RegattaCentral

Information for Coaches:

Here is the important information for coaches in advance of our regatta:

1. Schedules - Tentative event schedules will be posted on Regatta Central. We reserve to make additional changes or modifications as needed. A final version will be posted on Friday. Please attend the mandatory coaches/coxswains meeting on Saturday at 7:25am for the latest updates if any.

2. Event Registration - Payment is due before the Tuesday prior to the event, and there are no refunds after this date. Regretfully, we cannot provide refunds for cancellations due to weather or river conditions. All teams must check in at the event registration desk upon arrival, and before the coach/cox meeting.

3. Parking - We will not have significant staff on site before 6:00am to assist with parking.  Please let us know if your trailer will arrive on Friday.

• Parking at the venue is strictly limited only to tow vehicles with boat trailers and food trailers. Boat trailers may park in designated spaces waterside only with the direction of our volunteer parking staff.
• Vehicles carrying food tent supplies and trailers may drop off as quickly as possible and return to the James River High School parking lots during the event.
• Buses with rowers may drop off the team, but must return to the school to park
• ALL OTHER PARKING must be at the James River High School lots. It is about a 3/10 mile walk to the park from the school. There is no parking along the roadways between the school and the park.  Please ask your attendees to carpool as there is a track and field event on the same day at the high school.

The only parking inside the park will be for referees, emergency personnel, event staff, and very limited spaces for handicapped vehicles.

Please, please comply with our parking staff so that we can have a safe and efficient regatta.

4. Dock Safety and efficiency - It is VITAL that you discuss with your team several matters:

• A) due to overcrowding concerns, coaches are asked not to go on the dock with rowers.
• B) boats need to launch as quickly as possible, and overly slow boats may be penalized or disqualified if the Dock Master's instructions are not followed. Please allow a maximum 90 seconds to launch or recover your boat.
• C) Launch and recovery helpers assisting with baskets and oars are required and should get in and out immediately to avoid crowding issues and a time penalty.
• D) Please have all of the heel ties checked before coming down to launch and check all the equipment so as to facilitate a smooth launch process.
• E) Each team is responsible for their bow numbers
• F) When wet, the dock ramps can be VERY slippery especially when carrying a boat overhead. Coxswains should approach very gently and remind your boat mates about this in advance.
• G) Please wear shoes to avoid injury on the ramp or docks. 
• H) Instruct coxswains to listen carefully to the dock masters, and await to be called in to the dock for recovery. Please exercise good judgement, and appreciate we are working our hardest to run an efficient schedule.

5. Communications/Text Tree - The loudspeaker system at the park does not provide enough coverage for all teams to hear announcements. We are again using a text messaging system to communicate with teams and officials!

To sign up, simply just text the message @6a73ha to phone number 81010. Please limit sign-ups to coaches and coxswains due to capacity issues. When signed up, you will receive a text message to announce each event call, unofficial results, important messages, and Q&A with the organizers. It makes for dramatically improved communications, so please encourage all coaches, rowers, parents and guest to follow the very easy instructions attached to sign up. It's only good for this event, so no need to worry about a group chat that never dies!

6. Medical Form - The head ref has requested that each team provide the name (optional but helpful), event number, bow number, and seat number for any rower that has the following medical conditions, including if they have an inhaler or epi-pen: Asthma, Diabetes, Allergies. This information should be emailed to [email protected] no later than Friday at 1pm.

7. Emergency contact info - Please feel free to call or text if you have any serious issues arriving at the venue or during the event. 804-647-6760.

8. Have Fun - We strive for a fun, relaxed, and friendly regatta. Let us know if we can do anything to improve your experience, and the fan experience as well. While our entire team strives to orchestrate a great regatta, we are all parent volunteers and appreciate your patience sometimes. We will be sending out a survey after the event, and encourage you to provide us with feedback on every aspect of our regattas, both good and bad.

Thanks for racing with us!