This is my first season as a crew parent. What should I know about volunteering at regattas?

W-L Crew is obliged as a member of the National Capital Area Scholastic Rowing Association (NCASRA) to provide volunteers for regattas to ensure that they are both safe and fair. We are assigned regatta jobs based on the size of our program, and we are fined $50 for each volunteer that fails to show up. We lose our standing in the organization if we consistently fall short of our obligations.

My shift starts at 9 a.m.. Does that mean I should plan to arrive at 8:55 a.m?

On regatta days, volunteers should plan to arrive a half hour before their shift begins to allows time for parking (which is difficult at some regattas), signing in as required at regatta headquarters, and finally reporting to the duty station, which may be some distance from headquarters. The Regatta Headquarters building at Occoquan is at the foot of Van Thompson Road. It is the last building at the bottom of the hill on the right of the road before you reach the water (opposite the boathouse). Sign in at the table to the left of the entrance door.

My shift time states 9 – END or DONE. What does this mean?

Some jobs, e.g., finish line timer, are over at the conclusion of the regatta (END), whatever time that may be. Other jobs are over at the conclusion of a specific task (DONE), e.g., Helper Take Down.

I just learned that I have to go out of town on the day that I volunteered. How should I arrange for a substitute?

Please recruit a substitute using the W-L Crewbooster listserv, and then notify Donna Roberts at RobertsCrew@gmail.com as far in advance as possible. She will relay the information about the substitution to the NCASRA volunteer coordinator.

I volunteered to be a stakeboat holder. What on earth is a stakeboat holder?

Many job descriptions are self-explanatory and others are a complete mystery. If you misplaced the job descriptions that were handed out at the pot luck dinner, or you were unable to attend, you can find the job description in the NCASRA Volunteer Coordinator Handbook at http://www.ncasra.org/Documents/2007Handbook.pdf

The job description “money collector – park entrance” is reasonably self-explanatory, but how exactly am I supposed to know what to do?

When you sign in (see above), the regatta director and/or sign-in coordinator will tell you where to report for duty; there, an experienced volunteer can tell you what to do. Occasionally, you may have to track down someone to answer your questions, since the regatta director can't be everywhere at the same time. Please remember that our NCASRA coordinators are hard-working parent volunteers like you. Patience and courtesy are always appreciated.

The weather forecast says it is supposed to be sunny and 45 degrees this Saturday. How should I dress?

First, remember that it often feels cooler near the water. Next, remember that the weather is often quite variable during the spring, so the best advice is to wear layers that you can add or subtract as the conditions change over the course of a 4 or 5 hour regatta. Also, a hat and sunscreen are advisable, and if your volunteer position is in or near the water, PLEASE DO NOT WEAR RED (a distress signal).