Resources
New to the team? Recruitment advice? This page is dedicated to providing our athletes and parents information that will help with being a part of our team. Click on the buttons below to see what have to offer.
What to Wear
Dress in layers: a base layer which is form fitting and wicks the moisture away from your body (such as the MHS JL tech shirts). Form fitting, synthetic fabrics (CoolMax, Polypro) work best for rowing. Loose shorts can get caught in the slide of the moving seat; and loose shirts can get caught in the oar handles. Cotton shirts hold moisture in and can make you colder.
A second layer for warmth you can add a polartec/fleece shirt which can be removed as you warm up. On windy or rainy days you may need a third layer - a Gore-tex jacket will repel both wind and water. You can order a MHS Crew Boathouse Jacket or a MHS Crew JL Jacket. Both protect you from wind and rain. The Boathouse Jacket comes with a roll away hood; the JL jacket has no hood and is fleece lined (recommended for coxswains).
Spandex shorts or thermal tights are best and do not get caught in the slide (we have polypropylene shorts and long pants that match the MHS JL tech shirts)
Hats are important on cold days for warmth. A beanie/ski hat works well. Baseball-type caps or visors work well to protect your eyes/face from the sun.
If your hands get cold, invest in a pair of pogies. They are fleece gloves that slide over the oar handle and have an opening for your hand. Your hands are still in direct contact with the oar.
Socks made from synthetic or wool, not cotton, are necessary for warm feet. Many rowers use the smartwool socks (available at www.sockcompany.com or www.llbean.com).
For days when the tide is too low to use the docks, you may have to walk the boats in. Body Glove makes a neoprene bootie called a flipper slipper which many rowers like.
Coxswains are especially affected by the cold. Make sure your clothes are waterproof and warm. You may want to try hand and foot warmers in your gloves and socks (available at ski shops or www.rei.com).
Dry Clothes to change into. Even if it is not raining, you never know when your boat may capsize or you may get soaked by a sloppy catch of a fellow rower. Make sure you have warm, dry clothes (sweatshirt, sweatpants, socks) to change into when you come ashore.
Regattas : Remember to bring a change of clothes (did we mention PUT YOUR NAME ON ALL YOUR CLOTHES), extra socks, sunscreen (we occasionally have a regatta without pouring rain and you can get quite a burn on a cloudy day), and a rain parka.
Coxing 101
Take a moment to look though the videos below. Everything here covers what is necessary to be an efficient and safe coxswain.
These are not our videos. We are sharing information for our athletes.
The role of the Cox
How to enter a stake boat/dock
How to Steer
Boat Maneuvering on land
How to Dock
Cox Box Maintenance
Safety Video
Before taking your first strokes, here is what you should know to take the right precautions and be safe.
USRowing has produced an updated safety video with funding provided by a grant from the United States Coast Guard. Since the first safety video was released in the late 1980s, the number of rowing clubs in the U.S. has more than doubled and pleasure boat traffic has increased dramatically.
Recruitment
There are many opportunities for athletes to continue rowing at the collegiate level and beyond. College coaches are always interested in motivated athletes that demonstrate rowing experience, good technical skills, erg scores, and qualifying academics. We are proud of the many MHS juniors who have “graduated” to successful collegiate rowing careers and look forward to assisting others in the process. We are going to try and hold a college recruitment session at the beginning of each spring season for both athletes and parents and our coaching staff will continue to provide continued guidance throughout the year. The plan for the successful scholar/athlete is to first choose a school for the academics and then for the athletic program. College rowing program information sent to MHS will be made available to rowers. The following timeline will help you with the college recruitment process. We will help you with the process. You can also attend a US Rowing recruiting seminar or fair for more information.
Fall of Junior Year:
• Complete the NCAA core course requirements found at www.ncaa.org (initial eligibility).
• Register for NCAA clearing house (www.ncaa.org).
• Post your scores at www.usrowing.org , www.irow.com , www.concept2.com, www.berecruited.com
• College coaches cannot talk to rowers and families until after July 1st, but may answer emails
Winter of Junior Year:
• Work hard during winter training
• Compete in indoor rowing championships (Strong Island Sprints, Crash B’s, etc.)
• Post your scores at www.usrowing.org, www.irow.com , www.concept2.com, www.berecruited.com
• Get noticed: email coaches, send letters of interest, fill out online recruiting forms, and request materials! Be sure to always include your name, address, phone # and email address
Summer after Junior year:
• Keep scores current on web sites
• Contact coaches at schools to which you intend to apply
• Prepare college applications
• Participate in the MHS summer programs and compete at the USRowing Club National Championships.
Fall of Senior Year: Crunch time!
• Make a short list of colleges you want to seriously consider.
• Continue to work on college applications.
• See your guidance counselor for an appropriate timeline for college recommendations and please remember to give your coach plenty advance notice if you would like them to write a letter of recommendation for you. Please provide all necessary envelopes, stamps, etc
• Schedule and attend official visits. Beginning September 1st of a rower's senior year they may make official visits (1 per college, 5 colleges total) and college may pay expenses. Remember that you are still committed to a practice and regatta schedule so please check with your coach before scheduling these visits!
• Official visits may not last more than 24 hours on campus, transportation not usually covered, parents expenses not covered. SAT or ACT scores must be on file unless already filed with NCAA clearinghouse, schedule time to see a team practice.
• No more than three visits during the recruiting process are allowed with the coach. Rower can make unofficial school visits to campus any time; a coach can meet with a rower after July 1st .
• Check NCAA website to verify there has been no regulatory changes
• Receive scholarship offers. Negotiate scholarships; if possible (don't be too pushy).
• Decide which college/university you will attend.
• Make a verbal commitment to school, sign letter of intent (binding contract).
Winter of Senior Year:
• Fill out and send in financial aid applications using parent's tax forms.
• See end of section for recommendation letter protocol
Spring of Senior Year:
• Continue to work hard.
• Coaches will be in touch with your school and your coach to make sure you stay on track.
Inspiration
Some videos we feel are noteworthy to give you a boost!
These are not our videos. We just want to share!
Top 5 closest Olympic Rowing finishes
Henley Royal Regatta 2018: Drysdale v Borch
Anatomy of a Rower
US Women’s 8+: Rio 2016