ARGONAUT ROWING CLUB

2025 LEARN-TO-TRAIN PROGRAM

PROGRAM OVERVIEW                                                                        2

        Adult Rowing Pathway                                                                2

        Session Schedule                                                                        3

        Holiday Schedule (no practice)                                                        3

        Program Coordinators & Coaches                                                        3

PRACTICE LOGISTICS                                                                                4

        Communication                                                                        4

        When to Arrive                                                                        4

        Signing up for Practices                                                                4

        Spares                                                                                        4

        Procedure for Missing a Practice                                                        5

        Late Arrivals                                                                                5

        “No Shows” / No Notice                                                                5

SUMMARY OF WEEKLY PRACTICE GOALS                                                        6

BOAT ALLOCATION POLICY                                                                        7

TRAFFIC PATTERN                                                                                8

ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR CLUB ROWING                                        9

APPENDIX 1: SKILLS ASSESSMENT PROCEDURE                                                10

        After the Skills Assessment                                                                

APPENDIX 2: SKILLS ASSESSMENT – LIST OF SKILLS                                        11

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

The Learn-to-Train (“LTT”) program is geared towards rowers who have either recently graduated from a Learn-to-Row class or are coming back to rowing after some time away from the sport. Participants of this program will hone their boat-handling skills, improve their technique, and build their rowing fitness to help them reach their rowing goals in a fun and engaging environment. By the end of Learn-to-Train, participants can expect to have gained the skills necessary to join the Club Rowing program.

The Learn-to-Train program has three rowing practices per week, for eight (8) weeks. To get the most out of their rowing experience, participants are advised to come to all three practices per week; however attendance at each practice is not mandatory. There are seven LTT sessions offered over the course of the 2025 rowing season: Session A; B, C, D, E, F, and G. Sessions are eight (8) weeks in length and only run on weekday evenings from 6:30 - 8:00pm. Session schedule is on the next page.

To learn more about the LTT program, keep reading this document!

ADULT ROWING PATHWAY:

SESSION SCHEDULE

* Session B will start on Tuesday, 20 May instead of Monday, 19 May due to Victoria Day.

** Canada Day is on a Tuesday. For that week, LTT-B and LTT-D will only run on Wednesday & Thursday.

Learn to Train does not run practice on statutory holidays. Here is the list of dates where we will NOT run practice:

LTT COORDINATORS & COACHES

Julie McKernan – Learn to Train Manager and Coach. Manages coaches, practice schedule, and participant registration. Reach out over email: learntotrain@argonautrowingclub.com 

Coaches: Piper Treadwell, Andrew Gordienko.

PRACTICE LOGISTICS

COMMUNICATIONS

The “2025 Learn-to-Train” WhatsApp group is the primary method of communication for the LTT program. Upon completion of registration, you will be emailed an invitation to join the WhatsApp group. In the description of this group there is a Practice Sign-up Spreadsheet as well as some additional resources.

WHEN TO ARRIVE

Please arrive 15 minutes prior to practice start in order to:

• Change (if need be), fill your water bottle, etc;
• Check in with the coach;
• Check in with your crew;
• Help to assemble the coach boat(s).

• Lifejacket bag (beside bay door in C bay);
• White safety ladder (beside bay door in C bay);
• Paddle (beside bay door in C bay);
• Matching numbered gas tank (in cage along entrance gate);
• White bucket with Transport Canada required equipment (beside bay door in C bay).

SIGNING UP FOR PRACTICES

Use the Practice Sign-up Spreadsheet in the WhatsApp group description to sign up for practices. There are two tabs in this spreadsheet: one for practice sign-ups and one for boat assignments.

For the purpose of signing up, the week starts on Sunday. Sign-ups for the following week open every Sunday and close every Friday at 11:59pm. The LTT Coordinator will release the boat assignments for the following week before the sign up opens again on Sunday.

SPARES

Each session has a capacity of 10 participants. If everyone is available for a practice, one participant will cox and the other will be designated as the spare. The role of the spare is important: if another participant is late or needs to cancel at the last minute, the spare will take the rower’s spot. If all ten rowers show up to practice on time, the spare gets to sit in the coach boat with the coach and learn.

Every practice, the spares are rotated so that all participants get an equal opportunity to row. We encourage all spares to come to practice because: (a) participants might be late; (b) participants might cancel unexpectedly, and (c) it’s a great learning opportunity to sit in a coach boat with a coach!

PROCEDURE FOR MISSING A PRACTICE

Rowing is a crew sport and everything an individual does in the boat (and before getting into the boat) affects the rest of their crew. At the same time, life happens and part of the nature of a recreational program is having flexibility with practices. In the case where a last minute cancellation, or any cancellation, is necessary, members are responsible for letting their coach and crew know. Even though spares are at practice by default, it is good practise to communicate absences/lateness so that coaches can plan and spares can prepare.

LATE ARRIVALS

If a rower who is scheduled to be in a boat arrives late, the first spare on the list will be put in their spot and the late rower will become a spare. “Late” is defined as arriving after the posted practice start time (6:30pm).

“NO SHOWS” / NO NOTICE

“No shows” are rowers who do not come to practice without giving proper notification. Criteria for proper notification is:

• Posting in the group chat that you will not be coming to practice:

• Before noon the day of practice.

• Sending a WhatsApp message and/or email to your coach ahead of time.

• Before noon the day of practice.

A rower who is a “no show” twice within two weeks will be automatically placed as a spare for 7 days effective immediately following the second “no show.” For example: if John Smith is signed up on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday but misses practice on Monday and again on Thursday without giving proper notice, he will be taken off the schedule for seven days starting the next practice he is signed up for (Monday).

SUMMARY OF WEEKLY PRACTICE GOALS

Week 1 – Review of Rowing Basics

• Practice One is the New Member Orientation day. No rowing.  MANDATORY.
• Practice Two is half-erging, half rowing. Please prepare for both environments (indoors and outdoors).
• Week Goals: practising proper movements of the rowing stroke; familiarising with basic rowing terms; properly taking the boat in and out; adjusting your footplate.

Week 2 – Starting, Stopping, and Adjusting Course

• Week Goals: get everyone starting at the same spot; stopping terminology; adding or taking away pressure to keep the boat moving straight.

Week 3 – Finding Rhythm Part 1: collecting at the release

• Week Goals: going into and coming out of the release (“finish”) at the same time.

Week 4 – Finding Rhythm Part 2: the recovery

• Week Goals: body swing and moving up the slide together; control the speed of the recovery.

Week 5 – Intro to Sculling

• Week Goals: practising proper movements of the sculling stroke; hand movements.

Week 6 – Going Straight and Adjusting Course

• Week Goals: Adding and removing pressure in sculling to keep the boat moving straight.

Week 7 – Moving Together

• Week Goals: practise putting everything together.

Week 8 – Skills Assessment

• Practice One: Review of sculling skills; skills and drills!
• Practice Two: First six participants complete the Skills Assessment.
• Practice Three: Remaining participants complete the Skills Assessment.

BOAT ALLOCATION POLICY

Policy on Allocations of Small Boats to Members

All new members of the ARC must be approved to row in small boats through the procedure described in this policy, before they will be allocated any small boat equipment: singles and doubles. Recreational (Club) participants will be assessed by the designated Skills Assessment Coach, as identified by the Adult Rowing Coordinator. The Skills Assessment Coach for the 2025 season is Julie McKernan. The determination by the Skills Assessment Coach will be used to determine allocation of any boat, as per the Boat Allocation Policy. Policy includes an Appendix (below) with skills outlined in boat handling, safety, rowing technique, communications/teamwork (RCA skills).

Boat Allocation Policy

Proper handling and care, of easy to damage club equipment, is expected. It takes time to master rowing and elite equipment should only be used by more skilled and experienced crews. The Club Captain manages allocations through an online program known as “iCrew”. Any member or crew wishing to have a specific boat allocated to them should submit a request to their program coach/coordinator, who submits them to the Captain. The Learn-to-Train Coordinator is responsible for booking these shells for the LTT program.  

Report any damage, missing equipment or equipment failure to your Coach/Coordinator/Club Captain whether you were using the boat when this occurred, or you just noticed it. Any collision or capsizing must be reported immediately to the Coach/Coordinator/Captain, regardless of the damage status.  The Coach/Coordinator is responsible for ensuring that the report is recorded properly and communicated to the Captain and General Manager.

TRAFFIC PATTERN

ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR CLUB ROWING

Learn-to-Train participants are not permitted to row outside of their allocated practice times for safety reasons. Upon successfully completing LTT, graduates will go on to join the Club/Rec Rowing program for the remainder of the on-water season. It is important for ALL members of Argonaut Rowing Club to be familiar with our safety protocols, especially the following:

When the Club is under Cold Water Rules, rowers are not allowed to go out without a coach or safety boat accompaniment (different for private boat-owners). Cold Water Rules are in effect when the temperature of the water is below ten degrees Celsius (10oC). This is always at the start of the on-water season; when the docks go in until mid-to-late May, and approaching the end of the on-water season; typically around mid-October until docks out. The Club Captain makes the decision when Cold Water Rules are lifted or brought into effect.

Boat lights are required at certain times of the day: in the mornings before sunrise, in the evenings beginning 30 minutes before sunset, and in periods of low visibility (ie. rain or light fog). Rowing shells must have a dual red/green light affixed to the bow and a white light affixed to the stern, at a height of at least fifteen centimetres (15cm) from the surface of the water. Lights must also be strong enough to be seen from 500m away.

Please make sure that you are familiar with the Argonaut Rowing Club Safety Policy and Club Rules. The link to the Safety Policy is here, and the link to the Club Rules is here. In addition, please ensure that you know and are comfortable with the Club traffic pattern.

CAPSIZE (flip) RECOVERY VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYfvuXcSuqs

• Single flip and recovery: 2:16 - 3:58, audio cuts back in at 2:33.
• Double flip and recovery: 5:15 - 6:16.

Lastly, have fun!

APPENDIX 1: SKILLS ASSESSMENT PROCEDURE

An email explaining the step-by-step process goes out to registered LTT participants in Week 7.

1. The Skills Assessment Coach will observe boat handling skills by members and will determine whether members are skilled enough to handle a small boat, off and on the water. The skills assessment is based on the Long-term Athlete Development (LTAD) model of Rowing Canada. Skills include:

1. Boat Handling (Turning, Backing, Steering, Stopping, Relaxation);
2. Safety (Spatial awareness, Judging boat speed, Awareness of environment, Equipment safety);
3. Technique (Balance, Rhythm / efficiency, Power Application, Blade control, Timing);
4. Communication/Teamwork – Leadership, planning, communication.

For more information on the LTAD skills categories, please see Appendix 2 - List of Skills. 

2. The determination by the Skills Assessment Coach will be used by the Club Captain to determine allocation of any boat, as per the Boat Allocation Policy.
3. If the Skills Assessment Coach determines that the members’ skills are not at a level to permit safe use of the equipment, the Skills Assessment Coach or program coach will provide feedback on areas for improvement.
4. Until members demonstrate a sufficient level of skill, all members that row small boats must be supervised by a coach, accompanying them in a coach boat.

AFTER THE SKILLS ASSESSMENT

Pass: For the two weeks, or six practices, following the successful completion of Learn-to-Train, graduates can only row bigger boats (quad, four, eight) where at least half the boat (and coxswain, as applicable) are experienced rowers. Recent LTT graduates are not allowed to bow. Once the two week or six practice "probation" period is over, LTT graduates are fully fledged Club Rowers and have no additional conditions to rowing outside of the Safety Policy, Club Rules, and other Club policies. If it is observed that a member is unable to maintain safety on the water (ie. inability to stay on the proper side of the course; make bowing calls that put their crew in danger), any Club Coach has the authority to put the conditions back in place.

Fail: Any LTT rower who does not pass a skills assessment will be asked to join the next available session of Learn-to-Train. They may still use Club facilities (ie. erg room, weight room) and attend any/all Club events and clinics.

APPENDIX 2: SKILLS ASSESSMENT – LIST OF SKILLS

Skill Categories

Skill Category 1: Boat handling

The following boat handling skills are required to row independently with safety and confidence and to compete competently and safely in sanctioned regattas.

1. Turning: wide turn (90°), sharp turn (180°), spin turn (360°), to port and starboard
2. Backing: straight line, backing into a marker buoy
3. Steering: align boat/set course, row in straight line, course correction (to port and starboard)
4. Stopping: emergency stop, glide stop, stop from rowing, stop from backing
5. Docking: return to the dock without damaging the bowball, riggers, or shell
6. Lifting the boat from the water without damaging the fin or rudder or any other part of the boat

Skill Category 2: Safety (for rower and equipment)

In addition to basic competence in boat handling, rowing safely involves:

1. Recognizing when the equipment is unsafe to row and/or will be damaged if it is rowed;
2. The ability to judge boat speed;
3. Awareness of surroundings, including flow pattern, areas for turning, location of obstacles and other boats;
4. The ability to read and respond to weather and water conditions, and to recognise when conditions are not safe to row;
5. The ability to capsize and recover unaided.

Skill Category 3: Rowing Technique

Basic elements of rowing technique provide the foundation for injury free, enjoyable and safe rowing, and good boat moving/boat speed. These basic rowing skills include:

1. Balance
2. Rhythm/efficiency
3. Power application
4. Blade control
5. Timing

Skill Category 4: Communication/Teamwork

All the obstacles require crews to demonstrate planning, communication and leadership skills, all of which are critical to safe, enjoyable rowing and competent racing in sanctioned regattas.