Hi Westdale Rowers & Parents,

I am very pleased to announce that we have four new assistant coaches joining us for the outdoor season. Please see below for an overview of the assistant coaches & their coach pairings (days they’ll be helping out); information on training; and specifics concerning trailer loading and the Mother’s Day Regatta this weekend.

Assistant Coaches:

Eben Prevec: Eben is an experienced varsity heavyweight rower at UBC and a Westdale Rowing Alumnus. He has competed in numerous sweep competitions & has also sculled throughout his rowing career. Eben will be assisting Mike on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays, and will be assisting me on Thursdays/Fridays/Sundays. He will also be attending the after-school practices & will assist Peter on Monday/Wed PM.

Anise Truman: Anise has been rowing as a varsity lightweight rower at Queens University. Also a graduate of Westdale, Anise has experience in both sweep & sculling, but will be assisting predominantly with the sculling boats. Anise will assist Peter on Tuesdays/Wednesdays/Saturdays/Sundays (AM) and during afternoon sessions on Mondays and Tuesdays. She will assist Mike with the women’s sweep crews on Thursday & Friday mornings (coxing a women’s 8+).

Mary Rao: Mary is an experienced coxswain, rower, and coach who has coxed many varsity boats for McMaster University. She has previously coached at LBC as a Learn-To-Row instructor, and has coached the Bishop Tonnes highschool team. In addition to assisting with Westdale Secondary School’s outdoor season this year, she is also coaching in the Sails & Shells programme conducted by RowOntario. Mary will be assisting Peter on Thursday & Friday mornings, in addition to coaching Tuesday-Thursday in the afternoon.

Lexi Ross: Lexi began rowing in the 2012/2013 Westdale Rowing season during her final year of highschool (another Westdale alumnus!), and has since been a rower on the Queen’s University varsity rowing team. Lexi is currently set to assist Mike on Thursday & Friday mornings, and will also be assisting at other practices depending on availability.

The assistant coaching schedule can be found here: Assistant Coaching Schedule (Coach Pairings)

Training Schedule until Schoolboys:

The completed training schedule – including all regatta dates, holidays, crew dinners, and ergathons – can be found here: WSS Rowing 2014 Training Schedule (A. Gage – MAY & JUNE). Please click on the link to enlarge the program & feel free to print and post it to your fridge (a helpful reminder of important dates!).

A mandatory full team meeting will also be held tomorrow (Tuesday, May 6th) after practice to discuss new coaching, the Mother’s Day Regatta entries, and an important notice about arrival times to practice. All boats will return to the docks earlier than normal so that we can meet at 7:15am.

Trailer Loading & Mother’s Day Entries:

Trailer loading for Mother’s Day will be held at 10am on Saturday morning. Due to the LBC club schedule, the loading cannot be held earlier. This break provides enough time for athletes to clean their boats & grab a crew breakfast before derigging and trailer-loading at 10am.

The boats racing at the Mother’s Day Regatta are as follows (listed with bow or coxswain name):
-Event 6: Sr. Women’s 63kg 1x (Jocelyn)
-Event 11: Sr. Women’s 4x (Kiija)
-Event 18: Sr. Men’s 1x (Luke)
-Event 23: Sr. Men’s 4x (Hudson)
-Event 24: Sr. Women’s 1x (Madison)
-Event 25: Sr. Men’s 72kg 4+ (Kiri)
-Event 26: Jr. Women’s 8+ (Tristan)
-Event 27: Jr. Men’s 2x (Max)
-Event 30: Sr. Men’s 72kg 1x (Hudson)
-Event 33: Sr. Women’s 2x (Kiija) (Jocelyn)
-Event 35: Sr. Women’s 8+ (Will)
-Event 36: Sr. Men’s 8+ (Kiri)

As per my discussion with the Sr. Men’s 4x (David/Evan/Toby/Bogdan) and the Jr. Men’s FWT 4+ (Tanner/Jake/Will/Talal), the PM crews will not be racing at Mother’s Day in the SH4x and JF4+. The SH4x will join the Sr. 72kg 4+ for the Sr. Men’s 8+ at Mother’s Day, and the JF4+ will be focusing on their upcoming race at City Champs. This was mutually agreed upon by all crew members.

See you all in 4.5 hours! 🙂
Alessandra