As you enter high school, you stand at a crossroads of potential and opportunity. The choice of sport you make now can shape your physical prowess, personal growth, and acquisition of lifelong skills. At St. Ignatius College Prep, rowing is more than a sport; it's a journey toward excellence that begins early, ensuring you're well-equipped for the challenges ahead. Whether your sights are set on collegiate rowing or simply seeking personal growth, starting in your freshman year paves the way for a fulfilling and enriching experience.
Follow us on Instagram @wildcat_womens_crew
Please enjoy the team hype video HERE
Please enjoy our end of year '24 season slide show HERE
Here are some frequently asked questions for those considering the sport.
What is the difference between fall rowing and spring rowing?
Our fall rowing development program is an opportunity to teach and refine rowing techniques, as well as strengthen and condition athletes for sport-specific foundational fitness. In the fall, the team competes in longer 5k distance races called "Head" races, where they will travel to Sacramento and Seattle to compete. The fall and winter season programming is run as a club affiliated with SI, managed by the coaching staff, and provided for those athletes from the school with ambitious goals in the sport. However, in the spring, the sport is considered "in season" at SI, and the athletes and coaches represent SI at spring 2k sprint regattas. These races occur locally on our home course on Lake Merced, in Sacramento, and based on qualification, athletes can compete up to the national level in New Jersey or Florida. You can see last year's schedule posted here, which gives you an idea of the spring season.
When is the ideal time to come out for rowing?
The gold standard is to show up for the fall development camp of your freshman year. At SI, we offer rowing as early as August before your first year, allowing you to build foundational skills under expert coaching. At the U16 [freshman] and U17 [sophmore] levels, we focus on technique, stamina, and teamwork, laying a solid foundation for spring success. No experience is necessary. We welcome all athletes and encourage those athletes who may have been cut from other sports, such as flag football or volleyball, to reach out to us right away. The sooner we get you out learning to row, the closer we are to team-wide success.
If I have never rowed, could I come out for the team?
100% yes! Most of our athletes learn how to row during fall development; only a fraction have had some middle school experience. You can also try out in the spring season with no experience as well.
What if I am a sophomore and want to try it? Can I still come out?
Of course, we suggest attending our fall training and development. It is the ideal time to learn how to row and gain experience before the spring season begins.
What if I play another sport, like volleyball or basketball, in the fall or winter? Can I still come out?
Of course, we have athletes who come before and after their other seasons. Accommodating a multisport athlete is not uncommon, but it does take planning and communication. For example, if you play basketball in the winter, you might consider cross-training with rowing. The head races in September and October will do wonders in preparing you for the spring rowing season and support your fitness for basketball. Our last fall race is Head-of-the-Lake in Seattle, so after that, athletes advance to winter training, and some head to basketball, for example. For those who play volleyball, we typically see them for winter training and development after their season is complete.
What is the difference between club races and high school races?
All regattas are for junior/high school athletes. But for some regattas, we are only racing rowing teams from a single high school. In other regattas, we are competing against rowing clubs fed by athletes from multiple high schools. For most of our regattas on the West Coast, we race in the US Rowing format that is age-based U16, U17, and U19. For those regattas, our athletes must comply with these age-based categories. Athletes can move up an age bracket but not down (U17 can compete in U19, but U19 cannot compete in a younger category). However, when we compete at the West Coast Scholastic Championships and the SRAA National Championships in New Jersey, we race in the traditional format of Junior and Senior Varsity, Second Varsity, Varsity Lightweight, and Freshman.
Can I compete as a freshman at a National Championships? How can I be part of that experience?
Yes! It is an incredible opportunity, as the SRAA National Championship provides a specific race for freshman eight. We cannot lie—we have our eyes on the prize and know that training eight novice athletes in their freshman year gives us as much chance as any program in the country to stand on that podium. It is ripe for the picking, which is why we are seeking athletes to start training and developing their skills during our fall development season.
What is Lightweight rowing?
Lightweight is a weight-capped category for athletes under 130 lbs. A handful of smaller athletes come to compete in this sport, and should this category be appropriate, they could be considered contenders for a lightweight women's four that competes at the SRAA National Championships. In 2024, we captured a bronze finish, and we can't see any barrier to raising the bar to bring home the gold in 2025.
Regardless of your situation, we encourage you to consider fall development and training during your freshman or even sophomore year. It better prepares you for the challenges of U19/Varsity competition and builds a foundation by your junior year that may put you in a position for college recruitment should you wish to have that choice later in high school. As athletes progress, they have opportunities to mentor younger teammates, fostering leadership skills that extend far beyond the water.
Joining the rowing team at St. Ignatius College Prep early in your journey isn't just about athletics; it's about seizing an opportunity to grow and excel as part of this incredible team of women.
We are ready to go all the way to the Nationals. Are you in?
Comentarios