Welcome to Mendota Rowing Club!
This Welcome Packet has been designed to help you organize the things you need to do and learn right away as a new or renewing member. As you become involved, several things will become apparent:
- We are a passionate group of people dedicated to rowing, fitness and the camaraderie it provides.
- The harder you work, the more you will get out of it.
- An open mind, a friendly attitude, and a willingness to continue learning about this wonderful sport will aid you immeasurably.
We are very glad to have you as a member and we look forward to the opportunity to share the great sport of rowing with you.
Sincerely,
The MRC Board of Directors
Things You Need to Do Right Away Things You Need to Know Signing Up for Practice |
Club Rules and Scullers Manual
All members are required to read the Club Rules and Scullers Manual each year as they change from year to year.
Please take a few minutes to review them now.
Safety Requirements
- All members are required to watch the US Rowing Safety Video annually. It has lots of great information that will help you on and off the water.
- You can watch the video online or at the boathouse.
- Please inform our club administrator after you have watched it.
All members except Winter Members, must pass a swim test every five years. However, if you are currently a collegiate rower, you may provide MRC with written proof of your swimming ability from your college coach in lieu of MRC's swim test. Your MRC swim test must be administered by a currently certified lifeguard and turned into a coach. Most indoor pools have lifeguards who can administer the test. Swim Test Form: click here for the form. Below are pools you can contact to get help administering the test.
Signing Up for Practice
- Advanced, Competitive, Sculling and Novice Rowers must sign up on our Google Doc to indicate the days you will be at practice. If you sign up, you must show up.
- Practice signup must be done by noon the day before practice. Rowers who fail to indicate their attendance correctly will be expected to cox one additional practice this season or do a boathouse task.
- Please arrive at the boathouse 10 minutes before the start of practice to help setup the safety launch.
- For information on practice times click here.
Volunteer Requirements
Because Mendota Rowing Club is a member-run organization, we require all members to commit to and log a certain amount of volunteer hours each year. The requirements are as follows:
- Full-year members - 15 hours/year
- Monthly members - 2 hours/month.
- Full-year Indoor members - 6 hours/year
Getting into the Boathouse
The boathouse has two doors - one on the west side of the building and the other on the Gorham St. side of the building. Both doors are securely locked 24 hours a day and require a code for entry. GET BOATHOUSE CODE
This code should only be shared with other Mendota Rowing Club members.
Team Etiquette
Below are some principles that may be useful to follow that encourage teamwork and enhance everyone’s enjoyment of the sport to the fullest.
- Treat teammates, coaches, and other rowers with respect and courtesy at all times
- Promote team spirit among your teammates and good sportsmanship toward all rowers
- Take responsibility for and maintain all rowing equipment
- Keep the boathouse clean and tidy. Pick up after yourself in the boathouse and at regattas
- If you make a commitment to participate in a regatta, you must honor that commitment
- Participate in club functions
- Recruit new rowers to MRC
- Be on time for practice
- Notify coaches of absences
- Help out with Learn‐to‐Row classes if possible (coxing, filling seats, friendly faces)
- Volunteer to help the club in activities both on and off the water;
- Pay all applicable dues and fees
- Obey all boathouse and water safety rules.
Coxing and Safety Launch Setup
While we strive to have dedicated coxswains coxing all boats, it's not always possible and rowers sometimes have to take a turn in the cox seat. For the safety and longevity of the fleet, there are weight limits for who can cox. Coxswains that don't fit in the cox seat and must sit on the gunwales place stress on the boats in ways they weren't designed to handle. As a result, or stern loaded boats coxswains must be less than 145 lbs. For bow loaded boats, coxswains must be less than 155 lbs. Rowers who are eligible to cox will do so on a rotating basis. Those members that are not able to cox will be required to get certified to drive the launch and drive periodically so coaches can video.
Rowers who do not meet the weight limits for coxing are also expected to do their part by bearing the primary responsibility for setting up and taking down the launches before and after practice. Launch setup requires 3 people- 1 for getting the gas, 1 for carrying out the life jackets, paddles and other accessories, and one to lower the hoists.
Managing Your MRC Online Account
Click here to renew your membership if you had one of the following memberships:
- Annual Sculler's Membership
- Monthly Sculler's Membership
- Novice Membership
- Special Offer for Last Year's Learn to Row
- Trial/Guest Membership
Click here to renew your membership if you had one of the following memberships:
- Annual Adult Membership
- Monthly Adult Membership
- Annual Student Membership
- Monthly Student Membership
- Independent Scullers Membership
General Club Calendar
This is a list of important dates in the club's annual schedule. This is to give you a general idea of when things happen, though some of the exact dates change from year to year based on the weather an other factors.
- Club Annual Meeting: Late March. The Board of Directors is elected at this meeting.
- Dock in: Usually happens some time in the first 2 weeks of April.
- Independent sculling season starts: The water temp usually reaches 55 degrees some time in the first 2 weeks of May. When the temperature reaches 55, the club sends out an email and announces it on Facebook.
- Learn to Row Day: The first Saturday in June. This is a chance for your friends and family to give rowing a try for free.
- Sprint racing season: The club tries to go to at least 2 regional sprint race regattas and sometimes goes to national regattas, such as Masters Nationals or Canadian Henley. These races take place between late June and early August.
- Sconnie Scones: The club's annual scratch regatta. Held in mid August, this is a sprint style race that the whole club, from recent LTR gratuates to competitive rowers are welcome to participate in.
- Head racing season: The club tries to go to at least 2 regional head race regattas and sometimes goes to national regattas, such as the Head of the Charles. These races take place between mid September and the end of October.
- Sculling season ends: The water temp usually falls below 55 some time in mid to late October. When this happens, the club sends out an email and announces it on Facebook.
- Spooky Sweeps and Sculls: The club's annual Halloween themed rowing celebration. Happens the Saturday before Halloween.
- Dock out: Typically happens the first weekend of November.
- End of season party: Typically held in early November.
- Winter training: Typically starts the week before Thanksgiving or the first week in Dec. and runs until dock-in.
The club has a private Facebook group for members. This is a place where you can communicate with other members and post in a setting that will only be seen by other members of the group. To join the group, Search for "Mendota Rowing Club Members" and ask to join. An admin will approve your request in the next few days.
The club also maintains a public Facebook page, and Instagram and Twitter accounts.
