Q:  Is there summer training?

A:  Summer training may happen, depending upon coach availability.  If any is happening and you’d like to join in, we need your email address.  To join in, you need your NPS physical, NPS concussion form, and Granby Crew waiver.  Turn them in when you come to your first session.  Weekdays in late Aug we will be doing maintenance on the team’s equipment at the boathouse from 1600-1800.  Potential recruits can join in if they want.

Q:  What does the fall season entail?

A:  This season runs from the first day of school through the first week in November.  Fall is the best time to learn great rowing.  We have a big group of novices joining the team and we really concentrate on making sure they know the sport well.  The varsity gets a chance to reset and come at the sport with a clean slate.  Every practice is about tuning up our technique so we can row great all year.  Novices start on land for a few weeks to learn the rowing stroke.  The varsity goes out on the water immediately. Things can be a little inconsistent while paperwork, physicals, and swimming are sorted out, but once that’s done we really start to focus on consistent water training.  Novice training takes priority over that of varsity, with the varsity often helping by rowing in the novice boats.  The stroke ratings are lower and the workout durations are longer to build endurance.  We only have a few events.

Q:  What does the winter season entail?

A:  This season runs from around the third week in November through the third week in February.  Winter is another great time to learn proper rowing.  After the head-races are done, we shift to land training.  On the ergs, we push hard to row well side-by-side so that we can swing as one crew when it’s time to get back in the boats.  Workouts are tailored to produce maximum strength and endurance for sprint racing.  We get in the weight room, lifting heavy with lots of instruction on proper form.  We do plenty of calisthenics to achieve total-body fitness.  The colder temperatures limits little of what we do on land.  Rowers that join as novices in the winter season won’t get water time until the spring, but they sometimes learn the technique better as a result.  Competitive events are limited.

Q:  What does the spring season entail?

A:  This season runs from the last week in February through the end of May.  Spring is our most important season.  We get back on the water as the warm weather returns. The focus on technique in fall and power in winter starts to pay off as the boats start to go really fast.  Anyone expecting to row in one of our best crews had better be a highly competent oarsman by this time.  New members can still join, but the learning curve is steep.  Sprint racing starts late March and happens almost every weekend into Mid-May.  Spring break offers an opportunity for optional training twice a day.  As we approach championships we set specific lineups to race in the big events (Regionals and States).  By this time, rowers and coxswains must have proven their abilities.  Land training still happens on bad weather days, and when all the boats are full.  But, the water is where we truly belong.  Almost every weekend has an event.