Do I need experience to join the team?
Not at all. We have a Novice team designed for those with no experience and you will spend a year with this team learning the sport with many others who are also new to rowing. We also have a Varsity team for those who have rowed in high school or who have finished their novice year.

What do I need to do to join the team?
The rowing program will host a meeting on Monday, Aug. 27, 2012, at 7 p.m. inside the recruiting room at Bright House Networks Stadium (enter at Gate 16). If you can't make the meeting on the 27, a second one will be held on Tuesday, Aug. 28 at 7 p.m. in the venue meeting outside of Knightro's. At the meeting we will hand out some paper work, talk about the team, introduce the coaching staff and some current rowers and further explain the tryout process. If you cannot make these meetings or have questions, please contact Assistant Coach Tracey Tallman at 407-823-3559 or ttallman@athletics.ucf.edu.

Do I need to bring anything to the informational meeting?
Yes. The NCAA requires you to bring a physical done within the last 6 months, sickle cell test, and a photo copy of your health insurance card (front and back) in order to try out for the team.

If I don't know how to row, how will you decide who makes the team at tryouts?
Tryouts will go from Sept. 4-7 and will conclude on Sept. 10 with team selection. You will spend time learning how to row in a boat as well as on our rowing machines. We will also do different activities to see various abilities and attitudes. We are looking for overall athletic ability, attitude, coachability and teamwork. It's not necessarily about who is the best, but about who has the most potential as a rower and a team player.

Are there different "positions" on the team?
There are several different "positions" we are looking to fill. We need rowers for the Openweight squad. We are also looking for Coxswains. They are an extremely important member of the team who helps run practice, motivates rowers, steers the boats, calls the race plan, and other responsibilities. If you are less than 120 pounds, you may want to consider becoming a Coxswain.

How big is the team?
After tryouts, we are hoping to have approximately 75 people on the Novice Team. The Varsity Team plans to start with about 50 rowers.

What are practices like and how often are they?
After the initial tryout out period, practices will start out 5 days a week about 2 hours a day. Once we get closer to our first race it will become 6 days a week for the rest of the year. Practices vary slightly depending on the time of year, but it usually entails rowing on the water, rowing on ergometer machines, running, lifting, and various other calisthenics. During the fall, we will determine practice times that accommodate people's class schedules, and in the spring practices will be from 6:30-9 a.m.

Where does the team practice?
The water practices take place on Lake Pickett, which is about 10 miles east of campus and workouts take place in the weight room at Wayne Densch Building 77.

How long is the "rowing season"?
There are actually two rowing seasons. We begin training for the fall season in September and the races are longer, closer to 3 miles. When the rowers return to class in January, we begin training for our Championship Season. The majority of the racing and traveling occurs in the spring and the 2000-meter course is a slightly different format than the fall.

Does the Novice Team get to travel, too?
Yes. During the spring the Varsity and the Novice teams travel together throughout the state of Florida and around the country. We will bring about 6 boats to race schools such as Miami, Clemson, Duke, Michigan, Stanford, Wisconsin and many other competitive programs. In the fall, the Novice will travel within the state.

Is there any cost to be on the team?
No. All rowing gear, uniform, travel, equipment and coaching is funded by UCF.

Who do I contact if I have any questions?
Please do not hesitate to contact Assistant Coach Tracey Tallman at 407-823-3559 or ttallman@athletics.ucf.edu.

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