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We Are Hickory Crew
One Catch, One Boat, One Team
2019 - 2023
This team and my time with Hickory Crew has been everything to me over the past four years. I've learned so much not only about the sport and how much I love it, but about friendships, integrity, and who I am as a person. I've gained friends who are now family and met a mentor whom I hope to never lose touch with. My favorite memory is finally breaking sub 7 minutes for a 2K erg time. My coach was my coxswain and it was the best feeling. I had been working towards it for so long. Many other great memories surround the mens varsity 4 that I was a part of. I will miss Hickory Crew. I'll be back to visit often.
2019 - 2023
I've honestly loved my experience with crew. It's taught me that patience, kindness, and grit are a big part of the way ahead. Everything has had a lot of meaning in this sport, and it teaches you so much. I'm really going to miss the team, too. I can go to crew, and I'll just forget about life a bit and row. It's phenomenal. One of my favorite competition memories of Crew is winning the hampton roads erg pull, and then winning in the men's 8 against great bridge right after that. In general, my favorite memories are time I get to spend at regattas with my team.
2022 - 2023
Crew has been a life-changing experience. I’ve never been accepted on a team so quickly until I joined crew. The rowers accepted me instantly and treated me as though they had known me their whole lives. I’ve made more friends than I ever had expected. I will greatly miss my new family. And that is exactly what Hickory Crew is, more than a team, it is a family. My favorite memory has to be the beaming smile of my best friend, my brother, Jake, after we beat Great Bridge at the Hampton Roads Erg Pull.
2022 - 2023
My best memories of crew are from practice early in the morning before the sun came up. Rowing in the dark is unlike anything else I’ve done before. It feels like the boat is flying over a black abyss with the only noise coming from yourself and your teammates.
A FEW WORDS FROM OUR
GRADUATING SENIORS
2021 - 2023
In the 2 years that I've participated in this sport, getting up before the crack of dawn to go to practice or drive almost 4 hours to regattas, I never expected such a strong bond between my teammates and coaches. I would look forward to every day I spent with the team and learn with them and also be able to help them like they helped me. I don't think I'd be able to experience that kind of team relationship because everything about Crew is teamwork. My favorite memory has been every regatta, cheering and hearing my teammates and the team's amazing parents voices screaming at us making us row a little harder. I couldn't thank my teammates, the parents, or my coaches enough making Crew so awesome.
About
What is a team of rowers called?
A Crew!
Hickory Rowing Club, Great Bridge, is for 7th Grade Middle to 12th Grade High School students who live in any school district of Chesapeake or Virginia Beach, VA. We also accept HOME-SCHOOLED students. We offer full training from complete novice to Varsity level at our facility right here in Great Bridge.
If you are interested in a whole-year, full-body sport that combines strength, flexibility, mental focus, self-discipline, and teamwork, then Crew is for you.
We compete throughout the Fall and Spring seasons and train through Summer and Winter seasons.
Rowing Club in Great Bridge
A WORD FROM OUR 22/23 CAPTAINS
Being captain means to me giving something back to a team that has done a lot for me. It encourages me to work harder in a sport I enjoy, to take responsibility and action, and motivate others to do the same.
- Jake Werning - Boys Captain 22/23
To me, Crew means working hard to achieve your goals. It is also lifting each other up and working as a team.
- Campbell Gettier - Girls Captain 22/23
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FAQ
Are there any fitness requirements to join?
Crew is a physical activity, and unlike most scholastic sports, will require the use of all of your major muscle groups- legs, back, and arms. That said, part of the training emphasis is to get you into a condition where you can handle the physical exertion. Hence the sports physical where a physician verifies that the prospective athlete is cleared for participation in physical activity. The athlete should also be competent in the water, e.g. capable of floating, treading water, and swimming short distances. The swim test will verify their skills in this regard. Allergies and asthma are not disqualifiers if they are controllable and the physician authorizes activity. Flexibility helps, but can be developed.
Is Crew a safe sport?
As with all sports, there is an element of risk. Water, boats, heavy and awkward equipment, lots of people are just some of the dangers we encounter. However, your safety is of paramount importance and we take it very seriously. We are fully insured, maintain our equipment properly and teach our members the importance of safety and how to manage the equipment properly.
Do I have to attend every practice in order to race?
Is Crew and expensive sport?
Crew can be an expensive sport as there is a lot of equipment necessary to take part. BUT...we cover almost all of these expenses with our seasonal club dues, which are currently $700 per athlete, per season. We do offer a discount for multiple family participants and if you join by attending one of our Summer Camps you can enjoy a discount too!
When can I join?
Crew is a year-round sport. You can join any time. We typically hold a 2-week camp in August, but attendance here is not mandatory. You can join at any time during the year.
Slow down, sports fan! It’s easiest to learn on one of our rowing machines first where you can grasp the basics of the rowing motion without having to worry about balance, being on the water, etc. We use a combination of rowing machines to learn the stroke, and a ‘row box’ to learn oar handling. Typically, 2-3 days on land before getting into a boat. Chances are, if you’ve seen someone rowing in the gym, they’re doing it wrong. We’ll break it down and help you put it all together.
How soon can I get on the water?
When are the races?
There are two racing seasons, fall & spring. There are usually 5-6 regattas (races) in the fall starting in late Sep/early Oct and running into mid-Nov. The spring season usually has 6-7 regattas starting in early Apr and running through mid-May.
How often do you practice?
Fall practice is currently 5 days a week, which are Mon, Tue, Wed, Thur, and Sat. Practices are on the water for spring-fall, with winter conditioning on land at the boathouse. During winter, we work on rowing machines, augmented with weights, calisthenics, and stretching/yoga. Practices are usually 2 hours in length.
When are try-outs for Crew?
How do I join?
No try-outs!! No cuts, this is a club sport. Yes, that's right, we do not have try-outs, but we do offer a Summer Camp during the school holidays which you are welcome to come to and see if Crew is for you! Come along and our coaches will train you, and find a way to seat you in a boat for races.
It’s easy! Step 1, tell us you’d like to join! Step 2 will involve filling out some paperwork. A registration form, waiver, emergency information, etc. Step 3, pay the dues. Step 4… Row!! Sports physical and swim tests will be required, but parent consent will cover in the short term. Hop on over to our join page for more information.
We’d certainly encourage that, but it isn’t a hard and fast requirement. Rowing is a sport that responds especially well to sustained, repeated participation. The more you row, the better you (and your boat) get. That requires your commitment, both mentally and physically (both body and attendance). The decision on boat entries and line-ups is a coach’s decision and certainly attendance can become a factor.
If my child is joins, what can I do to help?
There are lots of things a parent can do to help out. We have parents help out for practice preps and boat recovery, the Board is composed of parents, there are parent volunteer positions that help with team functioning, food at regattas, etc. All the while, you’ll meet fantastic people whom all share in participating in this awesome sport!