Whether you are completely new to rowing, or just want to learn more, Dallas United Crew is pleased to help. Below you will find a brief overview along with some basic terms and resources you will need to get started.
New to Rowing
Rowing is one of the oldest sports in the world and still one of the most competitive. Rowing is a challenging sport, both mentally and physically, and it makes great demands on the body. Rowers become some of the most fit athletes in the world through their rigorous training. It also requires precise timing and teamwork, which teaches great self-discipline. Through this hard work, deep bonds develop between the athletes that can last a lifetime. The thrill of competing together and moving a racing shell powerfully across the water is second to none.
Most athletes at Dallas United Crew have never rowed before joining our team-it's ok if you haven't either. If you are interested in the sport, like to compete, and are willing to work hard, we're interested in talking to you about a future with our program. As a new rower you can expect your adventure to begin on indoor rowing machine (erg) to learn the correct form before heading out on the water. From there, you will continue to hone your skills and build your strength, training with other rowers on the water and on land. You'll find along the way that you'll learn a whole new vocabulary and discover a new group of friends.
Our program has several distinctions from others in Dallas. Everyone on the team travels to all team regattas every year. If you make the team, you will have at least one race at every team regatta. In addition to water workouts, we partner with a gym and have a qualified strength coach on staff to provide the best edge in competition and performance. We also invest a great deal of resources to ensure that our athletes race in the best equipment possible so that nothing holds us back. Our fleet of racing shells is one of the most complete and best of any junior team in Texas. Our four experienced coaches hold certifications from US Rowing, CPR and First Aid, Cooper Institute and Texas Boating Licenses to ensure the safety of our athletes and to prepare them to compete nationally and later, collegiately. Our student-athletes support each other, and our leadership development program aids our new and experienced rowers on and off the water.
If you'd like to find out more info on joining our team, please click here .
Basic Vocabulary for Those New to Rowing
Blade: The end of the oar, often painted in a team’s colors.
Bow: The front of the boat.
Coxed Four: A shell with four rowers, each using one oar (sweep) and a coxswain.
Coxswain (Cox): Member of the crew whose job it is to steer the boat and call the race strategy while motivating the crew. The coxswain sits stationary facing the bow.
Crab: When a rower loses control of his/her oar because the blade has gotten trapped in the water by the momentum of the boat.
Eights: A shell with eight rowers, each using one oar (sweep) and a coxswain.
Ergometer (ERG): A rowing machine that simulates the rowing motion.
Footstretcher: The shoe assembly into which rowers lace their feet.
Gate: The bar across the oarlock that locks the oar in place.
Oarlock: The u-shaped swivel holding the oar in the rigger.
Pair: A shell with two rowers, each using one oar (sweep).
Port: The right side of the shell when sitting in the boat.
Rate: Number of strokes per minute.
Recovery: The part of the stroke cycle where the rower is moving toward the stern in preparation for the next stroke.
Rigger: An attachment to the gunwale to hold the oar in place through the stroke.
Shell: A rowing boat.
Single: A shell with one rower using 2 sculling oars.
Sculling: Rowing with two oars per rower. Sculling oars are smaller and have smaller blades than sweep oars.
Starboard: The left side of the shell when sitting in the boat.
Stern: The back of the boat.
Sweep: Boats in which each rower uses only one sweep oar.
10 Things New DU Crew Parents Should Know
1. Your rower will need many pairs of socks. They walk on dirt, grass and concrete in these.
2. Fall season involves long-distance rowing (5K). Spring consists of sprints (2K).
3. Boats are secured on a crew boat trailer, which is pulled by a willing and trained parent(s) to each regatta.
4. Rowers are transported to and from the regattas by bus (Chattanooga is by airplane). The drop-off and pick-up site are the same (usually HPHS). Specific times, directions, hotel information an your rower’s boat line up(s) will be emailed the week of the regatta or before.
5. At each regatta, t-shirts are sold with that regatta’s name/logo. Crew members like to collect these, so have $20 cash for this, and buy early before t-shirts are sold out.
6. Wear comfortable walking shoes to regattas – lots of walking between start line and finish line, which are both interesting to experience.
7. Check the weather of regatta sites before leaving Dallas. Do not assume the weather in OK City is the same as it is in Dallas.
8. Parents, remember the following items for regattas: binoculars (a must!), folding chairs, camera w/extra batteries, sunscreen, sun glasses, book to read (lots of down time), gloves/hat/coat/rain gear (be prepared!), snacks/drinks (they do sell food and beverages at regattas).
9. At regatta sites, Dallas United Crew parents (who volunteer for food committee) organize buffet tables of healthy food for our team members to enjoy. Tables are located under one of our tents.
10. Regattas are very fun to attend and a great way to meet other crew parents. A dinner restaurant is chosen for any Dallas United Crew parents who want to gather and dine together.
Rowing in College and Beyond
Rowing is one of the fastest growing sports in the country. NCAA Rowing programs offer nearly 2,000 full scholarships to women each year. 90% of female collegiate rowers with high school rowing experience receive scholarship, while many male rowers find help with admission to colleges of their choice when committing to their rowing clubs.
NCAA Division I II & III Schools that sponsor Women’s Rowing
Dallas United Crew is honored to have many of our athletes row in college. Below is a list of where they have rowed.
Cal Berkely
Oklahoma City University
Middlebury College Club
George Washington University
University of Clemson
University of Washington-Puget Sound
Hamilton College
University of Tennessee
Boudoin College
US Naval Academy
Lehigh
University of Oklahoma
University of Texas Club
Rhodes College
Southern Methodist University
St. John’s College
Bowdoin College
Tulane University
Louisiana State University
Baylor University
Texas A&M
Click on More Rowing Resources below to find other helpful sites on rowing in college and beyond.
More Rowing Resources
US Rowing
US Rowing Juniors
Regatta Central
Olympic/Senior National Team
Team USA
Row 2K
Camps
Sparks
Coxswains
9th Seat
College
College Scholarship Info
NCAA Eligibility Center
Be Recruited
Rowing Vendors
Concept II
Vespoli
Resolute
Hudson
New to Rowing
Rowing is one of the oldest sports in the world and still one of the most competitive. Rowing is a challenging sport, both mentally and physically, and it makes great demands on the body. Rowers become some of the most fit athletes in the world through their rigorous training. It also requires precise timing and teamwork, which teaches great self-discipline. Through this hard work, deep bonds develop between the athletes that can last a lifetime. The thrill of competing together and moving a racing shell powerfully across the water is second to none.
Most athletes at Dallas United Crew have never rowed before joining our team-it's ok if you haven't either. If you are interested in the sport, like to compete, and are willing to work hard, we're interested in talking to you about a future with our program. As a new rower you can expect your adventure to begin on indoor rowing machine (erg) to learn the correct form before heading out on the water. From there, you will continue to hone your skills and build your strength, training with other rowers on the water and on land. You'll find along the way that you'll learn a whole new vocabulary and discover a new group of friends.
Our program has several distinctions from others in Dallas. Everyone on the team travels to all team regattas every year. If you make the team, you will have at least one race at every team regatta. In addition to water workouts, we partner with a gym and have a qualified strength coach on staff to provide the best edge in competition and performance. We also invest a great deal of resources to ensure that our athletes race in the best equipment possible so that nothing holds us back. Our fleet of racing shells is one of the most complete and best of any junior team in Texas. Our four experienced coaches hold certifications from US Rowing, CPR and First Aid, Cooper Institute and Texas Boating Licenses to ensure the safety of our athletes and to prepare them to compete nationally and later, collegiately. Our student-athletes support each other, and our leadership development program aids our new and experienced rowers on and off the water.
If you'd like to find out more info on joining our team, please click here .
Basic Vocabulary for Those New to Rowing
Blade: The end of the oar, often painted in a team’s colors.
Bow: The front of the boat.
Coxed Four: A shell with four rowers, each using one oar (sweep) and a coxswain.
Coxswain (Cox): Member of the crew whose job it is to steer the boat and call the race strategy while motivating the crew. The coxswain sits stationary facing the bow.
Crab: When a rower loses control of his/her oar because the blade has gotten trapped in the water by the momentum of the boat.
Eights: A shell with eight rowers, each using one oar (sweep) and a coxswain.
Ergometer (ERG): A rowing machine that simulates the rowing motion.
Footstretcher: The shoe assembly into which rowers lace their feet.
Gate: The bar across the oarlock that locks the oar in place.
Oarlock: The u-shaped swivel holding the oar in the rigger.
Pair: A shell with two rowers, each using one oar (sweep).
Port: The right side of the shell when sitting in the boat.
Rate: Number of strokes per minute.
Recovery: The part of the stroke cycle where the rower is moving toward the stern in preparation for the next stroke.
Rigger: An attachment to the gunwale to hold the oar in place through the stroke.
Shell: A rowing boat.
Single: A shell with one rower using 2 sculling oars.
Sculling: Rowing with two oars per rower. Sculling oars are smaller and have smaller blades than sweep oars.
Starboard: The left side of the shell when sitting in the boat.
Stern: The back of the boat.
Sweep: Boats in which each rower uses only one sweep oar.
10 Things New DU Crew Parents Should Know
1. Your rower will need many pairs of socks. They walk on dirt, grass and concrete in these.
2. Fall season involves long-distance rowing (5K). Spring consists of sprints (2K).
3. Boats are secured on a crew boat trailer, which is pulled by a willing and trained parent(s) to each regatta.
4. Rowers are transported to and from the regattas by bus (Chattanooga is by airplane). The drop-off and pick-up site are the same (usually HPHS). Specific times, directions, hotel information an your rower’s boat line up(s) will be emailed the week of the regatta or before.
5. At each regatta, t-shirts are sold with that regatta’s name/logo. Crew members like to collect these, so have $20 cash for this, and buy early before t-shirts are sold out.
6. Wear comfortable walking shoes to regattas – lots of walking between start line and finish line, which are both interesting to experience.
7. Check the weather of regatta sites before leaving Dallas. Do not assume the weather in OK City is the same as it is in Dallas.
8. Parents, remember the following items for regattas: binoculars (a must!), folding chairs, camera w/extra batteries, sunscreen, sun glasses, book to read (lots of down time), gloves/hat/coat/rain gear (be prepared!), snacks/drinks (they do sell food and beverages at regattas).
9. At regatta sites, Dallas United Crew parents (who volunteer for food committee) organize buffet tables of healthy food for our team members to enjoy. Tables are located under one of our tents.
10. Regattas are very fun to attend and a great way to meet other crew parents. A dinner restaurant is chosen for any Dallas United Crew parents who want to gather and dine together.
Rowing in College and Beyond
Rowing is one of the fastest growing sports in the country. NCAA Rowing programs offer nearly 2,000 full scholarships to women each year. 90% of female collegiate rowers with high school rowing experience receive scholarship, while many male rowers find help with admission to colleges of their choice when committing to their rowing clubs.
NCAA Division I II & III Schools that sponsor Women’s Rowing
Dallas United Crew is honored to have many of our athletes row in college. Below is a list of where they have rowed.
Cal Berkely
Oklahoma City University
Middlebury College Club
George Washington University
University of Clemson
University of Washington-Puget Sound
Hamilton College
University of Tennessee
Boudoin College
US Naval Academy
Lehigh
University of Oklahoma
University of Texas Club
Rhodes College
Southern Methodist University
St. John’s College
Bowdoin College
Tulane University
Louisiana State University
Baylor University
Texas A&M
Click on More Rowing Resources below to find other helpful sites on rowing in college and beyond.
More Rowing Resources
US Rowing
US Rowing Juniors
Regatta Central
Olympic/Senior National Team
Team USA
Row 2K
Camps
Sparks
Coxswains
9th Seat
College
College Scholarship Info
NCAA Eligibility Center
Be Recruited
Rowing Vendors
Concept II
Vespoli
Resolute
Hudson