Carnegie Currents: July/August 1998 Vol. XII, No. 4
How Regattas Happen: 9 Easy (?) Steps
I'm in my second year as the lead organizer of CLRA's participation in outside regattas and intramural races, having taken this task over from Tom Heebink (it was only one of many jobs he handled as captain). I thought it might be helpful to share with members how this aspect of CLRA works, and perhaps stimulate some ideas for improvements or changes.
1. Decide which regattas to enter.
Many factors feed into this decision, including tradition, member interest in and feelings about a regatta, proximity, competitiveness, etc. Early in the year, a comprehensive list of regattas appears in USRowing magazine. I go through this issue and develop a list of possibilities for CLRA, including a few alternatives and perhaps a new regatta to try.
Last year, for example, Sandi Chu suggested that we go to the Head of the Housatonic, which takes place near New Haven (it's where Yale rows) the day before the Head of the Connecticut, a very large and competitive regatta based in Middletown, Conn. This suggestion, combined with a generally negative member view of previous Head of the Connecticut experiences, led us to add Housatonic to our schedule. The experience proved to be a great one for the relatively small group of CLRA pioneers who tried it, so it's now on our schedule again this year. Since I scull, it's easy for me to go to regattas to see if they might be appropriate for us. For example, the Derby (Conn.) Sweeps & Sculls is a neat affair that we should try some year.
I review the preliminary list with the Competition Committee, a new group established last year to define CLRA's competitive philosophy (see the Members Guide and Carnegie Currents, March/April 1998). Once the list is complete, we present it to the board of trustees in early spring to formally adopt the year's schedule. Of course changes occur - for example, this year our own regatta had to be moved from August 15 to the 22nd to accommodate National Team trials, and our planned participation in the Schuylkill Navy Regatta in early June was canceled when we discovered that the date published in USRowing was incorrect.
2. Finalize the regatta schedule.
Once the list is firm, we publish a complete schedule along with sign-up and practice dates, and post it on the inside club bulletin board, in the Members Guide, in Carnegie Currents and on the web site (www.clra.com). We try to do this as early in the year as possible so club members can plan their entire year and life around the racing schedule! Next, I write to every regatta organizer on the schedule, asking for entry information when available. Interestingly, the Internet is rapidly playing a larger and larger role. For example, see the Schuylkill Navy's website (www.boathouserow.org/) for a high-end example or see ours (www.clra.com) for a beginning version.
3. Manage the sign-up process.
The next step is to post sign-up sheets on our inside bulletin board for particular regattas. This is accompanied by daily session announcements that sign-ups are taking place. When the sign-up period ends, I take the sheets down and prepare a list with all the relevant information about the individuals who signed up: name, age (you wouldn't believe how many different ways this is calculated for various regattas!), preferred side, whether someone has volunteered to cox and/or if they will be sculling, too, and number of sweep races (for sprint regattas) they're interested in rowing. I generally produce this list within 24 hours and forward it to the coaching staff.
Boatings are the sole responsibility of the coaching staff.
4. Issue boating sheets, more boating sheets and waivers.
Once the coaches make the boatings, I prepare the regatta sheets, which I produce in various colors in an attempt to distinguish the different editions as changes are made. In addition, for most regattas I prepare waiver sheets for boat captains, who must obtain signatures of all rowers and coxswains in their crew. Gathering completed waivers seems to be one of the most difficult chores I have. It has been helpful to post these sheets on the inside bulletin board where rowers can sign the waiver early and avoid the last-minute frenzy.
5. Coordinate race practice sessions
As evidenced in our two club-wide surveys, CLRA members feel race practices are very important. However, scheduling them so they don't short-change members who are not participating in a particular regatta and so all members of a given race boat are available for a given practice has proven difficult. The most recent approach is to hold race practices during the normal rowing sessions. We encourage everyone who is rowing in a given regatta to sign up to row during all of their regular practice sessions two to three weeks before the event, and the coaches put together race boats when the entire crew is there. So far this seems to be working at least as well as prior systems and it avoids the need to schedule special sessions and recruit coaches to cover them.
6. Handle final advance preparations.
Entries and associated fees are submitted to the regatta organizer, almost always via overnight shipment for delivery on the due date so I can track that the entries were received. As the regatta approaches, the various changes in boatings - some caused by coaching decisions and some caused by unavoidable changes in people's plans - are shown on the new sheets and the regatta organizer is updated. We call the athletic director at the Hun School for permission to rent their boat trailer, and Peter Conrad, who attends nearly every regatta we go to, usually makes arrangements to rent a truck to pull the trailer. He also picks up the truck the day before the event and single-handedly gets the trailer and brings it to the boathouse for loading.
7. Assign on-the-ground leadership.
A new role this year is that of a Regatta Captain for each regatta. This person's role is to oversee everything from loading to unloading, ensuring that the right equipment is taken, derigging takes place at the regatta on a timely basis, and serving as the person in charge on site.
The Regatta Captain checks in at the regatta to ensure everything is in order with the regatta's organizers. Usually this means providing any late waivers and changes in the boatings and obtaining various materials, such as bow numbers and the official race schedule. The Regatta Captain also attends the coxswain's meeting if there is one.
Tom Heebink was Regatta Captain for the Christina River Sprints and I have done the same (to get to know everything that's involved) for Independence Day and Diamond State Masters. Volunteers are welcomed!
8. Get there, get back.
All this preparation takes place before the actual regatta itself! On race day, the truck with the boat trailer leaves bright and early to get to the regatta well ahead of the rowers. Peter Conrad has been our stalwart driver for many years and, this year, Loretta McCarthy has volunteered to help. In fact, she drove the trailer down and back from Diamond State under Peter's guidance. The driver(s) are also responsible for returning the trailer and truck once the equipment is unloaded at the boathouse. Peter has performed this big and important job responsibly, faithfully and well for many, many regattas.
9. Rely on a team effort.
Typically, the regatta tends to run itself once we arrive, with boat captains and their crews rigging their boats, putting on bow numbers, locating their oars and heading for the water well ahead of their races. As the regatta approaches its end, the Regatta Captain ensures that the boats are derigged after their final use and reloading takes place as promptly as possible. Then it's off for the boathouse and unloading. A long day!
P.S. Small boat entries
Scullers enter regattas themselves. In other words, there is no coaching input or selection required, and the sculler must submit the appropriate paperwork and fees independently. If someone wants to enter a single or double event and use CLRA equipment (presuming they've been approved as a sculler by the coaching staff), they should first check in with me to reserve use of a specific boat. If demand exceeds supply, I will either find a fair way to decide who gets the equipment (e.g., first-come, first-served or alternate use) or try to find additional equipment (e.g., Swan Creek or privately owned boats).
— by Pim Goodbody