Welcome to Sweeps & Sculls Rowing! We are very excited to have you join us for one of our Discover Rowing Clinics. We are looking forward to getting to know you and sharing this amazing sport.
We wanted to give you some idea of what you can expect along with a few logistics. If you have any questions before your clinic, you can always reach out to your coach via phone, text or email. The contact information for your coach is below.
Times & Locations…
The times for your clinic are:
- Saturday: 9:30-11:30a
- Sunday: 7-9a (*we will discuss specific times and how this day will be structured on Saturday
Your coach will meet you the parking area near the Discover Rowing sign.
You will be meeting at the Sweeps & Sculls Boatyard at the Port Barrington Marina. This is our primary location for on water rowing.
When you drive in to Port Barrington Marina for the first time, you will park just past the gate facing toward a corn field. Our boatyard is down the path toward the river. Your coach will meet you by the corn field to walk you down.
If you drive all the way in to the marina and see power boats on trailers, you have gone past the parking for the boatyard and should turn around and head back toward the gate. The address is:
Sweeps & Sculls Boatyard
1317 Behan Road
Crystal Lake, IL
Speed Limit – 25mph
Once you turn onto the road to Port Barrington (including the paved part), please observe the 25mph speed limit. This is a specific direction from the owner of the Marina and it is extremely important that we respect his business.
Please see the map below for additional details.
Waivers…
If you have a chance, please print the following US Rowing Waiver and Sweeps & Sculls Waiver and bring it with you. If you forget, we will have extra print outs avaialble.
Plan for inclement weather…
If the forecast calls for drizzle, we will still plan on holding the clinic at the boatyard. Please dress accordingly.
If there are storms coming through on either day, we will first attempt to move the time of the clinic by 30-90 mintues.
If that will not work, then we will do the following:
Inclement Weather – Day 1
If shifting the time will not work for Day 1 of the clinic, we will move the clinic to our Indoor Rowing Center. You will receive a group text message at least 30 minutes before the start time of the clinic letting you know that the location has changed. The address of our indoor rowing center is:
Sweeps & Sculls Indoor Rowing Center
4410 Route 176
Suite 14
Crystal Lake, IL
Inclement Weather – Day 2
If shifting the time does not work for Day 2 of the clinic, we will have to cancel and reschedle for a different Sunday. One option is to come to the next clinic date, however, we will make every effort to reschecule within 4 weeks of the orignal date and try to accomodate everyone as best we can. If we can’t find a date that accomodates everyone, then we will make individual accomodations.
What to wear…
It is best to wear comfortable, athletic clothes that allow for easy movement while rowing. Please dress for the weather. If it is going to be chilly, layers are best. Loose fitting clothes, especially shorts, can be problematic with the rolling seats, so closer fitting clothes are better. This can be especially problematic for men. Steer clear of long, baggy basketball shorts. Shirts and jackets with pockets can also be problematic. Clothing that dries quickly (synthetic fabrics) are always a better idea than cotton.
Footwear…
For day 1 of your clinic, any type of shoes are fine. However, for day 2, slip on shoes that are easy to remove are ideal for rowing. Our boatyard also has woodchip paths and areas around the boats, so closed toes are a good idea. Something like Crocs or Keens work well.
There are shoes in the boats, so you just need to be able to slip shoes off when getting in the boat. You will want to wear socks with your slip on shoes so that you have socks on when you get in the boat.
In the spring, the ground at the boatyard can be soft and wet, so rain boots or hiking boots can work well.
Coach Sue Koscielski Contact Info
Email: sue@sweepsandsculls.org
Cell Phone: (815) 693-3734
What we’ll be doing…
During your clinic, we will cover several aspects of the sport of rowing, including (but not limited to):
- equipment and how to handle it
- rowing commands and terminology
- safety
- the basics of the rowing stroke
Water, bug spray, sun block…
These clinics are short, but you may want to plan to bring water with you. We do have some water at the boatyard, but do not typically have cups, so having a water bottle with you is a good idea.
While we don’t have an issue with mosquitos out on the water, we are very much in the middle of nature at our boatyard and there may be some mosquitos hanging around. We do have some bug spray at the boatyard, but it is up to you if you would like to bring your own.
The boatyard is surrounded by trees, but is not completely shaded, and you are out in the open once we are on the water on day 2. Please feel free to use sun block, hats, etc. as you see fit.
It’s a water sport – you’re probably going to get wet…
This is one of our favorite things to say to all of our rowers and it couldn’t be more true. You may get splashed while rowing and it is possible that you could end up in the water. It is always a good idea to throw a towel in your car, and perhaps have a change of clothing just in case.
Want to keep rowing after your clinic?
One of the most important goals of our club is to educate people about the sport of rowing and provide a lifelong opportunity for participation in the sport. We hope to give you enough of an experience to decide if rowing is something you would like to continue. We would love for you to join us!
Adults have the opportunity to row year round with our Masters Rowing Program. You can continue your journey on the water from April through October with coached and open rows. From November through March, you can develop strength, endurance, mobility, and technique with our indoor rows.
Our masters program works on a level system where each rowers works through skills at their own pace.
