Registration
NEW TO CREW?
Almost every crew team member will tell you that joining the crew team is one of the best decisions they made at Ignatius. If you are new to rowing you would be considered a Novice. A Novice rower is anyone in their first year of rowing. All subsequent years, rowers are moved to the varsity team. Checkout the snapshot of the practice schedule with some details below:
FOR NOVICE ROWERS: SICR AT A GLANCE
- Rowing is made up of two primary seasons (Fall and Spring) with optional training available through the Winter season.
- Fall Season
- Time Period: Start of school year - Thanksgiving
- Location: Eleanor Boathouse | Chicago River (bus provides transport to and from school)
- Practice Times: Monday - Friday, 3:30-5:30pm
- Winter Season
- Time Period: January (upon return from Christmas break) through end of February
- Location: Immaculate Heart Center | St. Ignatius College Prep
- Practice Times: Monday - Friday, 3:15-5:15pm
- Spring Season
- Time Period: March through the end of May
- Location: Eleanor Boathouse | Chicago River (bus provides transport to and from school)
- Practice Times: Monday - Friday, 3:30-5:30pm
- Note: The team travels to Oak Ridge, TN during Spring Break for a training trip and also participates in both regional and national regattas throughout the season.
- Gear and Uniform
- A team tee shirt is provided for the fall regatta season. Once a Novice graduates to the other boats, they will be required to wear a team uniform.
- In general, the best clothing for rowing is soft, stretchy, breathable, and fairly form-fitting. One of the basic clothing requirements is Spandex shorts/trousers for wearing in the shell. Loose shorts and pants can get caught in the slides under the moving seats, so avoid basketball style shorts.
NOVICE SWIM TEST
Safety is a top priority for SICR. We need to be 100% comfortable that each team member has the ability to stay afloat, in the unlikely event that their boat tips over. To this end, all new (novice) crew members are required to pass a swim test before getting in a boat. Passing the test covers you for your entire time on the team. To pass the test, you must have a certified lifeguard/swim instructor certify that you are able to:
- Enter the water and swim 50 meters (any stroke)
- Tread water for 10 minutes while still wearing clothes
FOR VARSITY ROWERS: SICR AT A GLANCE
- Practice: Monday – Friday 5:00am until 7:00am and Saturday from 6:00am-8:00am
- Transport: students with cars drive and tend to carpool with other team members who don’t have a car back to school to shower and start the school day.
FOR PARENTS: SICR ROWING AT A GLANCE
- SICR is a club that is separate from the school and is a self-funded 501C3. It has the largest number of athletes participating of any school sport. The club has won many national awards and strives to provide athletes with the best opportunity to compete regionally and nationally against the best of scholastic and club rowing programs.
- The club is run by volunteer coaches & parents. At SICR Crew, the heart of our programs is volunteering. Our parents, rowers and friends donate their time and passion to make ours a safe, happy and successful program. There are numerous ways to participate, and a place for everyone to join in. Opportunities will be posted during the season. Contact any board member with your questions. Here are just a few ways you can join in: Regatta hospitality tent, trailer towing to events, chaperone at the regattas.
- Fees: There are fees for the club for each season and for the spring break trip
- Novice after-school bus to and from the boathouse is provided by the school
- St Ignatius Crew uniforms, gear and apparel can be purchased on this website found on the Uniform & Gear Tab
- Coaches place rowers in a boat and/or position to benefit the team. Please respect their decisions.
COXSWAINS:
In a rowing crew, the coxswain is the member who sits in the stern facing the bow. Coxswains are an integral part of any crew; they are critical to safety on the water, navigating the river, strategically maneuvering the boat during races, and motivating the rowers. Furthermore, the coxswain is the communication link from coach to rowers during practice. It is a challenging but fun task that requires focus, decisiveness and a keen sense of responsibility.
If your child is a coxswain you have a few different rules. Your child will row a lot less. They are in command of the boat. Their responsibilities are to navigate getting the boats in and out of the water as well as determining how and when the rowers increase their speed while racing. They are generally required to be at meetings at the regattas at least an hour before the rowers are required to be there. They may be responsible for a “cox box”, an aid to tempo and pace and a microphone to yell commands to the rowers. No rowing or coxing experience is necessary to become an SICR coxswain.
THINKING ABOUT TRYING CREW?
You are welcome to try the team for up to a week in the "open enrollment" time. To do so, please contact Janet Smith SICR.Registrar@gmail.com
Spring 2023 Registration
Registration for the 2023 Winter/Spring season for new/returning rowers is now open! Please click on the link located near the top of this page. Spring season will begin March 1, 2023 with training to take place at the Eleanor Boathouse at Park #571, 2828 S. Eleanor Street, Chicago IL or the Immaculate Heart of Mary Center located at 1100 S. May St., Chicago IL. Please contact Janet Smith at sicr.registrar@gmail.com with any questions.
2022-23 Season
The 2022 SICR Fall Season began August 22, 2022. We had a full schedule of regattas, and after Thanksgiving when the weather turned cold transitioned to the traditional winter training season in the Immaculate Heart of Mary Center, 1100 S. May, Chicago IL.
We headed back out onto the water in the Spring Season, which will officially began on March 1.
Please contact Janet Smith at sicr.registrar@gmail.com if you are interested in rowing.