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GENERAL BACKGROUND:
The Canadian university rowing season is from late August/early September to early November. The bulk of our activity happens during that time.
Tryouts for the squads are generally either the first week of classes or the week before. Be sure to check with the team administrators or coaches to find out more: you don't want to miss your chance!
Spaces in the boats are limited, therefore crews are chosen at the start of the season based on their commitment and fitness level. No prior rowing experience is necessary, but for the advanced crews, it sure helps.
During the rowing season, each squad will train at least 5 days a week, and the club usually attends at least 4 regattas over the course of the season (see the calendar). This involves 1,2 or 3 days travel over the course of a weekend, depending on the event.
During the season, commitment to your crew, your training and the sport is crucial, because the demands on your time and your body can be pretty high. However, ask a rower, and they'll tell you IT'S WORTH IT! (see our pictures page for evidence).
In the offseason, training is a must for both competitive athletes and people who want to take it to the next level and make that Varsity or Junior-varsity squad!
Most varsity athletes form offseason training groups to prepare for the next season. Some athletes participate in indoor rowing races. If you'd like to get started, you're invited to contact us for more information. If you really don't know where to start out, check out our training page, or attend one of our info sessions.
Here are the various programs and crews that we organize:
NOVICE CREWS:
Never rowed before but really interested in trying it out? Then come out for our novice squads. No experience is presumed or required! Having said that, even though we'd like to be able to accommodate everyone interested, we only have so many coaches and boats so tryouts are necessary and crews are chosen on the basis of commitment to the team and fitness level (based on a 2km and 20 minute erg test).
The novice crews travel to all regattas and race against other universities' novice crews. This means you'll get your taste of real-world racing experience! The hope is that athletes will start out with the novice crews and graduate to our junior-varsity or varsity boats. Come in a greeenhorn and graduate a lean rowing machine!
For 2006, we'd like to have the novice crews practice in either the afternoon or early evening, to ease congestion on the docks in the early morning, and to make the experience that much friendlier! In order for this to happen, people will need to be willing and able to keep their class schedules free in the afternoon from 4-7pm. If this isn’t happening, then it is mornings for you!
VARSITY CREWS:
The varsity crews compete in regattas
against other schools' top crews. At this level, athletes usually train at
least 11 months of the year.
In 2005, our Varsity Women's coxed four (Caitlin Armstrong, Lauren Schmidt, Elysia Reitberger, Audra Vair and cox Kristen Wetherall) had a breakout year, reaching the podium in all of their races, including several victories and an impressive second-place finish at the prestigious Head of the Charles Regatta in Boston, MA against top international crews. Great work!
For 2006, the goal is to continue to improve, particularly with the men's crew. To that end, a core of last year's athletes have been training heavily since November, and will be rowing as a crew this summer out of the ORC.
If you are a rower with competitive experience, or an athlete from another sport, we'd love to hear from you. The varsity squads usually assemble a couple of weeks before the other crews, and many of our athletes row in the ORC competitive program during the summer, or for other clubs. Rowing in the summer is strongly encouraged, and at tryouts, coaches will look for strong erg scores. For more info, please contact us, since varsity rowing is more of a year-round concern. A long-term goal for the club is to attract serious athletes developing themselves for international competition: if this is you, think about joining us: we have the coaches, the equipment and the desire to go fast, so you can come to the UORC to train and win.
JUNIOR VARSITY:
The Junior Varsity crews bridge the gap between the Novice and Varsity Crews and are filled by athletes that have rowed before, either with our novice crews or elsewhere, and wish to develop their skills and fitness level further. In 2006, junior varsity crews will work more closely with the varsity crews and coaches. This will give athletes access to a high level of training and instruction, and should both enable and inspire them to make the step up to varsity competition in the future.
Crews will compete against other universities junior varsity crews at all events. The higher level of training and competition should give a welcome challenge to rowers who have been there, done that!
LEARN TO ROW LEAGUE:
Designed for students who are interested in rowing, but not ready or able to make the plunge into one of UORC's squads, the learn to row league may be just what you're looking for!
The UORC is in negotiations regarding running a program similar to the ORC's Adult Rowing League, wherein the club will offer introductory sessions, followed by a few weeks' practices, and final championships. You can join on your own or with your own team. Teams will be supervised and coached by the UORC's experienced varsity athletes and coaches. The season will be 2 sessions a week from mid September to mid October.
Watch this space for details as they become available.
ERG CLINICS:
Throughout the year, join one of our varsity athletes for a session on the fine, fine art of using a Concept 2 rowing ergometer (a.k.a. the rowing machine). Learn:
Best of all, these sessions are absolutely free!
INFO SESSIONS:
A couple of times each semester, come meet with our athletes to hear about developments to the programs and ask your questions.
COSTS:
Aside from the info sessions and erg clinics, there are fees associated with participating with the UORC. The club must pay for entry fees, uniforms, travel expenses and administrative costs, and athletes must pay for their membership with our partner/host club, the ORC. Well, nothing in life worth having is free, right?
The cost of the Learn to Row League has yet to be determined, but more info will be available by summertime 2006.
In 2005, all UORC athletes had to pay club "dues" of $100 (again, covering unis, travel, fees). This amount may have to change for 2006. the fees for a membership to the ORC will be 230$ in 2006, but if athletes are already members of the ORC, then this is waived. In addition, there is a minimum $160 fundraising commitment towards both clubs.
NOTE: this is a lot less than a lot of other University athletes have to pay, and compares very favourably to the cost of a fitness club membership or private lessons.
