SI Crew Syllabus

An interscholastic athletic program as a co-curricular activity is an integral part of the total educational and growth experience at St. Ignatius. Athletics is designed to affirm and promote the Ignatian values as stated in the Graduate-at-Graduation document and engage student-athletes fully in mind, body, and spirit. Student-athletes, coaches, and parents are called upon to work together in a true spirit of sportsmanship to assist in creating an environment in which those Ignatian values can be revealed, tested, and proven relevant both to participants and the entire school community.

Through participation in athletics at St. Ignatius, students will mature physically, emotionally, socially, and spiritually. They will learn to take responsibility for personal growth by developing loyalty, pride, integrity, and commitment. Athletics provides the opportunity for the student-athlete to exhibit a progression of physical skills and knowledge of a particular sport, enabling him/her to apply these skills and knowledge to new situations and a variety of learning formats. Through participation in athletics the student-athlete learns that God is active in all things and that individual and liturgical prayer will bring him/her closer to God. The student-athlete comes to trust that he/she is known and loved by God, and that this invites a personal response, which is an expression of movement within the individual beyond self-interest or self-centeredness. The student-athlete is called to be conscious of the call to be a leader in service and to acknowledge his/her active commitment toward fostering fairness and justice in society. Every member of the St. Ignatius school community must seek to encourage, instill, and foster such growth and development in all student-athletes.

The philosophy that guides the St. Ignatius Athletic Department has been shaped by the school’s Graduate-at-Graduation document. As the Athletic Department exists because of and for the students, the purpose of the department must be defined through its effects upon the students; its goals and objectives must focus on the product of athletic participation — the St. Ignatius student-athlete.

OPEN TO GROWTH: Through participation in athletics, the St. Ignatius student-athlete matures as a person — physically, emotionally, socially, and spiritually.

ATHLETIC COMPETENCY: Through participation in athletics, the St. Ignatius student-athlete exhibits a progression of physical skills and a knowledge of his/her particular sport itself.

RELIGIOUS: Athletics at St. Ignatius includes a religious dimension that should permeate the student-athlete’s life; thus, through participation in athletics, the student-athlete finds a value in sports as an instrument that can lead him/her closer to God.

LOVING: The St. Ignatius student-athlete is known and loved by God; that love invites a personal response which is an expression of movement within the human heart beyond self-interest or self-centeredness to relationships that insist upon individual care and concern for each teammate.

COMMITTED TO DOING JUSTICE: Participation in St. Ignatius athletics must not be for selfish reasons or for merely personal satisfaction; rather, such participation and commitment should prepare the student-athlete for further participation and an active life commitment in the church and community in the service of others.

PURSUIT OF LEADERSHIP GROWTH: Athletics, then, must provide an environment in which the student-athlete can develop his/her abilities for the betterment of the community and not for personal gain.

• Exemplify the Ignatian Spirit

• Strive for technical and competitive excellence in the sport, as well as in academics

• Strive for the maximum potential of each individual, each crew, and the entire program

• Embody teamwork at all levels

• Apply discipline and perseverance towards becoming an oarsman of integrity, generosity, and grit

• Find and make joy in the “process”

• Be accountable and practice resilience

• Lead by example within the larger St. Ignatius community

• Emulate the future self you wish to become

The spring roster will solidify as Winter Sport athletes complete their prior commitments. The roster will remain “open” until a few days after the final Winter Sport season wraps up. Lineups - who sits where in which boat - on any given day are determined by the coach based upon rower and coxswain technical and physical abilities, attitude, mental toughness / hardiness, and ability to improve. One of the goals of the season is to make the fastest boats possible, in order of 1V, 2V, and so on, and thus all student-athletes must commit, each day, to making their boat and their teammates the fastest it and they can be - regardless of the level of that boat.

Athletes and parents may not always like, be satisfied with, or agree with the practice or race lineups, and athletes are permitted to professionally inquire about those lineups with the coach. The coach may or may not provide reasoning, but reasonable efforts will be made at that time - or before - to help the athlete understand the reasons involved. Parents and family members are not involved in lineups.

If there will be a delay to an individual’s first day of practice, due to Winter Sports or other pre-existing commitments, the athlete must notify and explain the situation to his coach prior to the original start date. We support athletes doing multiple sports for SI, and no penalty will be given for completing a prior-season’s commitment with an SI Winter Sport.

Walk-ons - novice athletes who join the team with no prior rowing experience - are welcome both at the start of the season, and when Winter Sports wrap up for Winter Sport student-athletes. All walk-ons will be afforded at least three days to try out if the student-athlete has expressed interest within the first two weeks of the spring rowing season or within one week of the end of the student-athlete’s particular Winter Sport.

Once the non-freshman student-athlete has had three days of tryouts, unless otherwise noted by coaches after that time, and upon clear commitment by the participant, the non-freshman novice rower or coxswain will be considered part of the squad unless future behavior, attitude, or attendance issues warrant re-consideration of membership in the team.

Tryouts will be held in accordance with the rules of the Athletic Department. Initial tryouts may extend to a later date at the discretion of the coach. Additional tryouts, length of additional tryouts, and availability of space on the roster all depend on initial turnout, any resulting initial cuts, and on factors specific to individual student-athletes (for example: trying out after a winter sport, trying out concurrently with another spring sport, trying out after being cut from another spring sport).

The student-athlete should be prepared to both sweat and to stay warm. Please see the section entitled Team Attire for details. If a rower or coxswain does not come prepared with the appropriate supplies, the coach may remove the student-athlete from the boat for the day and assign him or her to do an alternate land-based workout.

Varsity student-athletes are expected to make their own transportation arrangements to and from practice. Freshmen student-athletes, unless otherwise noted, are required to run to and from practice. This is for training and fitness purposes. Rare exceptions may be granted on a case-by-case basis. The Head Freshman coach may change this rule.

These fluctuate depending on the squad, coaching schedules, seasonal events, retreats, activity schedules, tests, races, changes in class schedules, and other factors. The schedules outlined below are approximations only. Please check with your coach to determine practice times.

Practice times and days are subject to change if the need arises, but all reasonable effort will be made by the coaching staff to provide prior notice as necessary. It is the responsibility of the student-athlete to check with fellow teammates and any shared online schedule for upcoming practice times. All Varsity Oarsmen must arrive before the designated start time, set up necessary items, and be ready to begin practice by the designated start time, unless otherwise noted.

The practice times reflect an average 2020-2021 school year class week. Student-Athletes must also be prepared to attend one or two early-morning weekday practices per week, generally between 6:15 a.m. and 8:15 a.m. for water workouts. Land-based training may be later and shorter.

Varsity Boys Practice Times

Student-athletes may remain at the boathouse and work out until other SI Crews complete practice

Monday 3:15 – 6:00 p.m.

Tuesday 3:15 – 6:00 p.m.

Wednesday 8:00 – 11:00 a.m.

Thursday 3:15 – 6:00 p.m.

Friday 3:15 – 6:00 p.m. - May extend later if loading the boat trailer for a race

Saturday 8:00 – 11:00 a.m.

Sunday OFF

Student-Athletes must also plan for certain early-morning practices, as noted above.

Freshman / Novice Boys Practice Times

Student-athletes may remain at the boathouse and work out until other SI Crews complete practice. Start time reflects duration to run from campus to the boathouse.

Monday 3:30 – 5:30 p.m.*

Tuesday 3:30– 5:30 p.m.*

Wednesday 3:30– 5:30 p.m.*

Thursday 3:30– 5:30 p.m.*

Friday 3:30– 5:30 p.m.* - Coaches may request that those not taking the CYO bus stay later if loading the trailer

Saturday 8:00 – 11:00 a.m.

Sunday OFF

*Time reflects potential CYO bus schedule. If there is a 6:00 p.m. CYO bus that students need to take, practice will end at 5:30 p.m. so the students have time to run back to campus. If there is no need for the CYO bus, then practices will end at 6:00 p.m. or as otherwise noted. Student-Athletes should also plan for certain early-morning practices, as noted above.

• Illness or injury*

• Unforeseen family emergency **

• School activities (retreat, tutoring**)

• Family obligations (wedding, confirmation), etc. – which cannot be done at any other time and is cleared with your coach at least one week in advance.

  * = The coach may require a note from the student-athlete’s parent/s or guardian/s. The student-athlete must inform and coordinate with the SI Trainers and the SI coaches for all musculoskeletal issues. Students should not wait weeks before informing trainers and coaches of injuries.
  **Unforeseen or emergent situations will be excused on a case-by-case basis. See below.

Situations where the coach is not given proper and reasonable information ahead of time due to lack of communication from the student-athlete, events that could have been avoided or planned for a different time, and long-range family/personal/school obligations not cleared with your coach at least one week in advance. Examples: detention, retreats or other long-scheduled school activities that the student-athlete did not notify the coach of in a timely manner, and family vacations during the season. See the note below about teacher meetings and other after school commitments. Students must regularly check with parents for any planned trips or vacations; if the student does not know of a planned absence until the last minute, and tells the coach at the last minute, it is an unexcused absence.

Excused – Tardiness out of the member’s control (“My ride slept through his alarm clock” “There was a crash ahead of methat shut down the road for 20 minutes” “There was traffic coming from Marin after a remote learning day”)

Unexcused – Tardiness resulting due to a lack of planning or that could have been avoided (Example: “I hit all the red lights along 19th” “I slept through my alarm clock”)

Due to the nature of the sport, all unexcused absences and instances of tardiness will have consequences affecting the entire squad.

On occasion, student-athletes may need to meet with a teacher, take a test, or complete an assignment after school. At times it may not be possible to give the coach reasonable notice. In these instances, student-athletes must text message or email the coach, or use other provided tools, as soon as he or she knows he or she will be late to practice or not attending practice. Atext message or email sent once practice has begun, or after practice, will make the otherwise excused absence or tardiness unexcused (certain instances are permissible, such as if a test runs late or the student-athlete otherwise has no reasonable access to communication tools). Members of Boys Crew are expected to respectfully inquire with their teachers about the possibility of finding an alternative time that works for the faculty member, and that falls within school hours, but must cheerfully agree to the time - after school or not - decided by the faculty member.

In instances where there is a significant complication with being tardy or absent, the student-athlete must alert the coach ahead of time so that the coach can attempt to find a way to resolve the issue; of primary example would be if the team must leave early from school for an away regatta (which occurs extremely rarely), and transportation to the event would be compromised.

All freshman are expected and required to run to and from the boathouse (aka, from and to school) for weekday practices, unless otherwise noted. Injuries are an example of what may warrant an exception. Uber, Lyft, public transportation, other car sharing systems, rides from varsity athletes, and rides from parents / family members / friends, are NOT ALLOWED unless specifically approved. The run to and from the lake is part of the freshman fitness regimen.

No student-athlete will be allowed to try out or practice until all required documents are submitted and verified by SI Athletic Training staff. Please go to https://www.familyid.com/organizations/st-ignatius-college-preparatory to register.

Please choose “Boys Crew” in the FamilyID system to ensure you are listed on our roster.

Please email Jason Dinius, Head Athletic Trainer, at jdinius@siprep.org, with any questions or concerns. He can also bereached at 415-731-7500 x5438.

Fall Crew Dues: September 13, 2021

Spring Crew Dues: February 1, 2022. Winter sport athletes will have a later due date

Fall Crew USRowing Membership: Prior to any race that requires a USRowing membership.

Spring Crew USRowing Membership: February 25, or prior to any race that requires a USRowing membership.

Due Dates may change pending shifts in tryout schedules.

The deadline includes registering with USRowing for the Basic Membership ($9.75) and the Add-on Regatta Package ($25.25). There is also the older, traditional, $45 “Championship Membership” that includes the prior two, but this appears to only offer the Rowing magazine and membership card as additional perks. Student-athletes must ensure their membership lists St. Ignatius College Prep (USRA Member # 765) in the system. Not transferring membership from a prior club, or accidentally choosing another St. Ignatius, will block the coach from entering the student-athlete into races.

*= No student-athlete will ever be turned away from SI Crew due to an inability to pay. However, please communicatefinancial difficulty or payment plan to the coach before the aforementioned due dates, so the coach is updated and alternativearrangements can be planned as necessary

Playing sports can be expensive, and many teams at SI have associated expenses. Due to the high cost of rowing and related equipment, specialized racing shells, and school-wide athletic costs, St. Ignatius Crew requires a participation fee. No SI rower will be excluded from the program because of non-payment due to financial hardship. Those families requiring scholarship or a payment plan should contact Coach Sam Nelsen and the appropriate financial aid staff.

Please note that the following dues remain thousands of dollars less than similar local programs. The equipment fee is not related to number of practices attended, length of season, or other time-based factors. Combined with annual fundraising, it is invested into necessary rowing, safety, and training equipment that the students use every day. Equipment takes time - months even - to secure, fabricate, and ship, and thus spring dues are invested primarily during the spring and summer months into equipment for the following fall and spring seasons.

To Pay: The school utilizes the online FACTS system. Please contact Athletics with questions

To register: Go to https://membership.usrowing.org/individual/join and follow the prompts.

1. In “Club or Team Name,” type “Ignatius” and choose “St. Ignatius College Prep (USRA Member # 765).

2. Select and pay the Basic Membership ($9.75) with the Add-on Regatta Package ($25.25).

If your financial aid package covers a portion, or all, of this membership fee, please pay the registration and follow-up with the appropriate financial aid office for reimbursement

This will be handled by the Parent Navy, and the amount may change. These dues/fees pay for supplies for the food table / tent at regattas, and other related items.

Payment will occur through the aforementioned school system. More info to come at the beginning of the season from the Parent Navy.

The school may choose to add an additional fee depending on the needs of the Athletic Department. These may go towards supplementing the hourly wages of the coaches to bring the hourly rates closer to market rate, to ensure the program has the needed staffing to provide an excellent experience for the student-athletes.

Additionally, part of the hours the team staff provide include boat, equipment, and facility upkeep and repair (a role or roles traditionally given to so-called “boatmen” or “riggers,” but occasionally distributed within the staff as necessary).

With nearly half a million dollars worth of equipment and resources, including 12+ eights, 5 fours, 2 pair/doubles, 22 singles, 140+ oars, 40+ ergs, a boat trailer, dock, safety launches, and a significant array of other items, keeping equipment in good condition and functioning is a full time job in itself if done properly.

SI Crew has very few overnight “away” regattas, but those we do have generally have associated lodging costs. Currently, The SW Regional Championships are the primary overnight cost for all crews. Scholastic Nationals is another for a limited number of crews, as well as one or two fall races for participating crews.

Non-SI transportation (flights, vans, etc) will be used for distant away races, and will be billed to the the participating families by the school. Coaches and/or the Athletic Department will notify the rowers and coxswains with details about these costs when the information becomes available.

As with Team Dues, please contact Coach Sam Nelsen and the Financial Aid Office if you require scholarship or a payment plan.

All St. Ignatius athletic teams are expected to be alcohol and drug free. Participation in athletics at St. Ignatius is a privilege. As a member of the athletic program a student’s actions affect others in addition to himself/herself. Therefore, the athlete is held to the highest standards of behavior. St. Ignatius athletes are bound by the school alcohol and drug policy, which can be found in the Athlete and Parent Handbook

St. Ignatius College Preparatory affirms the dignity of every student - hazing is not permitted at St. Ignatius College Preparatory. No individual, student organization, club, team, or any other St. Ignatius-affiliated student group is permitted to plan, engage in, or condone hazing, on or off the St. Ignatius campus.

St. Ignatius College Preparatory expects its students to conduct themselves in socially responsible and respectful ways. Thus, participation in hazing, either as an individual or as part of any student group, may result in serious individual and organizational consequences including, but not limited to: disciplinary action up to and including expulsion and loss of eligibility to remain a member of any club, team, or other St. Ignatius-affiliated student group. Consent, implied or expressed, is not a defense to any complaint or charge alleging a hazing violation.

A number of St. Ignatius offices may take institutional action, including the Offices of the President, the Principal, the Deans, the Academics, the Student Affairs and the Director of Athletics.

Cheating, vandalism, theft, and violence of any kind will not be tolerated. Any infraction may result in removal from the team and other disciplinary and correctional actions.

In order to support our mission, the coaches and athletic staff need the support of the parents. We ask that parents remember the following:

Good sportsmanship is expected of everyone at St. Ignatius. The coaches and players are expected to and are held responsible for representing St. Ignatius with dignity and class. We expect the same high standards of behavior from our parents.

Not all players get the same playing time. The nature of high school athletics and competition means that we try to field the most competitive team. It is the coach’s job to decide who the most qualified players are in order to give the team its best chance at success. It is also the coach’s job to determine team strategy and play calling. Part of any student-athlete’s maturation process includes putting one’s personal desires aside for the good of the team.

Coaches are to be treated with the same respect accorded any other professional. We need parents to model the respect for coaches that is expected from the student-athletes.

If a parent has a concern, it should be expressed at the appropriate time and place.

From time to time, a parent may have a concern that he/she would like to bring to the attention of the coach.

Appropriate concerns to discuss with coaches include:

The treatment of a son or daughter, psychologically and physically, and concerns about a son’s or daughter’s behavior.

The following matters should be left to the discretion of the coach:

• Decisions regarding which athletes make or do not make a team.

• Playing time.

• Team strategy and play calling.

If a parent does have a concern, the parent’s son or daughter should first talk with the coach about his/her concerns. If the matter is not settled, the parent should email the coach to discuss the matter by email, or, if necessary, by phone or in person.

Parents should not expect an immediate response to a call or email, as coaches frequently have other jobs to provide primary income.

Parents should avoid approaching a coach before or after a contest or practice. These can be emotional times for both the parents and the coach.Meetings at this time usually do not work well for the coach, the parent, or the player.

If the discussion with the coach or coaches does not provide a satisfactory resolution, the parent should contact the Athletic Director. Parents should follow this route in bringing their concerns to the school:

1. Coach

2. Head Coach

3. Athletic Director

4. Assistant Principal For Student Affairs

5. Principal

6. President