Joining the Langley Crew Team

New and returning rowers, an explanation of the registration process and access to forms are here.

Costs

Crew is a varsity sport though classified as a Club Sport in Fairfax County because slightly less than 50% of the schools have a crew team. Consequently, the team does not receive any funds from the school system for transportation, coaches or other costs. Costs are covered by fees charged to each student participant and by fund-raising activities of the Crew Boosters.

Yearly costs involve dues and travel expenses. Season dues are $450. Travel costs depend on whether the rower travels to the Stotesbury Cup in Philadelphia, PA or the National Regatta in Oak Ridge, TN this year. Each regatta will typically cost $175 per rower. First year rowers require uniforms which cost ~ $50. Also, bus transportation, with priority for freshmen, is provided to/from the Occoquan for an additional cost. See below for transportation details.

Our two primary fundraising activities are car washes and the Ergathon. The Ergathon is our team's major fundraising event and, thus, participation is mandatory for all team members. This year’s Ergathon will be held in February, our fourth annual SAXON SPARTAN FaceOff with West Springfield.

General Information for new rowers/coxswains:

Practice Time

Daily practice is Monday through Friday at the Sandy Run Regional Park on the Occoquan River, off Ox Road South from the Fairfax County Parkway and near the I-95 exit for Lorton Road. Exact practice times have not yet been established but typically start at 4:30 and end by 6:45 p.m. Students arrive home on weekdays between 7:30 and 8:00 p.m. There is practice on Saturday mornings for the first month of the season after which regattas are held most Saturdays. The first practice will be onMonday, 25 February. Practices are held the week of spring break with time off determined by coaches for each boat.

Transportation to/from Practice

Crew participants need to get to the Occoquan River from Langley directly after school. The trip to the river from Langley takes about 45 minutes, depending on traffic. A school bus for freshmen departs Langley at 3:30 p.m. before which students are encouraged to study in the Library. Upper classmen are expected to arrange carpools. The team has a long history of generously looking out for each other and helping people network to carpool.

IMPORTANT: Speed Limit through the neighborhood on Van Thompson Rd is 30 mph and in the park is 15 mph. Speeding is strictly prohibited and the parents' actions are a reflection on the team as well as prohibiting their child from rowing at Sandy Run if they violate the speed limit. Click here for guidelines on dropping off your children at Sandy Run.

Carpools

Here are some ways transportation can be worked out.

1. Parent carpools
Prior to the beginning of the season, the team will make available contact information by zip code, so nearby students and parents can talk with each other and work out plans for shared parent driving.

2. Student carpools
Some team members drive to school, practice and back home. If they have their parents'/guardians' permission to transport other students, they can post a "Want Ad" on the team Web site with their driving details e.g. number of passengers they can take and where they live). Interested team members who need a ride can respond to the ad.

Parents are responsible for monitoring how their student gets to and from practices and regattas and for participating in the driving whenever possible.

Note: By recently changed Virginia law, the maximum number of passengers under the age of 18 permitted (except family members) follows for drivers under age 18:

Driver age 16 - 1 passenger under age 18
Driver age 17 - 3 passengers under age 18

Click for more info for parents of new members