Each regatta, the Virginia Scholastic Rowing Association (VASRA) assigns volunteer duties to each school. These duties are essential to staging the regattas, and if an assignment goes unfilled, the Booster Club is fined $50.
See the VASRA Volunteer Guide for more details on each assignment.
Pre-Season and Post-Season Activities
Course Set-Up
Late February/early March. Pre-season activities to prepare the racecourse for regattas.
Land – Tasks include cleaning and rearranging the equipment in the storage shed, checking cables and buoys, and any other jobs assigned by the full-time course coordinator. May require heavy lifting.
Water – Tasks include installing anchors, buoy lines, and spreader cables, and positioning the starting tower and starting platform near the starting line.
Course Take-Down
Late May. Land and water end-of-season activities to store the regatta equipment over the winter. Tasks include removing the buoy lines, cables, and anchors, and repositioning the starting tower and starting platform near regatta headquarters. May require heavy lifting.
Regatta Day Volunteer Activities
Regattas take place early March through late May.
Awards Assistant and Trophy Assistant
Obtain results of specific races, organize labeled award ribbons by 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places for presentation, and record the distribution of awards. Pass results to the results poster and prepare for awards to be picked up by coaches.
Concessions
Morning-shift volunteers – Four people set up the boathouse concession and four set up the grandstand concession. Set up supplies and prepare and sell food, t-shirts, or programs as assigned by the concession manager. Set up tables and grill, start the coffee, and place all supplies on the tables to be sold. Set out the menu board.
Regular-shift volunteers – Eight or nine volunteers run the concession stands. One person will cook hot dogs and hamburgers and one person will wrap the food as it is cooked. One person will be in charge of the cash boxes. There will be separate cash boxes for food and t-shirts; keep the money from the food separate from other purchases.
Afternoon-shift volunteers – Sell lunch foods, t-shirts and programs. At the end of the regatta, clean up the area and put away tables, grills, coffeepots, and any other equipment.
Dockmaster Assistant (Launch and Recovery)
Help the dockmaster make sure crews are checked in, launched, and retrieved safely and at the correct times. Keep docks clear of unnecessary gear, help wash the docks prior to the start of the regatta, and take messages to HQ for the dockmaster.
Finish Line Timer Helper
Help determine shell timing and placement at the finish line. The Finish Line Judge makes all lane assignments. Ability to operate a stopwatch effectively to time the split time for the shell in the assigned lane is required.
Launch Drivers
Dam: Patrol the lower reservoir near the dam to ensure the safety of the rowers and to prevent the shells from venturing too near the dam. The launch must be in place before the first shell arrives at the start.
Marshal: Drive a Regatta Marshal. Launch drivers should be experienced and comfortable following shells down the racecourse. Regatta Marshal will most likely use hand signals to direct the launch.
Referee: Driver will be assigned to a Regatta Judge/Referee. Launch drivers should be experienced and comfortable following shells down the racecourse. Regatta Judge/Referee will most likely use hand signals to direct the launch.
Safety: Keep a keen eye on the course and attempt to keep powerboats, sailboats, kayaks, canoes, etc. out of the way of the race. Driver may need to pick up large pieces of flotsam and jetsam in the shells’ way. Keep a particularly keen eye on rowers warming up upstream and for any shells that may have capsized.
Takedown: Drive a launch at the conclusion of the regatta to collect and help store the regatta course equipment, motors, launches, lane markers, and whatever is needed to secure the regatta site. Some heavy lifting may be involved.
Regatta Headquarters Coordinator
This person functions as the principal liaison and managerial support to the Regatta Director, Assistant Regatta Director, and Head Judge/Referee. They should also ensure that the HQ is kept reasonably clean and orderly to allow easy access to needed equipment, and that there is sufficient room for all of its uses, including food and beverage storage.
Set-Up Helper (Water)
Help the set-up launch driver perform his/her duties. Much of the shift will be on the water in the launch, and may require some heavy lifting.
Stakeboat Holder
At the starting platform, help align the shells to be in proper position for the start. Help prevent damage to the shells when they back up to the lane. Remain on the starting platform throughout the shift. Before the start of each race, lie down on the plank that extends out from the platform and catch the stern of the shell coming into the lane. Align the shell by pulling it back or pushing it out slightly, as instructed by an official at the side of the racecourse. Let go of the shell immediately upon the start.
Take-Down Helper (Water)
At the end of the regatta, you will help store the regatta equipment, motors, launches, and lane markers, and whatever is needed to secure the regatta site. Some heavy lifting may be involved. The take-down helper will be working in a launch part of the time.
Van Coordinator
Communicate with volunteer at other end of grandstand van loop to coordinate van departures and collect money from customers riding the VASRA shuttle van between the Grandstand and Lot C.
Contact us at: langleyrowing@gmail.com with any questions.