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 2025 Season
Pre-season (indoor training)
Dates: Monday March 3rd – Friday March 21st
Monday, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 4:15-6:15pm @ East Hill Plaza
Wednesdays 7:30-9:00pm at Cornell Tanks
On water season (practice at CBC boathouse)
Dates: Monday March 24th - Sunday May 25th
Girls Squad: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 6:00-8:00am
**There will be practice over April break (April 14th - 19th). 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.
Regattas:
Saturday, May 3 Central District Regatta at Syracuse (races start at noon, due to SAT)
Friday-Sunday, May 9-11 NY State Championships at Saratoga Springs
**overnight trip. Majority of the Boys will depart Friday noon and return Saturday night. Majority of the girl will depart Saturday noon and return Sunday Night)
Saturday & Sunday, May 24-25 Pittsford Regatta near Rochester (events are split over two days, rowers may race one or both days, but do not stay overnight)
Program Fee: $400 rowers, $200 coxswains
Regatta Fees (projected): Head of Genesee - $125, Head of the Fish - $300, Head of the Charles $350
Spring Parents Meeting: Wednesday, March 19th, 5:30pm at East Hill Plaza
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)
Thursday June 5th - Spring Season Banquet 6-8pm @ Stewart Park Large Pavilion
Saturday, June 7th- Learn to Row Day– experienced rowers will be asked to help with open house, giving rowing lessons to community members.
Program Fee:
Rowers - $565, Coxswain $285
Regatta Fees (estimated) Central District $100, NY States $400, Pittsford $150
*Fee waivers and half-fee registrations are available. Cascadilla has funds set aside to provide reduced fees with the goal of making rowing available to the Ithaca Community.
Varsity Extra Days
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 who can make a commitment to training 6 days a week and have had minimal absences in past seasons
Note: 9th graders should not sign up for this program
Practice times: Fridays 6-8am, Saturdays 6:45-8:45am,
Season dates: Friday, March 28th - Friday, May 3rd, plus May 16-17 & 23 (off May 3, 9, 10 and 24 due to regattas)
Program Fee: $230
Winter Conditioning
Winter training sessions focus on maintaining and increasing strength and fitness in between racing seasons. Practices include both aerobic workouts, strength training, erging, and stretching. In general, practices are after school and practice location varies depending on availability of indoor space in the Ithaca area (the boathouse is not winterized).
Summer Rowing:
The competitive program in the summer focuses on sculling (two oars per person) in one-person, two-person, and four-person boats. The team occasionally rows in sweep boats depending on participant numbers and the interest and comfort level of rowers. Summer is a good time for modified and novice rowers to transition up to the varsity team.
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 2025 Season
Pre-season (indoor training)
Dates: Monday March 3rd – Friday March 21st
Monday, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 4:15-6:15pm @ East Hill Plaza
Wednesdays 7:30-9:00pm at Cornell Tanks
On water season (practice at CBC boathouse)
Dates: Monday March 24th - Sunday May 25th
Girls Squad: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 6:00-8:00am
**There will be practice over April break (April 14th - 19th). 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.
Regattas:
Saturday, May 3 Central District Regatta at Syracuse (races start at noon, due to SAT)
Friday-Sunday, May 9-11 NY State Championships at Saratoga Springs
**overnight trip. Majority of the Boys will depart Friday noon and return Saturday night. Majority of the girl will depart Saturday noon and return Sunday Night)
Saturday & Sunday, May 24-25 Pittsford Regatta near Rochester (events are split over two days, rowers may race one or both days, but do not stay overnight)
Program Fee: $400 rowers, $200 coxswains
Regatta Fees (projected): Head of Genesee - $125, Head of the Fish - $300, Head of the Charles $350
Spring Parents Meeting: Wednesday, March 19th, 5:30pm at East Hill Plaza
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)
Thursday June 5th - Spring Season Banquet 6-8pm @ Stewart Park Large Pavilion
Saturday, June 7th- Learn to Row Day– experienced rowers will be asked to help with open house, giving rowing lessons to community members.
Program Fee:
Rowers - $565, Coxswain $285
Regatta Fees (estimated) Central District $100, NY States $400, Pittsford $150
*Fee waivers and half-fee registrations are available. Cascadilla has funds set aside to provide reduced fees with the goal of making rowing available to the Ithaca Community.
Varsity Extra Days
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 who can make a commitment to training 6 days a week and have had minimal absences in past seasons
Note: 9th graders should not sign up for this program
Practice times: Fridays 6-8am, Saturdays 6:45-8:45am,
Season dates: Friday, March 28th - Friday, May 3rd, plus May 16-17 & 23 (off May 3, 9, 10 and 24 due to regattas)
Program Fee: $230
Winter Conditioning
Winter training sessions focus on maintaining and increasing strength and fitness in between racing seasons. Practices include both aerobic workouts, strength training, erging, and stretching. In general, practices are after school and practice location varies depending on availability of indoor space in the Ithaca area (the boathouse is not winterized).
Summer Rowing:
The competitive program in the summer focuses on sculling (two oars per person) in one-person, two-person, and four-person boats. The team occasionally rows in sweep boats depending on participant numbers and the interest and comfort level of rowers. Summer is a good time for modified and novice rowers to transition up to the varsity team.
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.
