Weekly News and Announcements
June 15, 2005

SWEEP COACHING SCHEDULE: June 26-July 1

Ad Comp
M, T, W, R, F - Alex

Open a.m.
T, W, Th - Scott

Youth
M, T, W, R, F - Cristin and Sam

Open/Novice p.m.
S (4:30-6 PM) - Megan
M - Cristin, Christin P.
T - Peter, Kevin
W - Kevin, Cristin
R - Peter, Megan
F - Cristin

AARC Social Calendar is full this week ...

Thursday after practice - Dominick's

Friday after an abbreviated row - Club Barbecue - bring a dish to share and drinks

Saturday - German Park - Gates open around 4:00. Drive out Pontiac Trail until the men in lederhosen direct you to parking. Look for AARC at the picnic tables under the trees.

Midwest Masters Regatta Results

Congratulations to all who competed in the Midwest Masters Regatta last Saturday in Columbus, OH. Conditions were good, the regatta was well run, and AARC brought home several medals. Special cheers for the new novices, who finished second in the Mixed Rec 8+ race. Extreme service awards go to Erik Sinka and to Delores Patterson, who each rowed three races in the span of a few hours. Coach Alex Berlin helped us all stay even, and amazed us with his boat rigging finesse. Finally, as always, thanks to Tom Kraft, our noble boatman, who drives the trailer and makes our boats go.

Learn to Cox clinic - Thursday, June 23

All rowers who do not know how to cox should plan to attend practice Thursday evening for a clinic on coxing. We will spend the practice teaching basic coxing skills and attempt to get everybody a chance in the coxswain seat. Please note that this is important information for getting you out on the water as a coxswain for the first time - there will still be plenty of learning to do at that time, but this will give you the basics.

Friday BBQ's

There's nothing better than hanging out after a good row on a warm summer night, with good food and good friends. We would like to recruit a few people to organize this AARC tradition on a monthly basis- it doesn't take much time, just a bit of organizing the week prior to every BBQ. Please contact Carly Gomez (cago@umich.edu) if you would like to join the BBQ committee!

The next BBQ is this Friday June 24th! We have a lot of new rowers just completing LTR, so come out and meet all your fellow oarsmen! Members are asked to bring a dish to pass, AARC supplies the burgers, bocas, dogs, and condiments. See you then!

GRAND REGATTA

The Grand Regatta will be held in Grand Rapids, Michigan on July 9th. If you don't have a full boat to enter, but want to race, read below and understand that you must sign up on the GREEN interest sheets by the end of practice this Monday June 27th. Full Entry Forms are due by Sat July 2 (next Sat!). We have a new procedure so please pay attention.

#1) If you have a full boat and don't need to add any more rowers, please feel free to fill out a RED entry form and attach a check in the right amount and deposit it in the envelope by the sign ups sheets. ENTRY FEES POSTED INCLUDE THE TRAILERING FEE!!!

#2) If you want to row but don't have anyone to row with, there are four GREEN "Interest" sheets on the sign up board. Be sure to sign up under ONE of the four Sheets.(1) AdComp, (2) Open, (3) Novice or (4) Scullers.

#3) When you sign up on the GREEN "Interest" sheets, please put your name, birthdate, what side your row (port/starboard/both), how many events you WANT to do, and how many (if any) full boats you've already signed up for.

#4) SCULLERS - If you sign up on a GREEN Interest Sheet, it is presumed you want to get in on a 2x and have no one to be paired with. If you want to row a 1x, just fill out a RED entry form and attach your check since GREEN sheets are for people who need someone else to row with.

#5) If you sign up on the GREEN "Interest" sheets, the events and rowers you row with are determined by the coaches and regatta captains.

#6) STROKE SEAT is designated the Boat Captain and expected to provide the check for the entry fee.

YOUTH ROWERS: If any youth rowers want to race at Grand Rapids, please talk to Coach Cristen and she'll set the boats.

Volunteers Needed for MCI Regatta, July 23th

Please sign up on the sign-up sheet that is posted above the key hanging area. There are over 20 different volunteer positions that will be needed for 3 different shifts (7:30-10:30 a.m., 10:30-1:30 p.m. and last shift from 1:30-4:30 p.m or when all is done). All members are expected to volunteer for at least one shift. If you are rowing that day, you will also need to help set up, in addition to taking a shift (regardless of race time).

Volunteer Position Descriptions:

Parking - Only work the morning shift, will make sure cars of rowers and supporters go to correct lots and stay out of main lot and make sure trailers go to correct places.

Registration Table - Variety of jobs including handing out medals, announcing the races, making sure all waivers are turned in and posting times from races.

Dockmaster - Make sure boats get in and out of the water smoothly and have their bowmarkers, making sure that no one hangs out in the runway where boats are coming on and off the water.

Starters - This is staked start so you'll hold the sterns of the boats still for the start.

Finishers - Must be able to operate a stopwatch. You will keep the times of the race.

Launch Drivers - You must have driven the AARC launches in the past to sign up for this job. You'll either be accompanying a USRA official, a timer or marshaling boats on the course and keeping out canoers.

Selling Food & Merchandise - self explanatory

Please e-mail Cherie Freed (cherif@umich.edu) if you would like to sign up and are not rowing anytime soon.

QuickCatch Volunteers needed for June 25

We've only got 2 helpers lined up so far... and need about 8 total. Of the 8 needed, only 5 will be needed for the whole time between 10:45 and 12:30 - the other three just need to help move the shell to the dock and back. So, if you'll be down to erg or scull, time it so that you can lend a hand? Email me if you'll help for some or all of the session so I know when I've got enough hands: marsh.sk@gmail.com Thank you! This is our last event like this until August!

QuickCatch on June 25 has Many Open Seats - Spread the Word

These little sessions are a great way to introduce someone to our great sport. Whether it's a friend you've been trying to convince to row forever or a spouse who just wants to understand your rowing language better or your favorite gym rat who you think might benefit from learning how to use an erg properly, convince people you know to come out for the class. Links to registration and more information are on our website:

Calling All Club Scullers and All Sweep Rowers - SUNDAY PRACTICE! 4:30 - 6:00 pm

It's the best-kept club secret... Sunday practices are operating on a drop-in basis (set boats are welcome, but not required). Rowers from AdComp, Open, Novice, and Club Sculling are encouraged to drop in for a great end-of-weekend workout.

Missing Speed Coach

The red club speed coach has been missing from the metal cabinet for several weeks now. If you’ve used it in the past, please check your pockets (and anywhere else it may have ended up) and see if you’ve carried it off by mistake.

CALENDAR

June 24: AARC Barbecue
June 25: German Park!
July 9: Grand Regatta, Grand Rapids
Tuesday, July 12: AARC Board Meeting
July 20-24: U.S. Nationals, Indianapolis
July 23: Michigan Club Invitational, Argo Pond
July 30-31:US Rowing Midwest Masters Regional, Indianapolis
August 2-7: Canadian Henley
Tuesday, August 9: AARC Board Meeting
August 10-13: USRA Masters Nationals
Tuesday, September 13: AARC Board Meeting
September 17: Head of the Thames, London, ON
October 1: Head of the Ohio, Pittsburgh
Tuesday, October 11: AARC Board Meeting
October 15: Frogtown Races, Toledo
October 22-23: Head of the Charles, Boston
October 29: Speakmon, Columbus
November 6: Wyandotte
Tuesday, November 8: AARC Board Meeting
Tuesday, December 13: AARC Board Meeting

ITEMS FOR THE WEEKLY NEWS

To submit items for inclusion in the Weekly News, please email Barb Kraft at tandbkraft@comcast.net.