Welcome to the Stone Bridge Rowing Club and Team! Almost everything you need to know to get started as a new SBRC family is in this Special Novice Edition Newsletter.
Novice Parent Meeting details coming soon!!!
In the meantime, this document and all other SBRC files can be found at the Parent’s One Stop. Our Novice Parent Liaison, Angele Leurs, is available to answer any questions you may have after you’ve had a chance to read through this newsletter! (volunteer@sbrowing.org)
WHERE TO FIND IMPORTANT CREW TEAM INFO:
BAND app - visit: https://www.sbrowing.org/articles/band-app
Includes full calendar of activities including practices, regattas, meetings, and special events
It is required that all parents and athletes join Band to keep up-to-date with critical team information
There are two separate groups: 1) Parent and 2) Athlete only
WEBSITE - www.sbrowing.org
Everything Stone Bridge Rowing including info on fundraising, our Board of Directors and Committees, Coaches bios, plus Resources for Athletes and Parents
NEWSLETTER - sent via email monthly
A monthly overview of activities and information
BOARD MEETINGS - held monthly on the 1st Thursday of each month at 7pm in Rm 200 at SBHS
These meetings are open and parents are encouraged to join to stay informed and up-to-date on team activities.
SBRC is a Parent-Run Organization. Each spring the volunteer Board of Directors (President, VP, Treasurer, and Secretary) is elected to be responsible for making decisions on behalf of the team. The Board is responsible for organizational planning, monitoring and managing of financial resources, and supporting the coaches and athletes. There are also a number of committees and associated Coordinators that manage specific needs in order to make the team run smoothly. SBRC would not be what it is today without the dedication of our parent volunteers!
COACHES
Head Coach: Sean Thomas
Assistant Head Coach: James Zeller
Assistant Coach: John Hillmann
Assistant Coaches: Lihn Tran and Justin Rowan
2025-2026 Board of Directors
PRESIDENT
J. Leurs - president@sbrowing.org
VICE-PRESIDENT
A. Leon - vp@sbrowing.org
TREASURER
L. Field and S. Quan - treasurer@sbrowing.org
SECRETARY
C. Hillock - secretary@sbrowing.org
Meetings: There are monthly Board Meetings and occasional Parent Meetings throughout the season. It is strongly encouraged that parents attend the monthly Board Meetings to be fully informed regarding the team’s activities. Attendance at Parent Meetings is expected, as these are scheduled to convey vital and necessary information pertaining to your child’s participation in the season’s events. The newsletter, team emails, and meeting minutes supplement but do not replace what’s discussed at meetings. Board meetings are also the most effective avenue for parents to have one-on-one conversations with coaches, mingle with other team parents, and ask questions.
Where all practices are held. The Reservoir Park Main entrance is located within the Brambleton Community Park West Baseball field complex, located from Belmont Ridge Road in Ashburn. Please do not turn on Alford Road as this is not a park entrance.
Practices: Team practices start at the end of February or early March. Typically, the team practices 6 days a week – weather and water conditions permitting. Coaches will monitor conditions and determine practice activities accordingly. Please note, sometimes they do row in the rain!!
Drop Off: Punctuality is essential! This is a team sport in every way, and your athlete’s boat cannot practice without them! Plan to drop off your athlete 15 minutes early, if possible, giving them time to prepare their boats to get on the water promptly at the beginning of practice.
Pick Up: This is a water sport with equipment to maintain and put away each night, and SBRC shares the site with multiple Loudoun County teams. As a result, Coaches do their best to complete practice at the designated time but in the end pick-up times are approximate and practice may run over slightly. No athlete will be left behind alone when practice is over.
Carpooling: This is a common arrangement during spring season, with athletes or parents bringing other athletes to practice from school. Contact the Novice Liaisons if you have a need for carpooling assistance.
Cell phones: Athletes are allowed to have their cell phones at practice, but they should not bring them into the boat. Coxswains may take theirs with them in the boat for emergency purposes only, but rowers should leave them with their belongings.
Attendance: Practice attendance is mandatory. When an athlete misses practice, the entire team is impacted. Absences can often be accommodated when the Head Coach is given advanced notice. The expectation is that families make every reasonable effort to avoid scheduling conflicts with practice. If an athlete must miss a practice, contact the Head Coach via email with a minimum 72 hrs notice. The nature and details of all absences must be communicated in writing, through email. Attendance plays a significant role in the selection of lineups. If an athlete misses practices without providing advanced notice, they may be removed from their practice and racing lineups.
TEAM DUES
Dues are used to run the team, including purchase and maintenance of equipment, coach stipends, regatta entry fees, hospitality, and much more. Dues can be paid in one payment or split into two equal payments. Dues can be paid by Check (made out to SBRC), or by e-payment.
Dues include $800 which can be paid all at once by February 28th or $400 on Feb 28th and $400 on March 14th.
FUNDRAISING
Rowing in Loudoun County is a Tier 3 sport which means that the sport is 100% funded by the athletes. It is a varsity sport, but receives no support from the school system. Therefore, in addition to paying dues, each athlete is responsible for an additional $500 fundraising requirement.
There are various ways to fundraise, particularly through the Erg-a-thon, sponsorships, and direct donations. The Fundraising Committee will also plan additional fundraising opportunities throughout the year that you can take advantage of. Fundraising runs through May 1st. See below for more details.
Erg-a-thon, early spring — Athletes get 100% of the amount collected applied to their fundraising total! This is the biggest fundraising event of the Spring season. What’s an Erg-A-Thon? Athletes are divided into teams and each team will erg (use a rowing machine) to complete a marathon.
Sponsorships — Athletes get 50% of the amount collected applied to their fundraising total. The team has brochures and a letter prepared for you that can be used to solicit donations from family, friends, and service providers (dentist, doctor, etc.) to ask if they would like to be a sponsor or donate to SBRC. We are asking all athletes to send out 5 letters asking for donations. Please send the names & email addresses to us after you send it and we will follow up FOR YOU! Email: fundraising@sbrowing.org
RAISERIGHT (SCRIP)
Earn money while you shop at all your favorite retailers! Turn everyday shopping into fundraising dollars for SBRC!
Rebates are given on eGift cards and physical gift cards purchased. Raise money for your athlete at all your favorite retailers, like Amazon, Target, DSG, Under Armour, Apple Store, Starbucks, Ulta, Home Depot, Lowe’s, GAS CARDS for your teen driver, and MORE! Sign up with Enrollment code FDB27AD435889. 100% of participation in Raise Right goes directly to your athlete's fundraising account.
HARRIS TEETER - Link/Shop/Earn!
The Harris Teeter Together In Education program gives schools a chance to earn funds when you link your VIC card and shop Harris Teeter.
Over $33 million has been donated by Harris Teeter to Together In Education schools since 1998!
Any VIC member can link their card to a school. Customers can link up to five (5) schools to their account. More linked VIC cards mean higher earning potential.
Link your VIC card to SBRC with code: 5333
STONE BRIDGE ATHLETIC BOOSTER CLUB
The Stone Bridge Athletic Boosters Club has opportunities in the fall to raise money toward your fundraising requirement and also opportunities to raise money for the team.
An important clarification about working concessions and tickets for Stone Bridge High School sporting events and AYFL:
AYFL - Ashburn Youth Football League
Stone Bridge Athletic Boosters Club often gives SBRC the opportunity to earn a percentage of the profits of their concession stand at AYFL games that have been assigned to SBRC. Each volunteer will get a portion of the earnings toward their personal fundraising commitment. Parents and athletes can volunteer for this opportunity. These funds will go towards your personal fundraising requirement.
SBHS Concessions
Help our Athletic Boosters and give a huge thank you for their generous contributions to the Rowing Team in the past few years. We ask that each family have one parent support a fall or winter volunteer opportunity. Increased participation will not only help build goodwill with the Boosters but the Team will get a donation for each adult that participates. These funds will go to the team.
Athlete Needs for Practice:
Footwear: The grounds are often muddy, so rain/muck boots or snug-fitting water shoes with traction are useful. NO CROCS. Otherwise, old shoes/sneakers will work, although they will be a mess. Waterproof socks over regular socks (with boots) can also help keep their feet dry. We don’t advise wearing white socks because they will get dirty and stained from the red clay.
Eyewear: The sun reflects off the water and can be blinding, so sunglasses are recommended. They can also end up lost in the water, so take expensive glasses at your own risk!
Trou (spandex rowing shorts): No super-short or loose-fitting shorts, to avoid discomfort and getting caught in the seat mechanism. Mid-thigh length is best, and can be found at any store that sells athletic wear. JLAthletics sells shorts designed for rowing in various solids and patterns. You can also find them on Amazon.
Layer, Layer, Layer: It can be COLD in spring, and it’s usually 10℉ colder on the river than it is in Ashburn. Athletes can wear a base layer designed for cold weather activities under more form fitting activewear. Top layers can be bulkier as long as they allow freedom of movement without catching the oars.
Dry Layer: Because this is a water sport, athletes will get wet. It is a good idea to have a dry set of clothing, especially socks, to change into following practice.
Fuel: Don’t forget the healthy snacks! In order to be adequately fueled for the physically demanding practices, athletes should bring an appropriate snack – not a treat – and plenty of water.
Bug spray and Sunscreen: Bugs are always around once the weather warms up; bug spray is your friend. And it can’t be stressed enough — sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen! Rowing with a sunburn stinks.
REGATTAS - Athlete Information
The team travels together to the regatta on the bus. Details on when to arrive to get on the bus will be provided the week of the regatta.
The Day Before: There may be a brief practice, but athletes will be primarily de-rigging boats and loading the trailer with everything needed for the race. Athletes need to stay hydrated and eat and sleep well the days before racing.
Suggested pre-event meals can be found on the USADA True Sport Nutrition Guide website.
What to wear: Novices are to wear their novice tank and trous and upperclassmen wear their unis. Dress in layers as it could be cold/rainy at the regatta and better to have more clothing than less.
Arrival/Departure Times: Regatta details will be sent out mid-week before the regatta. Historically, the bus has departed SBHS at 6am but please pay close attention to directions from the Coaches as departure times may vary depending on the race schedule. It is absolutely critical that athletes are ON TIME and dressed IN THEIR UNIFORM. One late person jeopardizes the entire boat or the entire team! At times parents have other obligations, but athletes should plan on remaining at the regatta until all SBHS boats have competed, all equipment is properly loaded, and coaches give the ‘all clear’ for departure. After regattas, the athletes ride the bus back to unload the boat trailer and re-rig the boats so they are ready to row for the next practice. Athlete pickup varies depending on race schedule. Please pay attention to directions from coaches as to the time the bus is leaving from each regatta. If your athlete must leave early, you must contact the Head Coach in writing to make arrangements and are responsible for their transportation.
What Your Athlete Needs to Bring to Regattas:
Water, water, water!
A nutritious lunch. Hospitality will provide snacks and recovery drinks to supplement their needs, but each athlete needs to bring the bulk of their food for the day. Portable/tree hammock is recommended. The athletes create a hammock village in the trees by the team’s base location. There is a fair amount of downtime, having a place to rest is important. Layers of clothing based on the forecasted weather for the day. Bug spray and sunscreen.
REGATTA - Parent/Spectator Information
Spectator Parking: Most of our regattas are at Sandy Run Regional Park and there is a charge for shuttle service from the offsite parking lot (in the past it has been $15). Please bring cash as this is the only form of payment accepted for shuttles. Because of the distance from the
park, you should plan for 90 minutes of extra travel time before your athlete’s race time. The offsite parking location will vary. In the past, the parking locations have included South County High School the Occoquan Old Bridge and Rt 123 Commuter Lot. Please double check the parking locations and shuttle information for each regatta so you know where to park and how
much it costs.
Race Viewing: The best viewing spot for races is the Grandstand, which is concrete stadium seating situated at the finish line of the race course.
Grandstand Trail: It’s a 15- to 20-minute hike along the trail between parking shuttle drop-off (Parking Lot C) and the Grandstand. The path is wooded and relatively cool, but hilly. Allow for a minimum of 45 minutes to get from the offsite parking to the trail, not counting waiting in line to get on to the buses. Those with difficulty hiking should consider the Grandstand Van.
Grandstand Van:
VASRA runs vans to shuttle people from Parking Lot C to the grandstand, for a small fee. The fare is cash only, and in the past was $5 each way.
Things to Do Between Races: Socialize with SBRC parents! Enjoy watching other team’s boat race, and cheer for all the SBRC races. The concession stand by the grandstand also sells a different Regatta t-shirt each race.
What to Bring as a Spectator: Be sure to bring plenty of water for yourself! Binoculars are really helpful for seeing boats through the whole race. $$ CASH $$ for shuttles.
Miscellaneous Info:
• Cell service is TERRIBLE at Sandy Run, so don’t plan on relying on it while at the regatta.
• Coaches are VERY busy on race days, so please save questions for another time or ask other parents.
• Do not expect to see your athlete outside of racing on the water. They are busy preparing for their race and are located in a different area from the spectators.
• Parents are not allowed to enter the team area under any circumstances. VASRA is very strict about this, it is a safety issue, and the team will be sanctioned if the rule is not followed. Athletes are supervised by coaches at all times.
• Except for service animals, pets are NOT allowed at Sandy Run.