About
The Varsity team is a competitive, year-round program for experienced high school rowers (have completed at least two novice seasons/ at the discretion of the coach) . 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.
Fall and Spring
The Varsity squad practices Monday-Friday from 6:00am-8:00am and Saturday from 8:00am-10:00 a.m. In the Fall and Spring seasons, varsity rowers generally row sweep boats (one oar per person), and row in four- and eight-person boats. The team races at ~4 weekend regattas per season.
Fall races range between 3-5 km and are referred to as head races, in which boats have staggered starts and the fastest start-to-finish time wins (similar to cross country running). Past fall regattas include: Head of the Fish, Row for the Cure, and Head of the Gennesee.
Spring races are 1.5 km sprints, in which two or more boats start together and compete side-by-side (like in olympic rowing races and similar to track).
Past spring regattas include: Section III Championship Regatta, New York State Championship Regatta, and the Pittsford Regatta.
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. The varsity squad practices six days a week, a challenging schedule to balance 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. In the fall, rowers volunteer their time raking leaves and performing other chores for the Rent-a-Rower fundraiser. The end of spring Row for Humanity event raises money for Habitat for Humanity and CBC. These funds support equipment purchases and scholarships to defray registration fees. Other social events that help build team spirit include the Stewart Park clean up day, regular team dinners and an end-of-season banquet.
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.
Fall and Spring
The Varsity squad practices Monday-Friday from 6:00am-8:00am and Saturday from 8:00am-10:00 a.m. In the Fall and Spring seasons, varsity rowers generally row sweep boats (one oar per person), and row in four- and eight-person boats. The team races at ~4 weekend regattas per season.
Fall races range between 3-5 km and are referred to as head races, in which boats have staggered starts and the fastest start-to-finish time wins (similar to cross country running). Past fall regattas include: Head of the Fish, Row for the Cure, and Head of the Gennesee.
Spring races are 1.5 km sprints, in which two or more boats start together and compete side-by-side (like in olympic rowing races and similar to track).
Past spring regattas include: Section III Championship Regatta, New York State Championship Regatta, and the Pittsford Regatta.
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. The varsity squad practices six days a week, a challenging schedule to balance 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. In the fall, rowers volunteer their time raking leaves and performing other chores for the Rent-a-Rower fundraiser. The end of spring Row for Humanity event raises money for Habitat for Humanity and CBC. These funds support equipment purchases and scholarships to defray registration fees. Other social events that help build team spirit include the Stewart Park clean up day, regular team dinners and an end-of-season banquet.
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.
