SPRING BREAK TRAINING TRIP

ROWING IN OAK RIDGE, TN...AMERICA’S FAVORITE ROWING VENUE...

Every year, the Saint Ignatius Chicago Rowing Team and thousands of rowers from around the country flock to Oak Ridge, Tennessee to train and compete at Melton Lake, one of the best 2,000-meter rowing courses in America. With 30 miles of flat water and a seven-lane buoyed race course, Melton Lake is an excellent location for rowing training trips and regattas! Oak Ridge has hosted several prestigious regattas including, the NCAA Women’s Rowing National Championships, US Rowing Championship events, Conference Championships and countless other high caliber regattas at the high school, collegiate and masters level. The schedule for the rowers is rigorous but the experience is considered to be one of the best high school memories for most rowers.

SICR Spring Break Coordinator, Todd Church, will hold a virtual information session on 2/18/25 at 6:30pm. Bring your questions and learn all about the spring break training trip from other parents and athletes.

Meeting link will be sent out closer to the date.

• WHEN: This year the bus will leave from Saint Ignatius the morning of Sunday March 23, arriving in Oak Ridge that evening. The bus will leave Oak Ridge on Saturday, March 29, and return to Chicago/SICP late that evening.
• WHERE: Oak Ridge, Tennessee, 25 miles west of Knoxville. Hotel accommodations for the athletes are included in the registration fee. 
• WHY: The trip is highly recommended for SICR athletes. They gel as a team and the coaches begin to determine the best boat pairings for the spring regatta season.
• COST: $1,300 per athlete (includes hotel, transportation, practice fees, breakfast and lunch most days) 

SPRING BREAK TYPICAL SCHEDULE

Times are approximate and subject to change

• 6:00am Wake-Up | Quick breakfast at the hotel buffet
• 6:40am Bus or run to boathouse
• 7:00am – 9:30am On the water
• 9:30am  Break | Snacks at the Tent Site
• 11:00am – 12:30pm On the water
• 12:30pm – 1:00pm Lunch at the Tent Site sometimes catered or grill out
• 1:00pm Bus to hotel for rest
• 3:30pm Bus back to rowing site
• 4:00pm to 6:00pm On the water
• 6:30pm Bus to hotel | dinner
• 8:30pm – 9:00pm Rowers Return to Hotel Rooms
• 10:00pm Bed check

CHAPERONES NEEDED:

If you have the opportunity to chaperone at Oak Ridge you should take it.  A lot of work goes into the planning and execution of a successful and safe trip. The more chaperones the better. Come for the week or a few days, whatever your schedule allows. Many memories happen there that your child will not remember to tell you about. Rowing is a cooperative activity on all levels, and your help with chaperoning is a vital element!

• Chaperones are needed to ride the bus
• Set-up and prepare food for the food tent
• Supervise at the hotel - including dinner check in/out and bed checks. 

It's also fun for the parents! You can enjoy the warmer weather, get to know some other team parents, and most importantly, catch a few rides in the launches with the coaches and get a close-up view of your rower in action out on the water.  

CLICK HERE TO VISIT THE CHAPERONE PAGE