the practice schedule with academic, family, and extracurricular commitments. But the effort pays off, with rowers continually challenging themselves to improve their overall fitness and set personal records in erg times. It pays off in the confidence rowers develop as they gain technical mastery of the sport. And, finally, the commitment to rowing pays off in the camaraderie that grows as rowers work towards a shared goal, coordinating their strokes into a single, fast, and powerful rhythm. Varsity rowers must also make the commitment to participate in CBC fundraising activities throughout the year.
A note on practices...
All spring, summer, and fall practices meet at the Cascadilla Boathouse in Stewart Park. Weather permitting, practices are held on the Cayuga inlet, the Fall Creek Inlet, and Cayuga Lake. Typically, boats go out in most weather except when there is a strong north wind or thunder. I f the weather does not allow rowing, practices are held on-land and include aerobic workouts, strength training, erging, and stretching.
