Ready to Row: FHS Crew 2021-2022!

Congratulations to our entire team for a really great season!  Everyone should be proud of what they have been able to accomplish this season.

The Women's 2X kicked things off with a 3rd place finish in heats, qualifying for finals.  The competition in this event is fierce and I am so happy the ladies advanced to finals!

Next up, the Men's 1st 4+. This particular lineup has been working hard to perfect their technique, training for efficiency and trying to find some speed these last few weeks.  Again, competition has been fierce and they knew they had their work cut out for them.  Finishing 2nd in their heat, they felt it was an almost perfect row - as perfect as it gets in this sport.  They felt they had a strong row in the final (finishing 5th) and feel good about their race performances this season.

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The Women's Junior 4+ lineups have switched from week to week, finally settling on the current lineup.  They were rowing well in their heat, finishing 5th behind some really strong crews.  

The highlight of the day was a very tight race in heats for the Men's Junior 8+, and an even tighter final with Fairfax coming out on top.  We are very proud of these young men for their dedication to excellence in rowing.  This is a mix of varsity and mostly novice rowers with a novice coxswain!  What an accomplishment!

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May 7, 2022 - VSRC Day 1

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Our athletes worked incredibly hard on the race course but made it look effortless and graceful, a real feat.

The Women's Novice 4+ had a tough heat today, finishing 4th in their heat behind Granby, Lake Braddock and Alexandria.  They fought hard to the finish and we commend them on their amazing spirit and tenacity. 

The Men's  Novice 4+ finished 1st in their heat to qualify for finals in premier lane #3.  I consider them as the "unofficial" bronze medal winners in the final.  They found themselves in 4th place at the finish line but, considering W. Spfld. was a Frosh 4 event it should not have been included in the Novice 4 category.  That places Fairfax in 3rd place!  

The Men's 2nd 4+ had a beautiful race in their heat - looking electrified on the water!  They have found their rhythm, ratio and balance which allows them to really apply their power and soar on the water!  Their final began with a bobble at the start costing them precious seconds and a possible 2nd place finish.  But we are very proud of their bronze medal win!  

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April 23, 2022 - Rhyz O. Regatta

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Excellent conditions for racing and spectacular performances by all crews.  It was a very long, but rewarding, day with all boats going from heats to finals.

The Women's Jr 4+ kicked things off with a great performance, finishing 3rd in their heat behind Stonebridge and Lake Braddock, advancing to finals.  This was immediately followed with the Men's 2nd 4+ finishing a very convincing 1st in their heat, besting Stonebridge, Lake Braddock, Norfolk Academy and Broad Run.  The men's 1st 4+ is becoming more and more consistent each week and has been closing the gap on their main competitors, Robinson and SoCo.  They took it a bit easy in their heat and finished 3rd to Norfolk Academy and Robinson.

We had a brief break in racing until the Women's Novice 4+ raced at the noon hour.  They were rowing very well and fought it out through the sprint to the finish line.  They finished a close 4th behind Lake Braddock, Oakton and Justice.

Our 4s had a better recovery period between heats and finals, allowing them to adequately rest before launching for finals.  This is some of the toughest competition we have seen this season and we can expect it to become more intense each week.

The Women's 4+ had a disappointing 5th place finish in their final, but all should be proud of their performance and the perseverance to sprint hard to the line.  The Men's 2nd 4+ came next with an impressive sprint to finish 2nd behind Stonebridge.  The Men's 1st 4+ had a very hard fought sprint to walk through some boats for a 3rd place finish - a fraction of a second out of 2nd place.

Our final event of the day was another great performance by the Men's Novice 8+, finishing 3rd in their flight with a fraction of a second difference between them and SoCo in 2nd.

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April 16, 2022 - Ted Pheonix Regatta

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What a day at the races for Fairfax Crew! 

Congratulations to all our athletes for fine performances.  This is typically the point in the season where we really begin to see progress with efficiency and technical skills, resulting in the ability to pull harder at higher stroke rates.

Our Men's Jr 8+ started us off with a nice 3rd place finish in a "full" heat - time of 5:25.  First place SoCo with a time of 5:13 and Second place McLean with a time of 5:15.  Hats off to our novice rowers that have really gelled with our three sophomores to create a competitive men's boat.

The Women's 2X of Emily Wells and Leah Warshavsky raced a 2X after only a few days to learn how to scull together and prepare for the race.  The typical sculling entries are from sculling programs like Hylton who had an amazing 1st place row.  The Fairfax ladies fought hard the entire way to win a second place ribbon!  We're excited to go forward with this boat every week to States!

The Women's Novice 4+ overcame adversity to win their race after colliding with the starting platform and stroke's shoe stretcher disconnecting from the boat!  It takes a tremendous amount of focus and perseverance to push through for the top prize!

The novice men trained this week to race a 4+ which typically requires more skill and finesse to row well with pressure.  They crushed the competition (West Spfld) with a very nice 1st place row.

The Men's 2nd 4+ had some tough competition and a very tight sprint, coming in 4th behind Robinson, SoCo and WePo.  While it is disappointing for the rowers, the experience gained in these races will help shape their competitive future.

The Women's Jr 4+ continued the winning streak with a beautiful row and coming in second to Forest Park (Pr Wm Co).  Congrats to our novices for rising to the occasion to help make this boat competitive!

The Men's 1st 4+ were looking good (and long!) in their heat - finishing 1st.  We had to wait until the final event of the day where they were able to squeak by SoCo in the final for a 3rd place finish.  Great race, gentlemen!

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April 9, 2022 - Darrell Winslow Regatta

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What a beautiful day for a regatta!  NOT!

Our crews battled the wind and competitors today!  Tough conditions, strong headwinds, crews getting blown out of their lane or sideways on the dock . . . but they pressed on through and gave it their best shot.

Men's 1st 4+ had a very strong showing in their heat (1st), finishing close 4th behind SoCo in the final.  Men's 2nd 4+ finished 2nd in their heat and 2nd in the final behind Stonebridge.  Both fought very strong chop and headwinds, making it one of the most challenges events they have raced.  

The combined women's squad raced as a Jr. 8+ this weekend in order to get everyone on the water.  They were placed in the 1st 8 event, had a fantastic start but fell behind against very experienced, strong women's crews.  This may have been a loss on the water but is definitely a "gain" in terms of the experience the ladies are getting.

The novice men and two junior rowers teamed up to race a Men's Jr. 8+, finishing 2nd behind St. Albans (DC).  They felt they had a good race, strong and consistent strokes after a bit of a shaky start.  A good sprint gave them a 2nd place finish.

Many of the races were a floating start - some just off the start platform, some a bit further down the course.  The wind gusts were exceptionally strong and cox/crews must be very aware and very responsive to make the necessary corrections to keep a correct line down the course.

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April 2, 2022 - Walter Mess Regatta

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Congratulations Team!

Today's weather was a very pleasant change to what we have been experiencing, creating excellent conditions for racing.  The coaches are very proud of everyone's efforts and performances.  We go into Spring Break in a very good place!  Be ready for the challenges you will be presented with this week - take all we have experienced this season and use that to fuel your motivation to improve.

The Men's Novice 8+ kicked things off for Fairfax Crew with a spectacular race, finishing 2nd (6:05) to Riverside (5:54) in their flight.  They finished 7th out of the 19 teams racing today.  

The fours raced in afternoon events, the first of which was the Women's 1st 4+ against some very tough competition.  I commend our varsity women on staying in race mode, developing mental strength every time they go down the course no matter the outcome.  We expect to use spring break to boat various categories, establishing the best lineups for racing.  Expect to be moved in and out of lineups this week, practicing alongside a newly formed women's 2X.

The Novice Women also had a spectacular race finishing 2nd (11:07) behind Briar Woods (Loudoun County).  The ladies had a great race and are very satisfied with their performance.  The reason for the "slow" time - apparently boat(s) left their lanes and the race had to be stopped for lane correction then re-started.  Ladies, excellent job on keeping your focus and not allowing yourselves to get distracted.

The Men's 1st & 2nd 4+s had heats and finals today - really bad scheduling gave them about 20 minutes of rest between finishing their heat and going out for the finals.  Both boats finished first in their heat but in finals they were bested by some fierce competition.  

Men's 1st 4+ finished 4th (5:42) - the teams in this final each shaved off anywhere from 2 to 14 seconds from their heats time.

Men's 2nd 4+ finished 3rd (6:06).  The teams in this final each shaved off anywhere from 8 to 30 seconds from heats.

Congratulations for putting it all on the line today!

The varsity men have some speed work to do this week in addition to changing things up with a few sculling sessions.  We go back to the drawing board - men can expect some seat racing to establish lineups for the next regatta.

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March 26, 2022 - Regional Park Regatta

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Excellent day at the races (except for the weather) and we started things off for Fairfax Crew with the M 2nd 4+, handily finishing first with open water in a very strong performance.  Their time 6:15.1, 2nd place went to Stonebridge with a time of 6:22.

Our M 1st 4+ was next up, trying to close the gap with Robinson.  Goal of the race was to maintain contact with Robinson which they were able to do through the entire race.  Robinson took 1st (6:09) with Fairfax in a respectable 2nd place with a time of 6:15.3.  Robinson and Fairfax had the two fastest times out of the flights.

The afternoon brought a drop in temperatures and increasing wind speed, causing chaos at the start and various places on the course.  Our M Novice 8+ race was delayed due to the wind preventing boats from getting lined up at the start platform.  They did not let this distract them from their goal of rowing a strong, competitive race.  They had a great sprint finishing 3rd (7:50) after Woodbridge and Yorktown.  The novice men raced as "exhibition" since we had a varsity cox and rower in the lineup due to absences.

As you look at the various finish times you can understand how the wind played havoc with our racing crews.  The times cannot be looked at as meaningful data.  What we do know is our team is well-prepared to race in any condition!

The W Novice 8+ capped off the day for Fairfax Crew with a beautiful 1st place, open water finish and very nice performance - time of 7:01, second place Langley with a time of 7:19.

Luckily we concluded our racing early today - a squall blew through with sleet/snow/hail at about 2:45 which caused the remaining races of the day to be cancelled.

Congratulations to our coaches and many thank to all the parents who volunteer and come out to support our team.  It takes a combined effort to make fast boats and happy athletes!

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March 19, 2022 - Polar Bear Regatta

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We have the first regatta of the season under our belts!  Excellent day for racing!

Our men's 2nd 4+ starting things off with a beautiful race right down to the finish line.  Coming in second to a very strong South County 4+. 

Our men's 1st 4+ followed with another very strong performance, finishing 3rd by .7 of a second!  South County's coach was not happy with the fact that you walked up on them by a significant length to almost steal 2nd place!  Note that Robinson will be racing 4s this year :(  Please note our cox, Devin, switched into the driver's seat and had his first race as a cox today - fantastic job!

The women's 1st 4+ had a tough race against two very experienced and strong women's 4+s, finishing 3rd behind SoCo and Broad Run.  We will regroup this week to train like we're in second place, but race like we're in 1st!  Please note our cox, Jack, is a novice and had his very first race ever today!!!  Excellent work on steering a beautiful line down the course.

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Spring Season Begins February 21st

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As winter conditioning comes to a close, we look forward to February 21st which marks the beginning of the spring season. It's finally time to get on the water!

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We will be prepping for on water practice with a boathouse workday Feb 19th - 10 am to 2 pm at Sandy Run Park.  Boats will be made ready for the season and we will take our novice rowers on a tour through the facility to point out boats and equipment we will use.  We will also put one boat in the water to check for leaks. Volunteers needed!

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Winter Conditioning begins November 29th

The coaches are finalizing conditioning plans for winter season to include erg workouts, body weight circuits and weight room training.  Expect a varied workout plan incorporating some new concepts, a focus on technique with video reviews and an effective weight training program. They are looking forward to working with an exceptional group of athletes!

Saturday Dec 4th there will be a team meeting and then squad breakout groups to review expectations, goals and season.  Please make every effort to attend practice.

The Row-a-thon fundraiser will cover the second week of winter conditioning.  In addition to getting some mileage in, our athletes will be earning funds for the upkeep and purchase of rowing equipment.  Row a Marathon (42,195 M) or Half Marathon (21,097.5 M).

Saturday December 11th we will have several “erg sprints” activities with relays, coxswain dash, parent/child relay, 3 minute crash 2X slides, and more.  Form your groups now and sign up with coach.

Fairfax Crew’s success for the upcoming season depends on “whole team” participation during winter conditioning – come to practice as often as possible, focused and ready to work!  Mark your availability on TeamSnap then meet at the erg shed directly after school to set up ergs outside or Hallway 23. Practice ends at 5:45 pm.  Students need to be picked up by parents in front of the school at Hallway 23.

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Welcome to the 2021-2022 Season!

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Our crew activities begin with new student interest meetings and our learn-to-row on water sessions.  See below for dates and times.  If you are new to the Fairfax Crew club program please fill out the interest form here.  We will send you all the details for student and parent meetings and our Green Days schedule.  Please note a VHSL physical and emergency care form must be turned in to FHS through the student portal in order to participate.  Other crew forms must be completed and turned in to coach prior to attending any practice sessions. 

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New Rowers Welcome until January 29, 2022, no experience necessary!

October Events

• Green Days continuing with training at the erg shed (behind school next to ball fields) Oct. 19, 21, 26, 28 (3:30pm - 5:30pm) Click here for more information about Green Days.

• Membership Meeting October (details shared on TeamSnap once registered)

• Parent Social 10/14 

• Crew Family Picnic 10/30

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Student Interest Meeting – September 2nd

Student Interest Meeting scheduled for September 2nd – 3 to 4pm – FHS Erg Shed

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Want to find out what crew is really all about?  Want to meet the Fairfax Crew family?  Come to our interest meeting to meet our team members and learn about this amazing team sport. Refreshments served.

Parent Informational Meeting – September 8th

This informational session will cover the sport, details on joining, requirements, training, and the spring regatta season.

Boathouse Workday – September 11th

We need team members to prepare for our Green Days on-the-water sessions – includes cleaning, maintenance and repair of equipment.  Report to Sandy Run at 9 am on September 11th and expect to work until 12 pm.  Service points awarded.

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Fairfax Crew Green Days Info and Schedule 2021

Green Days are off-season training sessions where we can train experienced and new team members.  We will utilize this time by training our experienced team members as well as a learn-to-row program for Fairfax High School students interested in learning about rowing and experiencing it first-hand on the water.  Crew has been described as “the ultimate team sport” and our team members are learning the importance of working together and supporting each other at the same time competing at the highest level.

Schedule:

September 14th through October 7th

Tuesdays/Thursdays – 3:30 to 5:30 pm at FHS

Tuesdays/Thursdays – 4 to 6 pm at Sandy Run (on water)

Saturdays – 8:30 to 10:30 am

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Details:

September 14th – meet at Fairfax High School erg shed (behind school close to the ball fields) for first session where the program will be discussed, demonstrations of the rowing stroke, practicing the rowing stroke on the ergometer, videos, and some conditioning.  Dress for a conditioning session, wear running shoes, bring at least 32 oz water and bring the signed USRowing waiver, Fairfax Crew Liability waiver, copy of the emergency care form.

Make sure all required documents have been submitted to the school through the activities/athletic portal by September 5th.

• Current VHSL Physical

• Emergency Care Form

September 11th – Swim Test must be completed in order to participate on the water.  Specifics TBD.

September 14 to October 7th – On-land training at FHS erg shed and On-Water rowing instruction at the Sandy Run Rowing Facility, 10450 Van Thompson Rd., Fairfax Station. Drive through the entrance gate and park in the gravel parking lot on your right.  Walk down the road (down the hill) to Boathouse #2 on the left.  Students can be dropped off and picked up in the gravel lot to your left just after you drive thru the gate – exit through that parking lot.

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NEW ROWERS MUST REGISTER AND RESERVE YOUR SPOT FOR THESE SESSIONS, SEND AN EMAIL TO CREWCOACH.GWEN@GMAIL.COM LISTING THE SPECIFIC DATES YOU WILL ATTEND.  PLEASE ALSO CONFIRM YOU HAVE SUBMITTED REQUIRED FORMS TO ATHLETIC OFFICE.  RETURNING ROWERS MUST REGISTER ON TEAMSNAP. 

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