Especially important is the information on nutrition, particularly the advice on supplements (don’t use them) and alcohol (don’t give it to crews without the coach’s permission), which is given a separate page.

Also on a separate page is all the boaty jargon that you are likely to hear and an explanation of what it all means.

Otherwise information on this page is in three sections:

Tow Path Tips - Do’s and Don’ts from your sons

What to Wear - guidance on clothing for Parents and boys

Links - there is lots of useful rowing information to be found on the Web

Tow Path Tips

PLEASE DO...

COME and support us at Regattas and Heads. They’re the culmination of hours of strenuous training and we’d like you to see what we can do. You’ll meet our coaches, friends and other parents with whom to share the enjoyment of a riverside picnic and the thrill of watching us!

BRING warm waterproofs, rugs, thermoses and comfy clothing plus wellies in the spring and sun tan cream and hats in the summer. Dressing up is only for Henley.

SHOUT “Radley” loudly and frequently at the top of your voice.

KEEP well out of the way when we’re lifting the boat in or out of the water. A “cleaver” is a paralleloid blade designed to improve force transferred from oarsmen to water - we would not want it to be tried out on you.

BRING

• lots of still water. We can only drink fizz AFTER racing.
  
• food - while racing we won’t eat much except easily digestible sandwiches (no cheese please). Bananas, malt loaves and Jaffa cakes are all a good energy source. There will be school food but top ups from home are always more than welcome and a bit extra for those boys whose parents aren’t there is really appreciated. Afterwards we are starving and will eat anything, as will our Coaches.
  
• booze to share with our Coaches - hopefully they’ll say we can have some too -after the racing. Do please ask their permission as alcohol can undo a lot of fitness.
  
• carrier bags so that we can take the remains of your lunch on the bus back to school.
  

BE discreet about me when talking to parents of other crew members.

FEED the coaches

REMEMBER Andy our Boatman and the backbone of the club, without whom most of our work and results would be impossible.

SEND in any ‘photos or quotes to Jock Mullard as soon as possible for publication in the RCBC News

COME to the Warden’s or RCBC drinks parties held in the RCBC tent at National Schools. The RCBC tent usually follows the 1st VIII and is always illustrated on the maps you are sent. Find it - it is the meeting place for all Radleians. Otherwise look for the Boat Club Flag, which has a Red Maltese Cross on a White background.

PLEASE DONT...

EXPECT us to sit with you all the time - we need to be with our crew and resting.

COME near the crew for at least an hour before a race or half an hour after it - longer if we lost. We need to be briefed, debriefed and “focussed in” by our Coach.

HOVER or take photos during the briefing or de-briefing sessions.

TALK to Coaches just before or during a race - their stomachs are suffering as much as ours.

DISCUSS the unfairness of me being moved within the boat or down a crew. You might find the truth painful.

GIVE us alcohol to take back to College – it’s banned!

FEEL you have to provide lavish entertainment for hundreds of hungry Radleians and supporters - our favourite nosh from home is all we need.

FORGET the wine-gums.

UNWELCOME REMARKS...

Some people just can’t resist sticking their oar in where it’s not wanted - pardon the pun. Be warned to steer clear of the following remarks:

• “At least they tried.”
  
• “What’s the Test Match score?”
  
• “Didn’t they look good?” of a Radley crew when losing to an inferior crew.
  
• “I’m just taking the crew off for a drink.”
  
• “Was it your boy who caught the crab?”
  
• “We’ve driven hundreds of miles to see you, so do sit with us.”
  
• “Don’t worry darling, it’s only a game.”
  
• “Better luck next time.”
  
• “My son is the best blade in the boat.”
  
• “Why isn’t your crew rowing at X - it’s so much nicer at X than Y”
  
• “Who on earth selected that boy who is rowing at 4?”
  
• “The Coach clearly doesn’t know what he’s doing. Now when I was at Cambridge we…
  
  

REMEMBER TWO QUOTES:

Herbert Boyard Swope enunciated no rules for success but a sure recipe for failure:
“Just try to please everyone” (World of Swope, 1965.)
and

“Doing is overrated and success undesirable, but the bitterness of failure

even more so” (Cyril Connolly, The Unquiet Grave, 1945.)

What to Wear

Apart from Henley there is no need to be smart at regattas or heads. Comfort and coping with the extremes of English weather are the keys. Many of the regatta sites- especially Eton and Nottingham - are very exposed with very little shelter or shade.

Ties
Associate members of the Mariners are entitled to wear the Boat Club Tie.

Old Radleian members of the Mariners are entitled to wear the Mariners tie.

Boy’s Kit
The coaches endeavour to impose a degree of uniformity of clothing on the crews attending regattas. They are not always successful, so some parental support is always appreciated. See Kit & Colours for full information on what boys should wear

Links

ROWING ORGANISATIONS – GOVERNING BODIES

Amateur Rowing Association – the UK governing body; selects and coaches all crews that represent GB . You can join the ARA as a non-rowing member for £21 per year. You will receive copies of Regatta magazine and the annual ARA Almanack

Thames Regional Rowing Council consists of representatives from every ARA-affiliated club and event in the region. Membership currently stands at: 90 rowing clubs, 60 University and college clubs, 46 schools, 30 regattas and 40 headraces.

Scottish Amateur Rowing Association.
Welsh Amateur Rowing Association.
Irish Amateur Rowing Union.

FISA, “Fédération Internationale des Sociétés d’Aviron” or the International Federation of Rowing Associations is the governing body of the sport. It is empowered by its 126 member National Rowing Federations, the National Olympic Committees and the International Olympic Committee. If you want to find about rowing anywhere in the world go the sitemap on the FISA site; there are links from Albania to Zimbabwe.

INFORMATION PAGES

Rachel Quarrell’s Rowing Service
This is probably the leading UK site with a a huge amount of information. For the most up to date news go the New Information page

The Rowing Calendar (aka David Biddulph’s site) is updated daily with information on all UK rowing events

Rowtv video clips from all the major regattas. Henley coverage goes back to 1999.

Pro-Athlete’s mission is to supply the amateur sporting community with advice and experience to help individuals, clubs and communities achieve the winning edge – just register on line.

row2k has developed since 1997 into what by most accounts is the most heavily trafficked rowing website in the world. The bulk of coverage is about North America.

Rowing Blog rec.sport.rowing

Rowing News is a New Hampshire based subscription magazine.

PHOTOGRAPHS

http://www.bigblade.net/rowing/index.html

http://www.eliotgeorge.com/events.html

http://www.jetphotographic.com/

http://www.onlyrowingphotos.com/

http://www.photo-row.com/main.php