Note:Tryouts are required for Youth Competitive programs but not for the Youth Rec program.

Competitive Tryouts Overview:

When: 

• Registration opens Monday, 12/23/24
• Registration requirements must be completed before 1/3/25. 
• Tryout Dates: 1/6/25 - 1/25/25 (Monday - Saturday)
• Weekdays 4:45 PM - 6:45 PM; Saturdays 8:00 AM - 10:30 AM

What: 

• Meet and train under the direction of our coaches.
• During this brief tryout period, coaches will cover what it takes to be successful in competitive rowing. -0- experience needed!
• You'll have performance opportunities to learn about and demonstrate your commitment to the fitness and training levels required to be successful at the competitive level.
• Session includes land conditioning and on-water time.
• If you're highly competitive and want to become the best athlete you can be, Tryouts are for you! 

Who:

• Open to youth interested in competitive rowing.
• Must be at least 14 by 12/31/2025. (Exceptions on a case by case coach assessment and approval basis.)
• No prior rowing experience required! Most of our competitive rowers began with no rowing experience and come from a variety of sports, such as swimming, track and field, soccer, lacrosse, football, and more. We train from the ground up! Welcome!
• Tryouts are mandatory for Spring Youth Competitive 2025, regardless of experience or past participation. 

MANDATORY - SWIM TEST REQUIREMENT

Swim Test Requirement: If you have already completed a Row Georgia swim test, no further tests are required. If you have not completed a Row Georgia swim test, you are scheduled for Monday 1/13/25, 4:45pm at PTC Dive Center. Once a swim test has successfully been completed, it remains valid for the duration of your participation at Row Georgia, unless there are changes to health, circumstances, or policy, it’s a "one and done" requirement. If you are a certified lifeguard and would like to submit those credentials instead of taking the swim test, email BOTH headcoach@rowgeorgia.com and safeguard@rowgeorgia.com. Contacts: safeguard@rowgeorgia.com and headcoach@rowgeorgia.com

• When: Monday, 1/13/25 at 4:45pm - We will only have 15 minutes to complete the swim tests before another program utilizes the pool, so arrive and be ready to get into the pool so they can begin the test promptly at 4:45pm. After passing the swim test, go to lake for remainder of practice. 
• Where: PTC Dive Center, 1954 Hwy 54 West, Peachtree City, GA 
• What to Wear: Shorts and a tshirt.
• Swim Test Details: All three components of the test must be passed. Touching the pool floor, or the wall is not authorized during any part of the swim test. 

1. Swim 100 yards without stopping or touching the walls or bottom, no breaks are allowed. Note - there is no specific stroke required. 
2. Tread water 5 minutes.  
3. At the end of the 5 minutes of treading water, a life vest will be tossed to the participant. He/she must properly put on the life jacket and buckle it while treading, and then exit the pool. 
4. Go to practice after successfully passing the swim test. Check w/Coach Lambert for practice location and details for Monday, 1/13/25. 

Are you interested in rowing scholarships and competing at the collegiate level? We can help!

Meet Our Coaches

Our coaches bring a wealth of experience and knowledge from the collegiate and professional rowing world.

Coach Lambert:

• Former collegiate rower
• Former US Nationals Team rower
• Former High School rowing coach at Conestoga High School, developing high school athletes into prestigious Ivy League programs
• Former Georgetown University coach
• Former Georgetown University recruiting coordinator, responsible for identifying and recruiting high school athletes into the collegiate program.

Coach Jason Garrett

• Coach Jason began rowing his freshman year of college at Vanderbilt University.
• Medaled multiple times as a collegiate rower, including the Head of the Charles.
• Actively competing, recently winning Silver in the Vanderbilt Alum boat at the 2024 Head of the Charles in Boston.

Competitive rowing requires mental, physical maturity and strength. So no matter what sports you've played in the past, we're dedicated to training you to reach your highest potential.

If you've grown tired or have grown out of a previous sport, come see what rowing can do for you and learn about the opportunities!

Swimming: Participants must be able to swim. Do not proceed with registration if the participant cannot swim.

Placements in crews and boats: Tryouts will determine competitive eligibility, regardless of experience level or past placement. Seats within a squad will be earned ahead of each race. Typical in competitive sports, each position on the team is earned in order to make the team more competitive. There are no set boats, and each week's lineups will be reset based on a combination of attendance and performance levels. Each athlete will experience the results of his/her training. 

Tryout Fees:

• Session Fee: $105 (in-county) / $125 (out-of-county).
• Impact Fee: Fayette County residents pay a $5 fee; out-of-county residents pay $25. This fee is passed on to the county.
• For athletes who advance to Spring registration, the season dues will be reduced by the $100 paid tryout fee.
• Tryouts Checkout Spring 2025 Row Georgia

All Programs-Spring Season Practice Days:

• Each squad's specific practice days will be determined based on registration numbers, available equipment, and coaching availability.
• Commitment: If a rower is approved for a squad for which he/she cannot commit to the practice schedule, he/she might be offered a place on a different RGA squad with a more suitable schedule. Attendance is part of an athlete's performance. It directly impacts the team's ability to practice lineups and train together.

Results and Registration:

• Tryout results will be emailed to each participant no later than 7pm 1/25/25. For placements, the email will contain a link to complete payment. 
• Payment for the approved squad will be due by the end of day 1/26/25 to begin the Spring Competitive Season beginning the week of 1/27/25.

Next Steps:

1. Complete tryout registration by selecting your county of residence and checking out HERE.
2. After checkout, continue with the next step, Step #2 Registration Connect - Communication and Esign documents.

- END OF SPRING YOUTH COMPETITIVE TRYOUTS DETAILS - 

Following Tryouts, Competitive and Rec programs begin the week of 1/27/25 and registration will open closer to that date.

STEP #1 Registration Payment for Tryouts

• New to RGA? Welcome! Create an account on rowgeorgia.com during checkout. This provides real-time access to date and time-stamped transactions, overall history, financial and registration document uploads. 
• Returning athlete? Welcome back! Make sure you're logged into your rowgeorgia.com RGA account when checking out.
• Check out HERE.

Next Step:

After payment is made on rowgeorgia.com, go to Step #2 Boathouse Connect - Communication and Esign documents.

Step #2 Boathouse Connect at boathouseconnect.com

RGA's routine communications are sent directly to the email(s) and or phone #(s) listed in the rower's BC profile. Additionally, each rower's BC profile will be assigned required registration and esign documents. Do not proceed with registration until the following items have been completed:

1. Rower's Profile: After payment has been completed, click HERE for the custom registration link for the RGA BC Spring Tryouts communication distribution group.

• New to RGA? Set up the youth's BC profile to begin receiving communication and registration esign documents.
• Returning to RGA? The link above provides a login for existing accounts where each can update his/her YOUTH ROWER'S existing account. Review your profile and make sure all information is entered and updated.

Reminder - access Boathouse Connect using a web browser and NOT the app, as the browser provides comprehensive access to the rower's profile (the app does not provide the same).

2. Additional contacts within rower's profile: Make sure to add parent numbers and emails as "additional contacts" to the Youth's BC profile in order to be copied on RGA communication, (especially helpful for younger and/or non driving youth).

To add or edit additional contacts on a Youth BC profile:

From boathouseconnect.com,

• log into the Youth Rower's profile.
• On the left vertical menu, select My Profile,
• then select My Profile again.
• Then on the horizontal profile, select Contacts,
• and customize information and save.

3. Required registration esign documents will begin being assigned to the rower's BC profiles in the Tryouts BC group.

E-sign documents include the following, and are required each season: 

• 3a. Liability Waiver
• 3b. Code of Conduct
• 3c. CDC Concussion Form

Click HERE to see a sample screen of a profile's Boathouse Connect Dashboard with assigned registration documents and instructions. Again, access the Rower's BC Profile via a browser (and not the app).

BC Q&A

Are the same messages sent via email and text? How a message is sent depends on the content and urgency of the message:

• Text Messages: Used for time-sensitive communications (e.g., inclement weather notifications). These messages are brief and are required to be <140 characters.
• Emails: Used for more detailed program-wide information that may or may not be time-sensitive, and can exceed 140 characters.

Does Boathouse Connect merge with other databases? Yes, BC integrates US Rowing Membership and the US Center for SafeSport databases with our rosters to ensure compliance. Each rower's US Rowing membership and Safesport training must be up to date to maintain roster eligibility.

Do the parents need a BC profile? Not at this time. BC provides rowing clubs with options such as Additional Contacts and Stakeholder features. Additional contacts can easily be added to the rower's profile. By adding contacts, each text and email the rower receives, (especially helpful for younger and nondriving rowers), will simultaneously be sent to the "additional contacts". It can be customized by the rower and parent anytime inside the rower's BC profile.

Next Steps:

After the BC profile is created or updated, and after the esign documents on the rower's BC Profile Dashboard have been completed, continue to Step #3, Registration Facility Parking Pass to see if a pass is necessary, and then on to steps #4 - #6.

Step #3: Parking Pass for Lake McIntosh

• Fayette County Residents: If your car that will be at our facility has a Fayette County tag, no action is needed. You're covered.
• Out-of-County Vehicles: If the vehicle has an out-of-county tag, an annual parking pass is required to avoid citations. Fayette County residents help fund the facility through increased taxes, so out-of-county vehicles are required to have a pass.
• How to Get Your Pass:
  Visit the Fayette County Parks & Recreation Department at 140 W. Stonewall Avenue, Suite 208, Fayetteville, GA 30214, or call 770-716-4320.
• Special Rate for Row Georgia Athletes:
  Out-of-county vehicle owners who provide proof of their Row Georgia Fall 2024 Season purchase can get the parking pass for $50 (instead of the regular $300 fee).
• Pass Expiration:
  Parking passes are valid for the calendar year and expire on December 31st.

Next Steps:

Next - obtain and upload the rower's current preparticipation medical eligibility form as detailed in Step #4 in Registration Details and Checklist - Tryouts - How to Register.

Step #4: Preparticipation Medical Eligibility Form

• Click HERE for detailed instructions on how to complete and upload the form.
• Required each season.
• If you were on the Fall 2024 Roster, you can upload the same one used for Fall.

Next Steps:

Next up - obtain / update a basic US Rowing membership in the rower's name. For details and upload instructions, click HERE.

By completing the membership according to the instructions via the link above, the rower will be attached to the Row Georgia US Rowing club roster.

STEP #5 US Rowing Membership - Required for Row Georgia insurance and regatta participation in US Rowing sanctioned regattas.

New to RGA? A USRowing Membership in the rower's name is required. Purchase a basic membership for $25, instructions below.

• Go to https://usrowing.org/become-a-member-
• Under "Individuals", click on "Register"
• Enter the rower's information.
• In the "Club or Team Name" field, enter and choose Row Georgia.
• A "Roster is locked" pop-up will appear.
• Enter club code J43ZV and complete the membership. 
• Retain your new membership number.

Returning Rowers: Log into your US Rowing account to check membership status. Expired US Rowing memberships will result in suspended participation. I

• Maintaining current membership and attaching the rower's membership to the Row Georgia roster as detailed above are 100% solely within each rower/parent's control. If a participant is flagged as expired, or not showing up on the Row Georgia US Rowing Roster, it impacts eligibility.

If you have any questions about US Rowing membership, email the Safeguard Chair, at safeguard@rowgeorgia.com.

Next Steps:

Go to Step #6 Additional Requirements.

Finalizing Tryouts Registration

Review Timeline and Action Items:

• Dec 30th: Registrants will be reviewed, esign docs will be added to BC Tryouts group. Those who have completed all requirements by the end of 12/30/24 will be sent confirmation that he/she has been added to the Tryouts Roster.
• Jan 3rd (registration deadline): Final review and deadline to complete all registration requirements. Confirmations will be sent to those who have completed all registration requirements.

Actions for Registrants: There are no surprises. All items required for registration can easily be confirmed by the registrant. Only the coaches are paid and registration is generously facilitated by several volunteers. Each registrant has 100% control over self checking required items. RGA will send confirmation to those who have completed registration according to the timeline above. RGA will not chase missing items, therefore registrants who do not complete registration will not be eligible for the roster.

• Confirm Payment: Check personal RGA account to verify payment transaction was completed.
• Confirm uploaded physical: Check personal RGA account for submission.
• Boathouse Connect Profile: Check personal BC profile to ensure profile is complete, check and complete esign docs, and additional contacts are added, a BC link to be added to the Tryouts group was provided in Step#2.
• US Rowing Membership: Log in to the US Rowing account to ensure membership is current.
  
  Communication: Check emails and text messages regularly for notifications related to registration and tryouts. RGA will send communication to the contacts in the rower's BC profile.
  
  Support: If you have any questions or need assistance, contact:
  - Email: rowgeorgia@rowgeorgia.com
  - Call or Text: 770-527-6088