Dear Parents and Rowers,

Welcome to the 2022-23 Junior Program at the Argonaut Rowing Club (ARC). In this document, please find the Full-Value Contract for the Junior program, the basic protocol and expectations, some helpful tips, fee guidelines and regatta information.

COVID-19

With the current COVID-19 situation constantly evolving, we are faced with a unique set of challenges.  The ARC policies have been developed to ensure the safety and well-being of all our members, guests, staff and volunteers, as well as compliance with government direction.  These policies are subject to change to meet Public Health guidelines and the guidance provided by local, provincial, federal agencies as well as our rowing organizations Row Ontario (RO) and Rowing Canada Aviron (RCA).

Our athletes continue to practice as we wait for information on regattas which are sanctioned by Rowing Canada through Row Ontario. All members, including juniors are required to follow the safety protocols as outlined by ARC.

The most important element of ARC’s safety protocols is the Access Card/Tag. Every member must have their own, as it is used  (a) to confirm that they have taken a self-administered health screening prior to coming to the Club and are displaying no COVID-19 symptoms and (b) for contact tracing, if necessary.

Practice times are Monday - Friday (3:30 - 6:00 PM) and Saturdays (10:00 AM-2:00 PM). 

We are very lucky to have Killian O’Shea, Erich Schultze, Sara McGuigan, Megan Haley, Mike Ostrowski, Bob Blunt, and Graham Bolton to assist with coaching this season. This team has many years of high-level rowing and coaching experience, and will challenge each and every one of you to push yourselves every day.

Please remember that this is a competitive program. Unlike sports such as hockey or soccer, there are very few competitions as compared to practices. As a result, rowers train year-round for only a handful of competitions. If athletes and crews wish to do well at competitions, they must attend practice. For crew boats, every member of a crew must be present for practices and regattas to ensure that the entire team may practice and compete.

Because of this, we require athletes to let us know as far in advance as possible if they will need to miss practice (understanding that unexpected emergencies do occur), and to inform the Head Junior Coach via email or phone if they are running late (which will not become a habit of any rower!).

During these unprecedented times, our athletes continued to train creatively indoors, attended zoom sessions to motivate each other and stayed on top of training.  As the province slowly began to re-open in stages, we also began on-water training with singles and same-household doubles. We remain hopeful that after the Stay at Home order from the provincial government, when Toronto is again allowed to re-open, that we will be able to get back on the water at our usual time at the end of march.

Stay tuned as we carefully re-open in stages.    

Whenever you need to contact me or have any questions, I am reachable at the following:

coach@argonautrowingclub.com

250 812 6488

Connor Elsdon

ARC Junior team Full-Value Contract

With the goal of being the best team we can possibly be, the ARC juniors, coaches, and volunteers have collaborated to create this contract. We agree to be:

Supportive & Cooperative, by:

• Being problem solvers
• Paying attention to our teammates and helping on the dock and on the water
• Encouraging our teammates and acknowledging their success
• Using our personal strengths to make the team better

Driven, by:

• Challenging everyone to be better
• Putting our best foot forward
• Giving 100% on and off the water

Positive & Joyful, by:

• Positively affecting others
• Celebrating victories and learning from losses
• Always being excited to be present

Honest & Encouraging, by:

• Giving welcome feedback
• Being supportive and helpful to all our teammates, new and old
• Owning our mistakes and acting with integrity

Inclusive and Friendly, by:

• Being welcoming to new members
• Seeking ways to support my teammates; not waiting to be asked
• Treating everyone equally, regardless of their background

Respectful & Courageous, by:

• Being kind to everyone regardless of their skill, experience, or age
• Following the Golden Rule by acknowledging and respecting the boundaries set by others
• Standing up for our teammates when they’re being mistreated

Safe & Reliable, by:

• Being punctual and listening to instructions
• Being there to help our teammates at practice, regattas, and more
• Reading and understanding the club safety policy
• Reporting any damage regardless of who caused it

COVID-19 Procedures 

All members must follow the strict zero-tolerance COVID-19 Policies. 

As of June 24, 2020, Members must scan their Access Card/Tag at the parking lot gate, and by doing so are explicitly acknowledging that they are answering “NO” to all of the questions on the Health Assessment, and that you accept the inherent risks of doing so, if you are in the at risk* population.  This is a Toronto Public Health and RCA/RO strict requirement to ensure we keep COVID out of ARC. 

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

We offer both a Development and a Performance rowing program, detailed below.

Development Group:

• 3 training sessions per week: Tuesday, Friday (4:30 - 6:30 PM), and Saturdays (times will be rotated between 10 AM - 2 PM)
• Attend Argos’ own regattas, as well as select Spring and Summer regattas (when permitted by Public Health guidelines)
• Recommended for athletes new to rowing.

Performance Group:

• 7 training sessions per week throughout the year (with the potential for more sessions depending on racing/recruitment goals)
• Structured training 45+ weeks/year
• Typically attend approximately 10-13 regattas per year (spring, summer & fall seasons--when permitted by Public Health).

ENTRY FEES FOR REGATTAS

The ARC membership fee covers training and program costs.  Regattas are billed separately. The cost of entry fees for races are determined by crews that each individual athlete is a part of, and the number of races that each of these crews have been entered into. In addition to the entry fee, there will be a per race seat fee that will be charged by Rowing Canada based on the number of races an individual athlete participates in. There is also a trailering fee charged by the Club to cover the costs of transporting boats and other equipment to the regattas.  

All applicable entry, seat and trailer fees must be paid for prior to the regatta date. Regattas bill the Club for the entries and seat fees. Once entries have been submitted and paid by the club, a reminder email will be sent to everyone who is racing at that regatta and all outstanding fees will be listed on that particular regatta’s page on the Argonaut website.  An example is at the following address:

http://www.argonautrowingclub.com/2019-regattas/?regatta=Canada

Outstanding entry fees will be listed by athlete’s name and can be paid by credit card following the instructions on each regatta information page.  An example with the process and the club’s entry fees policies is below:

• Find your name in the list below, see what your total fees are.
• The way to pay:

1. Go to the Argo store; look for the regatta name and put in the amount you owe. Put your name/info in the comments section.

• Payments are due with the entries.
• Payments made after noon the day before the trailer loading are subject to a $5 late fee.
• Payments made after the trailer has been loaded are subject to a $10 late fee.
• Payments made after the athlete raced their first race at a regatta are subject to a $15 late fee.

Estimated Program Fees

Please keep in mind that due to local, provincial, and federal regulations, many of these events may be cancelled. We will provide updates on the status of competitions whenever we are able.

Our program is subsidized by the club and we are proud to be able to offer high-level junior training at a reasonable cost. That said, rowing can be expensive, especially when travelling to top-level races or taking a fully-supported Spring training trip. Below is a rough outline of the costs associated with the competitive program:

RACING

Racing occurs at both regattas and in competitive practices. For the Performance group, racing is why we train. We train our technical abilities, our physiology, and our mentality toward achieving our best performance when it is time to race.

Despite the nervousness and pressure that surrounds racing, it is a simple act. Technique during a race is no different from what we practice every day and hone during technical steady-state rows. To be nervous for a race is a good sign; it suggests that your body is prepared and ready to perform at its optimal capacity. All of your work, from technical rows to high-intensity competitive practices, is designed to improve your racing performance by training your physiology for maximal aerobic and anaerobic output. Here are three general points that summarize the racing experience and should guide your outlook on racing:

1. Racing is uncomfortable to the body and challenging for your mind. It is hard work! Every competitor has a breaking point at which they’ll ease off and concede defeat, so the longer you are willing to push yourself, the better your chances will be at defeating your competitors.

2. No-one, in a practice or at a regatta, will concede you an inch. Every seat you take on a competitor is one that you and your teammates must earn. Be bold and aggressive when you race! We know that you’ll find that racing aggressively is SO. MUCH. FUN.

3. Be honest with yourself, and by extension your crewmates. It is difficult to truly “leave it all on the water” but the satisfaction that comes with such a complete effort is the best part of this sport. Be honest with your performance, and diligent with your training, and you will experience the highest level of satisfaction and camaraderie possible in sport (not to mention, you might win some hardware!).

GETTING READY FOR A REGATTA

The Week Leading Up to the Regatta

• Drink lots of fluids (try to increase your fluid intake above your normal levels).
• Eat lots of (nutritious) food and do so regularly. Consume properly balanced pre- and post-workout mini-meals. (Hint: you should be doing this all year!)
• Get plenty of rest. Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep per night. (Hint: you should also be doing this all year!)
• Other than family emergencies, the regatta should be your primary focus. Please make arrangements with your employer (if applicable) for the regatta weekends.
• Either pack a cooler, or buy food that needs no refrigeration, to bring with you to the regatta. The Parents Committee may be able to provide some food and drink, but don't take any chances on being hungry or thirsty. Most regattas have canteens, but the food is not always healthy and they may run out. Be sure to bring water-bottles and/or sport drinks.
• Pack clothing for any type of weather (cold, hot, wind, rain, etc.).
• Pack a chair to bring with you to the regatta, for sitting around near the trailer waiting for your next race.
• Bring sunscreen (preferably the water and sweat-proof kind) and a hat.
• Bring your racing uniform, and a change of clothes if you get wet.
• Trailer loading and unloading is compulsory, both at the club and at the regatta site (coaches will specify in advance at what time these are to take place).

During the Regatta

• Be sure to arrive on time in the morning (the coaching staff will tell you when to be at the course, but a good guideline is two hours prior to your first race).
• Whenever you are not racing, you should be doing at least some of the following: wearing a hat, resting in the shade, keeping off your feet, wearing weather-appropriate clothing, fueling yourself for the next race, and/or getting ready for your next race.
• Approximately 60 minutes before your race is called check your boat for proper rig, foot stretcher/slides/oarlock-height placement, and ensure that all bolts are tight.
• Be sure to refuel with food and fluid before and between races. Determine how much to consume depending on how much time you have between races, and how your stomach feels. At the very least, something small like a power bar, smoothie, and a gulp of Gatorade should do the trick.
• Review the schedule and know exactly when your races and calls are (usually crews are called 30-45 minutes before the race is due to start). You should have a cheap, waterproof watch to wear at regattas. If you need to hot-seat, be sure to be waiting at the dock to get your boat.
• Do not do anything that would embarrass or disqualify yourself, your teammates, or the club (e.g. poor sportsmanship, missing calls/races, abusing people, etc.)
• When possible (e.g., if it does not interfere with your own crews/races), cheer on your teammates.
• Race hard and have fun!