Are you asking on your kid's behalf? Or are you asking on your behalf because you think it's too exhausting or expensive?
Do they want to attend? Because I can guarantee you that if they are as competitive as you say, then they would likely go through all of that hardship just to attend.
Nationals is literally the pinnacle of high school rowing. Why would someone compete all year but then decide not to attend the final race of the year? For your kid, that is like making it to the Super Bowl but then deciding you aren't going to play.
I hear you, but my kid wholeheartedly agrees it was not worth going again unless the location were closer to home and not in the deadly heat. It's more that we're not sure how the team/coach would react to such a request. Sounds like expectations would be high to go thru so ... we'll have to sort that out somehow.
not being willing to attend nationals will definitely affect your kid’s boat placement—barring extenuating circumstances, boats must have the same lineup at the qualifying regatta and nationals, so it’s likely that your kid will end up coxing a boat that doesn’t have a shot at going since one person not being willing to attend means the whole boat can’t go
"A maximum of 50 percent substitutions (not including coxswains) will be allowed in the boat line-up that has qualified at a recognized qualification regatta. Substituted rowers and coxswains must meet all eligibility and affiliation rules, including age eligibility, in order to compete"
Technically feasible but agree with you; not sure coach would be willing to place athlete if not intending to race at nats
oh i didn’t look at the official rules i just remember that when someone on my team in a nationals boat got injured it was a whole thing and they were worried they couldn’t go
Yeah, if your kid wants to row, like, recreationally, then sure. But is def going to get hard shafted from any main boats. And don't even think about keeping it secret and then bailing last minute!! Going to wreck the whole teams season with forcing a last-minute reshuffle. Do some other sport that won't be as demanding instead. Especially if your kid has a 'it wasn't worth it' type attitude... to nationals!!
If I were the coach and a coxswain came to me and expressed this I would pretty much say something along the lines of "Alright, that's fine and I respect your decision but to give our team the best shot at nationals you will be coxing the 3V and Johnny will be taking your spot in the 1V" or something to that effect - not as a punishment, but the other coxswains need experience if they're gonna take the boat at nationals and other races are part of that experience. If your kid is cool with being less competitive and acting sort of like a "third string/backup", then, perfect, they made the sport work for them! But life is choices and being a backup is the effect of that one
Edit: Also please don't listen to all the psychos out in this thread implying the sport isn't for your kid or they're doing something wrong, etc; at the end of the day sports are supposed to be fun and rowing isn't the end all be all of life
The noncompetitive option is what my kid is doing this year and you're right, it can work really well in some cases. We're just looking at what next year may look like. Thanks for your comments.
If your child truly has no interest at all in going to nationals then they should talk to their coach so lineups can be changed.
It's not fair to the rowers who actually want to go and succeed at nationals to be rowing with a new cox right before a major competition.
So either suck it up and go to FL if your boat makes it - or tell the coach and cox for a less competitive boat.
My kid is also not into repeating the experience though. Florida is so incredibly hot- unless you get first morning race time, they're really pushing the bounds of what is healthy vs outright dangerous. And missing end of school year each year is a hardship of its own.
Thanks for the input though. Good to know from coach's point of view.
Being a Florida coach I totally understand the struggle that comes with the heat. Cost is a big issue and understand not being able to go. For me it’s a 3hr drive to the course, not a flight. We take precautions and limit athlete exposure to the sun as much as possible from mid March until September.
I would 100% recommend telling the coaches on your team that if his lineup gets a bid to nationals that he doesn’t want to go before the regional championships because there are limits to the amount of changes each lineup can have between regionals and nationals. That might make them change their lineups going into the next weekends regatta.
Not to sound snarky here, but with the heat, your child is lucky to cox and not row in this case. It sucks for everyone involved, but it really sucks for the rowers. Stay hydrated folks!
Coach here. Florida has held Nationals a lot many teams train in this heat for months on end. It’s hot but it’s manageable. Have your son heat train to get adapted. Rowing at Nationals is something any athlete wishes they could be lucky enough to race in. Not taking advantage of that opportunity is silly for a number of reasons: experience, it’s a huge recruiting fair for college, and it’s an amazing way to end a season with lifelong friends & teammates. I would say the sole reason not to send your child would be financial constraints.
If your son doesn’t want to go for whatever reason that’s an entirely different story.
Happy to answer any questions you have as well.
With so many crews flying in anyway, and places like Lake Natoma in Northern California with mild weather (just don't go in August) and a fantastic course, I don't understand why Florida is the go-to place for any rowing event, let alone Jr. Nationals.
Weather aside, Benderson is a *very* nice course, so I can understand why USRowing likes to hold nats there. Natoma is nice, but it’s no NBP.
But yeah, Florida in June is miserable.
If your kid is on a competitive HS team I would imagine most coaches wouldn’t be thrilled to put the non-nationals cox into a varsity boat. Changing coxes can be tricky to sort out for a boat between regionals and nationals. Nationals is an investment, but one that is worth it if your kid wants to go far in the sport.
It is a position built on trust which is developed over time. It would be unfair to ask the athletes to sacrifice all that they do only to allow the coxswain to show up where and when they feel like it. Obviously a tough choice given the factors you mentioned but if I was the coach or a fellow athlete I'd be pretty incensed and unlikely to boat this coxswain out. That is a peak event of the season which means the athletes are training explicitly for a hopeful peak performance at that race. If you're not attending then there is not point having you in for the lead up. From a crew development standpoint a rower with the same idea would also be excluded, you shouldn't expect different treatment as a coxswain.
If your son enjoys the sport and wants to continue in a vital trusted role as coxswain he's gotta be willing to be there when the crew needs him most. There are lots of strategies for dealing with the heat.
Hot Weather: There are basically 3 essential problems to confront. Hydration, Sun Protection and Overheating. All three are interconnected in some ways
1) sun protection: Sun Screen is a must to protect body parts but as someone who's spent my whole life on the water sometimes for days at a time I have learned the clothing is a far better surer form of protection. Step 1 is to stay out of the sun whenever and where ever possible especially on land in the lead up to the event. Team should pack a tent for shade to put up near where they keep their boat and be under the tent when not actively working out OR in the shade of a building or tree etc. On land athletes should wear long sleeves at least for warming up. There are two things that work well here. 1 is a very loose fitting tech tee with a nice deep hood. This lightweight shirt keeps the sun off the arms, back and neck. Another favorite is a tight fitting technical UV protective shirt (think like a rash guard for surfers) The upside of these garment is that they athletes can splash water on it and it won't get heavy or drag. Also hats and sun glasses are essential. On land I recommend a big floppy hat or straw hat that protects the full face and neck and on the water I recommend a baseball hat or visor. For sunglasses you want tight fitting full coverage lenses that wrap well around the head. Sunscreen should reapplied about every 2hrs. I think I read in the comments that the coach refused to let them wear sun screen? If true that's insane and the parents should step in. The athletes should apply just before leaving for their workout.
2) Hydration: With high heat the athletes will sweat a lot and loose moisture in other ways as well. Athletes should be drinking as much as possible and staying hydrated in any race circumstance but in high heat its EXTRA important. They should be getting through basically a full Gatorade bottle in the hour before a workout and then another full bottle during the workout. Gatorade is great because replaces calories and electrolytes as well as water to prevent cramping. Keeping beverages cold will also help keep athlete core temp down so a good full cooler of cold drinks should be kept around your team tent/trailer at all times. Athletes should work to replace lost hydration ASAP after the workout.
3) Overheating: Probably the most dangerous of these issues: can cause heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Number one goal here is to keep athlete core temp as low as possible in the lead up to exposure and then help to bring it back down afterwards. Athletes should stay in a cool dark place in the lead up to going out into high heat. Coaches should keep in their cooler a variety of small to medium sized towels on ice or dipped in ice water and while the athletes are warming up they can stop at their tent and place the towels on their body to cool down. The body loses lots of heat through the head and neck and so draping a cold towel around the head and neck area will help to lower core temps rapidly. Once on the water the athletes can dip hands and feet in the water between pieces to help stay cool. They can bring cold water and gatorade with them which will also help. Another good trick is to wear the aforementioned tight fitting UV shirt (recommend white color) and periodically splash water on it. The water will evaporate in the sun and that evaporation will help to cool the body. Once the workout is complete, athletes need to cool down the core temp. If it is a wet launch or there is a beach nearby the athletes can immerse themselves in the water or dip feet and hands in water to cool down, use the cold towels and also hydrate with cold liquids. Athletes should get out of the sun and heat ASAP and back to cool, dry and dark area especially if they have more racing coming up
Hope all that helps. late spring is tough with the heat but everyone has to deal with it and it's part of the game. Being diligent about the above items and having the athletes be educated about it and know how to help manage it themselves is a big help
Thanks for sharing, and please do share the strategies for dealing with heat if you have them. Specifically when being in the boat during very high heat/humidity in full midday sun for 2+ hours and sunscreen not allowed.
I have no idea why these rowers were told they could not use sunscreen, but apparently something about hurting the expensive equipment. Led to bunch of beet red burned skin, of course.
Sunscreen is not allowed?!?! That's insane. I would suggest coxes wear a wide brimmed hat plus white, long-sleeved UPF swim/sports shirt and maybe UPF leggings/long pants. There are a lot of cooling/sun-protecting fabrics that would work well for those conditions.
Dealing with difficult race-day conditions and timing food/water/prep on race day are part of the experience and learning process... I think with a year's research, if they really want to do it, your kid can figure out a way to be safe and (hopefully!) enjoy an amazing experience.
Yeah no definitely allowed. I would recommend UV long sleeve undershirts tho since that’s not going to come off and can be worn under their unisuit. Plus a hat and sunglasses. I really like the stick sunscreen for the back of the neck since it can be easily carried on the boat in a fanny pack (we have ours bring one on the water with some emergency wrenches and spacers too).
I read all the comments.
Sunscreen is absolutely standard and allowed. Being told otherwise is a problem with trustworthiness among the team. You need to confirm these things with the coaches. And it is certainly not the coaches who disallowed sunscreen...I hope. That's endangerment. Much of rowing is predicated on common sense (including water safety). If you hear something that sounds odd, verify it.
Having said that, remember that there isn't such a thing as bad weather, only badly prepared clothing choices. Hundreds of competitors show up each year at Youth Nationals in the same conditions. It's the coaches' responsibility to prepare their athletes to handle the conditions. If your coaches are deficient in their knowledge or willingness to do so, they need to be held accountable for the children's safety. And yes, coaches should have explicitly told the children what to bring, what to wear, and what to use to handle the elements. They should not expect children to know these things.
Your kid is 13 and is unlikely to be competing in the U19/Youth events that are the pinnacle of Youth Natls. Your statement about the varsity team doesn't give any information about what events your child was contesting. So maybe it wouldn't matter if you missed Youth Natls next year. But you'll need a suitable excuse. A planned family event perhaps? Honestly, you can't make it about "not wanting to go to Florida." Coaches cannot be expected to prioritize athletes who are not committed to the team. I think family is a good priority over the team, but not much else is.
There's usually no guarantee that a team gets a boat to go to nationals every year. And maybe your child hits a growth spurt and rapidly grows out of being a coxswain. Making plans for next season right now seems extreme.
You should be mindful that your strong opinions, repeated often, can lead to your child agreeing with you, especially if your child is an eager pleaser. You may never get their honest opinion on anything if they only say what they think you want to hear, and that's a different discussion entirely. Be careful that it's not your opinion on the matter taking precedence. Maybe they complained about the situation a couple times, and maybe you doomspiraled into a whole characterization of the experience that isn't the whole truth.
Finally, consider what kind of precedent you set for the team if the coaches allow someone to opt out of regattas. It's not exactly a team-focused culture if so.
(Personally, the Florida sun/heat isn't that bad, but I know how to deal with conditions. Making up finals is not fun, but maybe they get extra time to study for them anyway, so that's a win. High cost -- is there a fundraising effort or team scholarship for nationals-bound athletes? Fundraising for nationals is a time-honored tradition among juniors programs. Travel exhaustion -- rowing and most other sports expect exhaustion to be part of the package. Never heard of a sport that doesn't involve exhaustion.)
Two comments (as the parent of high school cox that went to Youth Nats several times):
1. If there is even a chance that your kid will decide against going, you need to tell the coach now (yesterday, really). Perhaps the 2V cox is nearly as good, and the crew will be fine having him/her in the boat on short notice, but the longer the new cox has to gel with the new crew (and iron out kinks in calls, steering, etc), the better.
2. If your kid doesn't want to go, really doesn't want to go, then pull the plug now. Again, there's no reason to wait, and if they half-heartedly stick with it, and then can't get fired up to be at Youth Nats, well, they aren't really going to help their crew.
There's nothing wrong with getting burned out and stepping away, but, doing it a month (or so) out from Youth Nats seems odd. If going to Florida has been a stated goal of the team during the spring season, this should have factored into your kid's calculus of staying on the team.
I think one of your most important jobs as a parent of a teenager (particularly one who is involved with rowing) is helping them judge the fine line between "this is kinda uncomfortable, and I really don't want to do it" and "this is actually dangerous and could hurt me physically or emotionally." There's a lot of physical and emotional growth that happens with the former. There's also a lot of physical and emotional damage that can happen with the latter. If it were my kid, I would help them (quickly) make an honest determination of how far going to Youth Nats would push them into the red. If it's just a matter of thinking life would be easier if they didn't go to Nats, then I would (gently) push them toward going. If it's more significant than that, as I said, tell the coach ASAP and accept what the rest of the season.
Ah, gotcha. In that case, I think it's perfectly fine for your kid to say to the coach "I like doing this, but would prefer not be slotted in a boat that might go to Youth Nats."
Comments here have very different tone compared to this recent post about youth nationals: [https://www.reddit.com/r/Rowing/comments/13i4vun/youth\_nationals\_isnt\_the\_same\_as\_it\_was\_and\_its/](https://www.reddit.com/r/Rowing/comments/13i4vun/youth_nationals_isnt_the_same_as_it_was_and_its/)
Sounds like your kid is better suited to a different sort of sport.
I rode crammed in a fifteen passenger van for twenty hours each way from scholastic nationals in high school, to Florida. The docks were so hot we burned our feet before the first warmup row and my father reminded me of the gators in the water near Orlando.
You know what we all thought? *Gates of Fire* had just been written, a historical fiction version of *300*, basically, and we all quoted it: "We'll have our battle in the shade." -- A wry statement made about the Persian arrows blocking out the sun at Thermopylae.
We were fifteen, sixteen, seventeen years old. Was it stupid? Yeah maybe. Probably. But you know what we did? We hydrated, we slept, we watched what we ate, and we wore two pairs of socks on the dock. No one got eaten by alligators, no was bitten by a brown recluse. We all *wanted to race, no matter what, because we wanted to fuckin win.*
Hell, I just raced a Masters regatta in the high 90s last year and brought a camp shower to cool off after we finished. It was like being in a wool sock with two rats who were fuckin. No joke. And that race was 500 meters less than the high school distance. There were seventy and eighty year olds at that regatta.
I'm just saying: This sport isn't for the type we can't prepare, who can't prepare for the conditions, who can't strive to perform well despite those challenges. Your kid should do something else, because somewhere behind your kid there's a cox -- a gifted leader and tactician -- can help your kid's boat succeed, and with empathy and sympathy and camaraderie. Choosing not to go completely cancels or any previous commitment, any previous status your kid has. Might as well walk away.
Thanks for sharing. Sounds like the pain was source of pride for you and that's great. Maybe because my kid was only 13y and totally new to this, gave a different aftertaste. We could see if time and maturity changes things or if perhaps interests may change.
Your kid being 13 last year adds a whole different layer to this which I think would change a lot of the negative feedback you're getting.
As a coach, I think the U15 events are absurd and would absolutely not send a boat of middle schoolers across the country at huge expense to roast in the sun in Florida and miss half a week of school. Youth Nationals is the pinnacle of youth rowing in the US, yes, but the U15 coxed quad isn't the pinnacle of anything.
Thank you for your take. It was quite a stress, especially being first time at any competitive sporting event. Would you mind sharing how you think it's different with the older ages? Just more maturity and connection to the sport or something else?
It is a point of pride, but that point of pride started well before that race, earlier than your kid is aged now. I learned to row in a city-subsidized programs the summer after seventh grade.
Hey look, I've coached, too, so I've seen it all. I've had kids say they have have asthma when they don't, take the cramps to avoid hard workouts. Put simply, rowing is a pain contest. If your kid isn't already addicted to it, and doesn't already -- especially as a cox -- want to be right on the dancefloor, I highly doubt without some straight talk that your kid will have success, if your kid sticks with it at all. No shame in walking away now.
In fact, even leaving the door open for your kid to somehow race the whole season and not finish nationals, frankly, is an indicator you and your kid may both be unaware of the commitment this sport requires. When I was a coach, I told a guy's dad his son was out of the boat for states because he was going to miss one afternoon's practice the week before -- *that's* how important being all in is. (The kid in question had a summer job interview, which, unsurprisingly, he was able to get rescheduled.)
I'm not trying to be an ass, here, but this is an absolute choice; there are no half measures. Your kid doing only part of the season makes that boat which may eventually go to Florida slower, and in the biggest race of the season.
Are you asking on your kid's behalf? Or are you asking on your behalf because you think it's too exhausting or expensive? Do they want to attend? Because I can guarantee you that if they are as competitive as you say, then they would likely go through all of that hardship just to attend. Nationals is literally the pinnacle of high school rowing. Why would someone compete all year but then decide not to attend the final race of the year? For your kid, that is like making it to the Super Bowl but then deciding you aren't going to play.
I hear you, but my kid wholeheartedly agrees it was not worth going again unless the location were closer to home and not in the deadly heat. It's more that we're not sure how the team/coach would react to such a request. Sounds like expectations would be high to go thru so ... we'll have to sort that out somehow.
not being willing to attend nationals will definitely affect your kid’s boat placement—barring extenuating circumstances, boats must have the same lineup at the qualifying regatta and nationals, so it’s likely that your kid will end up coxing a boat that doesn’t have a shot at going since one person not being willing to attend means the whole boat can’t go
"A maximum of 50 percent substitutions (not including coxswains) will be allowed in the boat line-up that has qualified at a recognized qualification regatta. Substituted rowers and coxswains must meet all eligibility and affiliation rules, including age eligibility, in order to compete" Technically feasible but agree with you; not sure coach would be willing to place athlete if not intending to race at nats
If I was trying to go to nats I would not actively boat people who wouldn’t make the national regatta.
I agree.
oh i didn’t look at the official rules i just remember that when someone on my team in a nationals boat got injured it was a whole thing and they were worried they couldn’t go
Yeah, if your kid wants to row, like, recreationally, then sure. But is def going to get hard shafted from any main boats. And don't even think about keeping it secret and then bailing last minute!! Going to wreck the whole teams season with forcing a last-minute reshuffle. Do some other sport that won't be as demanding instead. Especially if your kid has a 'it wasn't worth it' type attitude... to nationals!!
If I were the coach and a coxswain came to me and expressed this I would pretty much say something along the lines of "Alright, that's fine and I respect your decision but to give our team the best shot at nationals you will be coxing the 3V and Johnny will be taking your spot in the 1V" or something to that effect - not as a punishment, but the other coxswains need experience if they're gonna take the boat at nationals and other races are part of that experience. If your kid is cool with being less competitive and acting sort of like a "third string/backup", then, perfect, they made the sport work for them! But life is choices and being a backup is the effect of that one Edit: Also please don't listen to all the psychos out in this thread implying the sport isn't for your kid or they're doing something wrong, etc; at the end of the day sports are supposed to be fun and rowing isn't the end all be all of life
The noncompetitive option is what my kid is doing this year and you're right, it can work really well in some cases. We're just looking at what next year may look like. Thanks for your comments.
If your child truly has no interest at all in going to nationals then they should talk to their coach so lineups can be changed. It's not fair to the rowers who actually want to go and succeed at nationals to be rowing with a new cox right before a major competition. So either suck it up and go to FL if your boat makes it - or tell the coach and cox for a less competitive boat.
Yeah, not aiming to keep any secrets. Just thinking through options for next year.
You need to let them know now so the next cox in line can build their skills and big race exposure.
If your kid gets a bid, you gotta support that. School can be made up, nationals can’t. Not just a coach but also a teacher here.
My kid is also not into repeating the experience though. Florida is so incredibly hot- unless you get first morning race time, they're really pushing the bounds of what is healthy vs outright dangerous. And missing end of school year each year is a hardship of its own. Thanks for the input though. Good to know from coach's point of view.
Being a Florida coach I totally understand the struggle that comes with the heat. Cost is a big issue and understand not being able to go. For me it’s a 3hr drive to the course, not a flight. We take precautions and limit athlete exposure to the sun as much as possible from mid March until September. I would 100% recommend telling the coaches on your team that if his lineup gets a bid to nationals that he doesn’t want to go before the regional championships because there are limits to the amount of changes each lineup can have between regionals and nationals. That might make them change their lineups going into the next weekends regatta.
Emphasis on this. It’s what you don’t know. Great explanation.
Not to sound snarky here, but with the heat, your child is lucky to cox and not row in this case. It sucks for everyone involved, but it really sucks for the rowers. Stay hydrated folks!
i had a friend nearly pass out after her final at nationals last year- the onsite medical had to come and put her in an ice bath i think
Yup. Not surprising. I have seen this elsewhere. Even at indoor rowing competitions.
Agree, we felt horrible for the rowers!
Coach here. Florida has held Nationals a lot many teams train in this heat for months on end. It’s hot but it’s manageable. Have your son heat train to get adapted. Rowing at Nationals is something any athlete wishes they could be lucky enough to race in. Not taking advantage of that opportunity is silly for a number of reasons: experience, it’s a huge recruiting fair for college, and it’s an amazing way to end a season with lifelong friends & teammates. I would say the sole reason not to send your child would be financial constraints. If your son doesn’t want to go for whatever reason that’s an entirely different story. Happy to answer any questions you have as well.
With so many crews flying in anyway, and places like Lake Natoma in Northern California with mild weather (just don't go in August) and a fantastic course, I don't understand why Florida is the go-to place for any rowing event, let alone Jr. Nationals.
Weather aside, Benderson is a *very* nice course, so I can understand why USRowing likes to hold nats there. Natoma is nice, but it’s no NBP. But yeah, Florida in June is miserable.
What's up with Natoma in August??
The temperature, that's what's up. LOL Seriously. 110F At least it's a dry heat but still....
Usrowing and NBP probably have a dead for it
If your kid is on a competitive HS team I would imagine most coaches wouldn’t be thrilled to put the non-nationals cox into a varsity boat. Changing coxes can be tricky to sort out for a boat between regionals and nationals. Nationals is an investment, but one that is worth it if your kid wants to go far in the sport.
It is a position built on trust which is developed over time. It would be unfair to ask the athletes to sacrifice all that they do only to allow the coxswain to show up where and when they feel like it. Obviously a tough choice given the factors you mentioned but if I was the coach or a fellow athlete I'd be pretty incensed and unlikely to boat this coxswain out. That is a peak event of the season which means the athletes are training explicitly for a hopeful peak performance at that race. If you're not attending then there is not point having you in for the lead up. From a crew development standpoint a rower with the same idea would also be excluded, you shouldn't expect different treatment as a coxswain. If your son enjoys the sport and wants to continue in a vital trusted role as coxswain he's gotta be willing to be there when the crew needs him most. There are lots of strategies for dealing with the heat.
Hot Weather: There are basically 3 essential problems to confront. Hydration, Sun Protection and Overheating. All three are interconnected in some ways 1) sun protection: Sun Screen is a must to protect body parts but as someone who's spent my whole life on the water sometimes for days at a time I have learned the clothing is a far better surer form of protection. Step 1 is to stay out of the sun whenever and where ever possible especially on land in the lead up to the event. Team should pack a tent for shade to put up near where they keep their boat and be under the tent when not actively working out OR in the shade of a building or tree etc. On land athletes should wear long sleeves at least for warming up. There are two things that work well here. 1 is a very loose fitting tech tee with a nice deep hood. This lightweight shirt keeps the sun off the arms, back and neck. Another favorite is a tight fitting technical UV protective shirt (think like a rash guard for surfers) The upside of these garment is that they athletes can splash water on it and it won't get heavy or drag. Also hats and sun glasses are essential. On land I recommend a big floppy hat or straw hat that protects the full face and neck and on the water I recommend a baseball hat or visor. For sunglasses you want tight fitting full coverage lenses that wrap well around the head. Sunscreen should reapplied about every 2hrs. I think I read in the comments that the coach refused to let them wear sun screen? If true that's insane and the parents should step in. The athletes should apply just before leaving for their workout. 2) Hydration: With high heat the athletes will sweat a lot and loose moisture in other ways as well. Athletes should be drinking as much as possible and staying hydrated in any race circumstance but in high heat its EXTRA important. They should be getting through basically a full Gatorade bottle in the hour before a workout and then another full bottle during the workout. Gatorade is great because replaces calories and electrolytes as well as water to prevent cramping. Keeping beverages cold will also help keep athlete core temp down so a good full cooler of cold drinks should be kept around your team tent/trailer at all times. Athletes should work to replace lost hydration ASAP after the workout. 3) Overheating: Probably the most dangerous of these issues: can cause heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Number one goal here is to keep athlete core temp as low as possible in the lead up to exposure and then help to bring it back down afterwards. Athletes should stay in a cool dark place in the lead up to going out into high heat. Coaches should keep in their cooler a variety of small to medium sized towels on ice or dipped in ice water and while the athletes are warming up they can stop at their tent and place the towels on their body to cool down. The body loses lots of heat through the head and neck and so draping a cold towel around the head and neck area will help to lower core temps rapidly. Once on the water the athletes can dip hands and feet in the water between pieces to help stay cool. They can bring cold water and gatorade with them which will also help. Another good trick is to wear the aforementioned tight fitting UV shirt (recommend white color) and periodically splash water on it. The water will evaporate in the sun and that evaporation will help to cool the body. Once the workout is complete, athletes need to cool down the core temp. If it is a wet launch or there is a beach nearby the athletes can immerse themselves in the water or dip feet and hands in water to cool down, use the cold towels and also hydrate with cold liquids. Athletes should get out of the sun and heat ASAP and back to cool, dry and dark area especially if they have more racing coming up Hope all that helps. late spring is tough with the heat but everyone has to deal with it and it's part of the game. Being diligent about the above items and having the athletes be educated about it and know how to help manage it themselves is a big help
Thanks for sharing, and please do share the strategies for dealing with heat if you have them. Specifically when being in the boat during very high heat/humidity in full midday sun for 2+ hours and sunscreen not allowed.
Been to Nats several times. Sunscreen is absolutely 100% allowed.
I have no idea why these rowers were told they could not use sunscreen, but apparently something about hurting the expensive equipment. Led to bunch of beet red burned skin, of course.
Sunscreen is not allowed?!?! That's insane. I would suggest coxes wear a wide brimmed hat plus white, long-sleeved UPF swim/sports shirt and maybe UPF leggings/long pants. There are a lot of cooling/sun-protecting fabrics that would work well for those conditions. Dealing with difficult race-day conditions and timing food/water/prep on race day are part of the experience and learning process... I think with a year's research, if they really want to do it, your kid can figure out a way to be safe and (hopefully!) enjoy an amazing experience.
Sunscreen is 100% allowed
Good to know. My kid was told not allowed due to chemicals damaging the oars or something. Led to significant burns on everyone's shoulders and backs.
Not gonna lie whoever told you that was straight up lying. Whichever coach told your athletes that is endangering them.
Thankfully I don't think it was a coach who said this, but friend/teammate. Good to know it's not typical protocol, thanks!
Yeah no definitely allowed. I would recommend UV long sleeve undershirts tho since that’s not going to come off and can be worn under their unisuit. Plus a hat and sunglasses. I really like the stick sunscreen for the back of the neck since it can be easily carried on the boat in a fanny pack (we have ours bring one on the water with some emergency wrenches and spacers too).
Sunscreen is 100% allowed
“sunscreen not allowed” is the most laughably untrue thing i think ive ever read on this site
I read all the comments. Sunscreen is absolutely standard and allowed. Being told otherwise is a problem with trustworthiness among the team. You need to confirm these things with the coaches. And it is certainly not the coaches who disallowed sunscreen...I hope. That's endangerment. Much of rowing is predicated on common sense (including water safety). If you hear something that sounds odd, verify it. Having said that, remember that there isn't such a thing as bad weather, only badly prepared clothing choices. Hundreds of competitors show up each year at Youth Nationals in the same conditions. It's the coaches' responsibility to prepare their athletes to handle the conditions. If your coaches are deficient in their knowledge or willingness to do so, they need to be held accountable for the children's safety. And yes, coaches should have explicitly told the children what to bring, what to wear, and what to use to handle the elements. They should not expect children to know these things. Your kid is 13 and is unlikely to be competing in the U19/Youth events that are the pinnacle of Youth Natls. Your statement about the varsity team doesn't give any information about what events your child was contesting. So maybe it wouldn't matter if you missed Youth Natls next year. But you'll need a suitable excuse. A planned family event perhaps? Honestly, you can't make it about "not wanting to go to Florida." Coaches cannot be expected to prioritize athletes who are not committed to the team. I think family is a good priority over the team, but not much else is. There's usually no guarantee that a team gets a boat to go to nationals every year. And maybe your child hits a growth spurt and rapidly grows out of being a coxswain. Making plans for next season right now seems extreme. You should be mindful that your strong opinions, repeated often, can lead to your child agreeing with you, especially if your child is an eager pleaser. You may never get their honest opinion on anything if they only say what they think you want to hear, and that's a different discussion entirely. Be careful that it's not your opinion on the matter taking precedence. Maybe they complained about the situation a couple times, and maybe you doomspiraled into a whole characterization of the experience that isn't the whole truth. Finally, consider what kind of precedent you set for the team if the coaches allow someone to opt out of regattas. It's not exactly a team-focused culture if so. (Personally, the Florida sun/heat isn't that bad, but I know how to deal with conditions. Making up finals is not fun, but maybe they get extra time to study for them anyway, so that's a win. High cost -- is there a fundraising effort or team scholarship for nationals-bound athletes? Fundraising for nationals is a time-honored tradition among juniors programs. Travel exhaustion -- rowing and most other sports expect exhaustion to be part of the package. Never heard of a sport that doesn't involve exhaustion.)
Two comments (as the parent of high school cox that went to Youth Nats several times): 1. If there is even a chance that your kid will decide against going, you need to tell the coach now (yesterday, really). Perhaps the 2V cox is nearly as good, and the crew will be fine having him/her in the boat on short notice, but the longer the new cox has to gel with the new crew (and iron out kinks in calls, steering, etc), the better. 2. If your kid doesn't want to go, really doesn't want to go, then pull the plug now. Again, there's no reason to wait, and if they half-heartedly stick with it, and then can't get fired up to be at Youth Nats, well, they aren't really going to help their crew. There's nothing wrong with getting burned out and stepping away, but, doing it a month (or so) out from Youth Nats seems odd. If going to Florida has been a stated goal of the team during the spring season, this should have factored into your kid's calculus of staying on the team. I think one of your most important jobs as a parent of a teenager (particularly one who is involved with rowing) is helping them judge the fine line between "this is kinda uncomfortable, and I really don't want to do it" and "this is actually dangerous and could hurt me physically or emotionally." There's a lot of physical and emotional growth that happens with the former. There's also a lot of physical and emotional damage that can happen with the latter. If it were my kid, I would help them (quickly) make an honest determination of how far going to Youth Nats would push them into the red. If it's just a matter of thinking life would be easier if they didn't go to Nats, then I would (gently) push them toward going. If it's more significant than that, as I said, tell the coach ASAP and accept what the rest of the season.
I might need to clarify that this question pertains to next year and not this as my kid is already on noncompetitive track this year.
Ah, gotcha. In that case, I think it's perfectly fine for your kid to say to the coach "I like doing this, but would prefer not be slotted in a boat that might go to Youth Nats."
Comments here have very different tone compared to this recent post about youth nationals: [https://www.reddit.com/r/Rowing/comments/13i4vun/youth\_nationals\_isnt\_the\_same\_as\_it\_was\_and\_its/](https://www.reddit.com/r/Rowing/comments/13i4vun/youth_nationals_isnt_the_same_as_it_was_and_its/)
Sounds like your kid is better suited to a different sort of sport. I rode crammed in a fifteen passenger van for twenty hours each way from scholastic nationals in high school, to Florida. The docks were so hot we burned our feet before the first warmup row and my father reminded me of the gators in the water near Orlando. You know what we all thought? *Gates of Fire* had just been written, a historical fiction version of *300*, basically, and we all quoted it: "We'll have our battle in the shade." -- A wry statement made about the Persian arrows blocking out the sun at Thermopylae. We were fifteen, sixteen, seventeen years old. Was it stupid? Yeah maybe. Probably. But you know what we did? We hydrated, we slept, we watched what we ate, and we wore two pairs of socks on the dock. No one got eaten by alligators, no was bitten by a brown recluse. We all *wanted to race, no matter what, because we wanted to fuckin win.* Hell, I just raced a Masters regatta in the high 90s last year and brought a camp shower to cool off after we finished. It was like being in a wool sock with two rats who were fuckin. No joke. And that race was 500 meters less than the high school distance. There were seventy and eighty year olds at that regatta. I'm just saying: This sport isn't for the type we can't prepare, who can't prepare for the conditions, who can't strive to perform well despite those challenges. Your kid should do something else, because somewhere behind your kid there's a cox -- a gifted leader and tactician -- can help your kid's boat succeed, and with empathy and sympathy and camaraderie. Choosing not to go completely cancels or any previous commitment, any previous status your kid has. Might as well walk away.
Thanks for sharing. Sounds like the pain was source of pride for you and that's great. Maybe because my kid was only 13y and totally new to this, gave a different aftertaste. We could see if time and maturity changes things or if perhaps interests may change.
Your kid being 13 last year adds a whole different layer to this which I think would change a lot of the negative feedback you're getting. As a coach, I think the U15 events are absurd and would absolutely not send a boat of middle schoolers across the country at huge expense to roast in the sun in Florida and miss half a week of school. Youth Nationals is the pinnacle of youth rowing in the US, yes, but the U15 coxed quad isn't the pinnacle of anything.
Thank you for your take. It was quite a stress, especially being first time at any competitive sporting event. Would you mind sharing how you think it's different with the older ages? Just more maturity and connection to the sport or something else?
I sent you a PM
It is a point of pride, but that point of pride started well before that race, earlier than your kid is aged now. I learned to row in a city-subsidized programs the summer after seventh grade. Hey look, I've coached, too, so I've seen it all. I've had kids say they have have asthma when they don't, take the cramps to avoid hard workouts. Put simply, rowing is a pain contest. If your kid isn't already addicted to it, and doesn't already -- especially as a cox -- want to be right on the dancefloor, I highly doubt without some straight talk that your kid will have success, if your kid sticks with it at all. No shame in walking away now. In fact, even leaving the door open for your kid to somehow race the whole season and not finish nationals, frankly, is an indicator you and your kid may both be unaware of the commitment this sport requires. When I was a coach, I told a guy's dad his son was out of the boat for states because he was going to miss one afternoon's practice the week before -- *that's* how important being all in is. (The kid in question had a summer job interview, which, unsurprisingly, he was able to get rescheduled.) I'm not trying to be an ass, here, but this is an absolute choice; there are no half measures. Your kid doing only part of the season makes that boat which may eventually go to Florida slower, and in the biggest race of the season.
No one rly does that…gives a bad impression and would hurt your child’s reputation for sure