ALEXANDRIA CREW BOOSTERS CLUB INC

About Us

About

The Alexandria Crew Boosters is a non-profit organization of family, alumni and friends established to support the T.C. Williams High School Rowing Team in Alexandria, Virginia. Whether you're rousting a teenager out of bed for early morning practice, driving a boatload home from the Boathouse, washing tons of smelly socks, or nursing sore knees and blisters, being a crew parent can be a trying experience. It's also a uniquely rewarding one, when we see our sons and daughters gliding by in a sleek racing shell, and watch them grow in strength, endurance and character. Since this website's been prepared by crew parents, there are a lot of pages here to help you understand, enjoy and participate in crew. If you're a parent of a new member of TC Crew, welcome aboard! If you've been around for a while, let us know what other information we should be providing. First of all, join Crew Boosters. This is the organization that supports the team and the program, that provides the funding and people power to make it all work. Participating in Crew Boosters-sponsored activities is also great way to get to know other parents, share information, and learn more about crew. Read the Handbook for Crew Parents. You can read the on-line edition here. Rowing has a language all its own. To help you decipher some of the lingo, here's a page devoted to rowing terminology. Crew is a weekend sport. Every week during the season, TC Crew is off to a regatta, from our home waters in Alexandria to as far away as Ontario. We've provided a schedule, driving directions, and time-tested regatta tips.

CREW BOOSTERS

Please join Alexandria Crew Boosters and volunteer with other parents. Unlike most other public school rowing programs, Alexandria does not require a hefty participation fee for each rower. But it takes money, and lots of people, to support a top-notch rowing program like ours. That where Crew Boosters comes in.

Alexandria Crew Boosters Club, Inc. (ACB), organized in 1951, is parents and friends who want to see TC Crew stay at the top of the rowing world. We do the bulk of the fund raising to buy the best and safest equipment for the rowers, and provide the people power to help the program run smoothly. ACB officers and Board members are elected each June, and General Membership meetings are held at least 3 times a year. Most of the equipment, including shells which cost over $50,000 each, are purchased by the Crew Boosters. In addition to organizing and running fund raising events, parents also work at the race courses. We have fun, learn about the sport and get to know other parents and students. Some of us even row! The following lists some of the major ACB activities. Alexandria Community Rowing - This is the adult rowing program that was established to financially support the high school program. There are lessons in sweep and sculling for youth and adult members. ACR members participate in spring, summer and fall regattas for adults along the East Coast, fall racing for youth in club singles and doubles events and winter conditioning classes. Fees from adult activities support the high school program. Summer Crew - Alexandria Crew Boosters conducts a summer crew program for novice and experienced rowers. Adults and youth are welcome. Novice rowers (rising eighth grade through adult) learn to sweep row (one oar). More advanced youth rowers can learn to scull (two oars). This is a relaxed activity. Rowers come and go on vacation but they can still learn a lot. The final day of Summer Crew is a regatta on the Potomac, the “Blue Plains Sprint.” This is a chance to see what the novice crews can do. Everybody races! Come for breakfast! Fall Crew - Alexandria Crew Boosters offers a fall program for both scullers and sweep rowers open to any experienced high school student. Novice sweep rowers in eighth grade or above who have not completed a full racing season may also participate in Fall Crew. Space is limited in the singles, doubles and quads. There is a fee, but some scholarships for Alexandria students are available. ODBC Fall Crew - Alexandria's Old Dominion Boat Club sponsors a youth team for the fall racing season. This select program, administered by Alexandria Crew Boosters, is open to varsity level rowers from high schools throughout the area. Fall racing is a club sport, and the ODBC crew competes in elite regattas up and down the East Coast. MidAtlantic Erg Sprints - Erg races - rowers competing on erg machines - are usually held the first weekend in February. Over 400 rowers and health club members from New England to North Carolina come to George Washington Middle School to row indoors. Alexandria Crew Boosters sponsors this event, while students compete and parents volunteer as timers and in many other positions. This event is a major fundraiser! Crew Dance - While this tradition began because post-season races often prevent top rowers from attending Proms, it's become a popular event with all high school rowers! Parent volunteers turn the boat house in to a dance floor for this special event! Car Wash - The annual Car Wash is an opportunity for rowers to raise money for TC Crew. We appreciate all of our neighbors who bring their dirty vehicles. Event is usually held in early May at the Minnie Howard Campus of TC Williams High.

INFORMATION, PLEASE

Crew Boosters maintains this Web site. During the rowing season, Crew Boosters also publishes last-minute information about coming events. Ask a coach or parent for details.

PITCH IN!

There’s more to Crew Boosters than fundraising, though. It takes people - parents and friends who will take a little time to help make the program run smoothly. Regattas don’t just happen, after all. At local regattas, parent volunteers serve as parking attendants and stake boat holders. They drive launches and run concession stands. We need EVERYONE to come out and help make these events successful. And when we go beyond the DC/Northern Virginia area, parents are needed to buy, transport, prepare and provide food for our rowers at big blue and white tent (not to mention transporting the tent, setting it up and taking it down). Be sure to say “sure” when somebody calls and asks for your help. But don't wait for a call! Contact a Board member Task Leader and offer your services. It’s rewarding ... and fun!