Exciting News for Fall ABCrew!

We hope everyone is enjoying the summer! We wanted to update everyone on fall registration. But first some exciting news.

Please welcome Coach Kelsey!

First, we have a new coach – Kelsey Anderson is joining us as the new Novice Boys coach. Coach Jody will coach the Varsity Boys this school year! Kelsey was a coxswain at UMass Amherst and most recently has coached competitively for Ready Set Row’s Elite Girls summer program. We are thrilled to have Kelsey join us this fall, and appreciate her former UMass coach Jim Dietz for referring her to us! Jim is a former Olympic rower and coach.

First fee increase in several years

After reviewing our budget, the Board has decided that we must increase our seasonal fee to $1,150. This is the first increase we have instituted in a while. Like everyone else, our costs are rising and unfortunately we have little choice but to raise the rates to keep up. We will continue to provide financial assistance where appropriate.

In other news, we are buying two boats! A used Vespoli eight from MIT and a new Vespoli 8. We are also acquiring two sets of oars.

Eligibility

If you are going to be attending AHS, BHS or Minuteman, you are eligible to join the team as a rower or a coxswain. If you are going into 8th grade, you are eligible to join as a coxswain. In both cases you will be assigned to one of the Novice squads. Please note that due to enrollment limitations, we may have to give preference to returning rowers and coxswains. That decision will be made once we see the final counts.

Registration, regattas & practices

We plan to open fall registration this week, and will send a follow-up email when it goes live. We are also updating the website with the fall practice schedule, regatta schedule (when we have it), adding Kelsey’s bio, updating the COVID policy and updating the Safe Sport policy.

Fall season will start Monday August 29! The first squad (it will be one of the varsity squads) will start at 3:30 pm and then the other squads will follow (3:45, 4:00 and 4:15). We will be having Saturday morning practices until regattas start first weekend of October. We will post and update the regatta and practice schedules, and there will be more details to come by email and on the website.

GO AB!

Doug Rosner
President
ABCrewTeam.org

photo credit: Coach Jody Klenk, Novice Boys Coach at USRowing Nationals, June 2022.