1. How do I dress for
practice?
Come to practice in a t-shirt and
snug fitting pants such as spandex. (We bought ours at Sports Authority.) Wear
running shoes and bring a water bottle.
2. What the heck is an
erg?
"An ergometer (or erg, ergo, erg
machine) is a cruel torture device used to torment rowers
everywhere."
It is a type of rowing machine
that is the closest simulation of actual rowing available and the closest thing
to rowing when you can't actually go out on the water. Its monitor is like a
cox box, it provides the rower with information like stroke rate, split time,
power generated in watts, distance covered in meters, and time elapsed. It can
be set for various workouts, the most dreaded being the 2K erg test. All rowers
despise erg tests. An erg test is a race piece done on an erg. The time is
recorded and used by the coach for various reasons, such as placing rowers on
boats.
3. Who do we row
against?
We row against other high schools
and clubs. Our area crew rivals are Edgewater HS, Winter Park HS, Lake Brantley
HS, and Bishop Moore HS. We also compete against an area clubs which is called
OARS (Dr. Phillips High School, West Orange High School, Olympia High School,
and a variety of private high schools in the area.)
4. When and where do we
race?
February marks the beginning of
our racing season. We race mostly in Orlando (Turkey Lake Park and Lake
Fairview), but also in Jacksonville, Tampa, Miami, and Gainesville. Races are
always on Saturdays and are always exciting. They are great for the family too,
since we bring big tents, food and drinks, and other things to make our day
comfortable. (See the Regatta Race Schedule page and your Handbook for
directions and a Regatta Survival list.)
Starting with the rower at `rest'
and legs fully extended with the oar blades immersed in the water perpendicular
(well ... almost) to the water's surface.
Release: A sharp
downward (and away) motion of the hand which serves to remove the oar blade
from the water and start the rowing cycle. Yeah, yeah where does the stroke
cycle really start?
Feathering: The
act of turning the oar blade from a position perpendicular to the surface of
the water to a position parallel to the water. This is done in conjunction with
the release.
Recovery: Part of
the rowing cycle from the release up to and including where the oar blade
enters the water.
Squaring: A
gradual rolling of the oar blade from a position parallel to the water to a
position (almost) perpendicular to the surface of the water. This is
accomplished during the recovery portion of the rowing cycle and is done in
preparation for the catch.
Catch: The point
of the rowing cycle at which the blade enters the water at the end of the
recovery and is accomplished by an upward motion of the arms only. The blade of
the oar must be fully squared at the catch.
Drive: That part
of the rowing cycle when the rower applys power to the oar. This is a more (or
less) blended sequence of applying power primarily with a leg drive, then the
back and finally the arms.
Finish: The last
part of the drive before the release where the power is mainly coming from the
back and arms.
Layback: The
amount of backward lean of the rower's body at the end of the finish. Now we
start again with the release and ...
Bow: The forward
end of the shell. Also used as the name of the person sitting nearest to the
bow.
Stern: The rear
end of the shell.
Port: The left
side of the boat when facing the bow (stroke side in the UK and Ireland).
Starboard: The
right side of the shell when facing the bow (bow side in the UK and Ireland).
Coxswain: The
person who steers the shell and urges the rowers on during practices and in a
race. A knowledgeable coxswain can also serve as a coach for the rowers and can
be the difference between winning and losing a race.
The Stroke: The
rower sitting nearest the stern (and the coxswain, if there is one). The stroke
is responsible for setting the stroke length and cadence (with the coxswain's
gentle advice).
Rating: The
number of strokes per minute. Also known as stroke rating.
Set (set of a
boat): What rowers mean by the set of a boat is `form or carriage of
the body or of its parts'. In this case the `body' consists of the shell and
the rowers. Items that can affect the set of the boat are the rower's posture,
hand levels, rigging (the favorite culprit ... especially with the more
advanced rowers), timing at the catch and release, and outside conditions such
as the wind. It is not unusual for rowers within a shell not to agree on what
needs to be done to establish a `good' set, i.e. a level, stable shell that
will provide the basis for that symphony of motion.
Backsplash: This
term is in reference to the water thrown back towards the bow direction (i.e.
towards the direction of motion of the shell) by the blade as it enters the
water at the catch.
Check: Any
abrupt deceleration of the shell caused by some uncontrolled motion within the
shell; an interruption in the forward motion of the shell. The coxswain is
probably the most acutely aware of this abrupt deceleration and it has been
known to cause whiplash in some extreme cases.
Crab: A problem
encountered by a rower when his or her oar gets `stuck' in the water, usually
right after the catch or just before the release, and is caused by improper
squaring or feathering. The momentum of the shell can overcome the rower's
control of the oar. In more extreme cases the rower can actually be ejected
from the shell by the oar.
Jumping the
slide: Another problem encountered by a rower when the seat becomes
derailed from the track during the rowing cycle.
Missing water:
The rower starts the drive before the catch has been completed (or even started
in some cases). This is also referred to as rowing into the catch.
Skying: The
fault of carrying the hands too low during the recovery especially when a rower
dips his or her hands just prior to the catch (i.e. a sort of winding up). This
usually results in the blade being too high off the water's surface.
