Good morning Justice Rowing family,

Please prepare for a long email. Take a breath. Sitting ready? Attention. Row.

Justice Rowing is planning to resume some in-person on-campus workouts starting this week (3/8/21). The following information reflects months of hard work from our board, athletics and athletic training staff, and coaches to produce a plan to return us to fitness and a water-ready state. The Spring sports season is set to begin on April 12^th. VASRA has determined this week to begin preparations for the upcoming on-water season. At this time, we do not have specifics ready to share on Sandy-Run Boathouse practices, but will keep everyone updated to the best of our ability as more details are finalized. For now, we have prepared procedures and expectations for in-person at-school erg workouts.

Schedule:

• In-person erg practices will take place Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday.
• USRowing and VASRA recommends keeping rowers in “pods” of contact as much as possible. With that in mind, the men’s team will have in-person sessions on Mondays and Thursdays, and the women’s team will meet on Tuesdays and Fridays.
• Wednesdays are intended for independent cross-training and keeping up with personal and academic obligations. No organized practice.
• If your team is not meeting in-person on a given day and you are able, the coaches’ expectation is that you will log on to Google Classroom and participate in virtual body-weight circuit workouts led by Coach Hannah at 3:45pm.

Procedures for attending erg practices at school:

• Prior to attending practice:

• • Dress for the weather and for working out. No access to changing rooms.
  • All athletes must bring and wear a mask.
  • You must bring 32oz of water with you, or you will not participate in the workout. No refills in the building.
  • Bring a mobile device or laptop to complete the pre-activity questionnaire.
  • Please recall the FCPS Parent/Student Commitment to: screen all school-aged children in the home each day prior to sending him/her to school and agree to keep your child at home if he/she has: 

• • • Feeling feverish and/or having chills (if documented temperature/fever of 100.4F or greater) 
    • A new cough not due to another health condition
    • Fatigue (more tired than usual) 
    • Nasal congestion or runny nose Headache
    • A new sore throat not due to another health condition
    • New chills not due to another health condition
    • New muscle pain not due to another health condition or that may have been caused by a specific activity such as physical exercise
    • New loss of taste or smell, new onset of poor appetite or poor feeding
    • Abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting

• Arrival

• • Please arrive between 3:45 and 4pm.

• • • We recognize that this timing could be awkward and inconvenient in relation to the end of the school-day and work-day. However, this gap between school dismissal and practice is to allow for in-season sports to get started, students and busses to leave campus, and coaches to set up equipment. Only coaches may set up and stow equipment.

• • Please drop off or park in the back parking lot, and walk down to door 13 using the “alley” in between the football field and the school building.

• • • This is the same location rowers have used for workouts previously and where our erg trailer is stored.
    • Please do not drive your rower down to door 13. It is a very narrow alleyway intended for staff vehicles and student foot-traffic.
    • Do not enter the school building, unless directed to do so.

• • Rowers will gather, 6-feet apart, along the football field fence and use the QR code (provided at practice) to complete the pre-activity screening.

• • • Athletes must use their fcpsschools.net accounts.
    • Please leave any pre-filled sections alone and un-edited.
    • Please close the browser after submission.

• • Once a coach has verified that you are in attendance, answered the questions, have a mask, necessary paperwork, water, and are appropriately dressed, you may proceed with practice.

• Practice:

• • Ergs will be lined up in the alleyway appropriately spaced.
  • Each rower will use one erg. No switching ergs. All ergs will be numbered and rowers will continue to use the same erg indefinitely.
  • Masks must be worn at all times.

• • • Coaches are taking this limitation into account when planning workouts to keep all athletes safe.

• End of Practice

• • Practice will end at 5:30pm. Please pick-up in the back parking lot.
  • All equipment will be sanitized and stored by coaches.
  • Rowers are encouraged to shower immediately after getting home from practice.

 As we are all aware, COVID-19 is ready to derail our plans at any time. Please be flexible and communicative with your coaches and administration. Please be ready to pause workouts as needed. Spring season can only happen if procedures are followed and safety is made our priority. As with each season, these sessions are highly encouraged but optional. If you choose not to participate in in-person sessions for any reason, we respect your decision, and it will not affect your participation in any on-water in-season practices.

 Please feel free to email both myself (riwalker@fcps.edu) and our board (justicerowing@gmail.com) if you have questions, concerns, or encouragement! See you next week!

 My best wishes for your health, safety, and success,”

Rob Walker (he/him)
Special Ed. and English Teacher
Justice High School Rowing Team Head Coach
www.justicerowing.org