Good afternoon Mercer Junior Parents and Athletes,
This is just a friendly reminder that the boathouse is closed to all Junior athletes. If you are working the camp you are only allowed to use the boathouse for your camp counseling purposes only. The boathouse is still open for all Mercer Alumni.
Thank you for your understanding,
Coach Justin
Hello Mercer Parents and Athletes,
Attached you will find the 2017 Fall Programming Schedule
Please continue to check the blog as there will be more information posted before the season begins.
Go Mercer!!
Reminder: Tomorrow will be very hot please have your athlete come to the regatta prepared for the hot weather. Lots of water, sunscreen, hat and sunglasses.
Good afternoon, Mercer Parents,
Saturday is the Philly Youth Regatta. Below are the logistics for the event.
LOCATION: The regatta will be held in Philadelphia on the famous Schuylkill River! For information on directions please click here. The address to use for GPS is: 2200 Kelly Drive, Philadelphia PA, 19129 (Address is the St. Joe’s (Gillin) Boathouse).
DROP OFF: All athletes should arrive 2 hours before their scheduled race time. Please drop your athlete off at the Mercer boat trailer, which will be parked in the lot adjacent to the St. Joseph University (Gillin) boathouse. Once an athlete arrives at the trailer on race day we require their undivided attention and focus. Parent presence around the trailer causes distraction for both coaches and athletes. After your athlete’s race is over and they have been dismissed by their coach they are allowed to be picked up.
PARKING: Be aware that parking is extremely limited and that the section of Kelly Drive along the racecourse (from above the boathouse to beyond the grandstand) will be closed to traffic during the regatta. IN ORDER TO PARK AT THE COURSE, YOU MUST PRINT THIS PARKING PASSAND DISPLAY IT IN YOUR WINDSHIELD.
UNIFORM: All athletes are asked to arrive wearing the Mercer unisuit and Mercer hat.
WEATHER: Saturday is scheduled to be very hot. Please make sure athletes come prepared with sunscreen, water, hat, and sunglasses.
FOOD/BEVERAGES: If your son is racing, please send him with extra water for the team. If your daughter is racing, please send an extra box of cliff bars for the team. Please have your athlete bring his/her own snacks, beverages, lunch.
LINE UPS: Will be posted later today
Cost: $38 Pay Here
Hello Parents and Athletes,
Due to the forecasted heat index of over 100 degrees all activities at the Boathouse have been canceled for today, 7/13.
Go Mercer
Parents of athletes attending Club Nationals this week: you child is responsible for lunch enroute to Ohio and dinner returning. They can either bring lunch with them, or they can purchase it when the bus stops for a meal break.
Thanks for your understanding! If you have any questions, feel free to email Jen Closser at closserj@gmail.com
Thanks!!!
GO MERCER!!!!!
Good evening, Parents,
The following information pertains to those athletes who will be attending Club Nationals July 12-16 on Harsha Lake in Bethel, Ohio.
This is a prestigious regatta – clubs from all over the country compete in events at multiple levels, including U17, U19, Intermediate (similar to U23), and Elite/Senior. Athletes will compete in time trial events; those who qualify from time trials will advance. The regatta is broken down into two sections over five days: events that time trial Wednesday, for Friday finals; and events that time trial Friday for Sunday finals. The link for the event can be found on the USRowing site: www.usrowing.org.
The trip fee covers travel, hotels, regatta registration, ice, all meals, water and gatorade. Athletes should bring their own water bottle. There will be an opportunity for athletes to purchase extra snacks and regatta gear. All extra purchases will be at the athlete’s expense, so they should plan to bring additional spending money.
USRowing Club National Championships is being held at Harsha Lake, East Fork State Park, Bethel Ohio. The details for the trip are as follows:
Travel:
July 10: Athletes arrive at Casperson at 5:45am
Charter Bus departs promptly at 6:00am
Lunch/Rest Stop about halfway through
ETA 4:30pm at Hotel
July 16: Charter Bus departs from course after last event
ETA after 10pm
Hotel:
Homewood Suites by Hilton
600 Chamber Drive
Milford, Ohio 45150
** athletes and chaperones are all staying at the same hotel
** there will be FOUR athletes to a room; coxswains will be together
Bus:
Coach USA
**chaperones will ride with the athletes on the bus
**the bus will transport the athletes to and from the course
Meals:
Breakfast at the hotel all mornings
Lunch and Dinner will be determined by the chaperones
Chaperones:
Chris Armetta
TJ Berdzik
Jen Closser ( Tuesday- Friday)
Coaches:
Matt Carlsen
Zach Spitzer
Cost:
$1091
GO MERCER!
Parents and Athletes,
Attached below you will find the travel roster for Club Nationals.
Those that will be racing have to be at the boathouse at 9:00am on Sunday July 9th to load the trailer.
Best,
Coach Justin
Mercer Parents,
Our goal for this Summer Season was to include Club Nationals for all our athletes. Unfortunately, we are only able to send a limited number of boats to this regatta. There are several factors we have had to consider, but the main one is that we do not have enough coxswains who are available for the full length of the trip (the team will leave from the Boathouse on July 10 and return July 16.
We appreciate that this will be disappointing news to many athletes. We are looking into another racing opportunity this summer for the athletes who are unable to compete in Ohio.
The coaches will be doing selection next week to determine the roster for Club Nationals. If your athlete is unable to compete at this event, please have him/her let the coaches know by 5pm, Tuesday, July 4th. We appreciate your letting them know so that they may set the line-ups as soon as possible, and can complete the planning for the trip. We expect the fee for this trip to be $900-1,000/athlete.
With kind regards,
Justin Ochal
Program Director, Mercer Rowing
Mercer Parents/Athletes,
Our first summer regatta begins this Friday! Below should be all the information you need to know for the Independence Day Regatta!
TRAILER LOADING: As this is an away regatta the athletes will be loading the trailer tomorrow after practice. Please be aware that trailer loading can take some time and although we try to get off the water a tad early your child may be a little later than normal for pick up!
LOCATION: The regatta will be held in Philadelphia on the famous Schuylkill River! For information on directions please click here. The address to use for GPS is: 2200 Kelly Drive, Philadelphia PA, 19129 (Address is the St. Joe’s (Gillin) Boathouse).
DROP OFF: All athletes should arrive 2 hours before their scheduled race time. Please drop your athlete off at the Mercer boat trailer, which will be parked in the lot adjacent to the St. Joseph University (Gillin) boathouse. Once an athlete arrives at the trailer on race day we require their undivided attention and focus. Parent presence around the trailer causes distraction for both coaches and athletes. We ask that all parents remain at the big blue Mercer tent toward the finish line farther down the course. After your athlete’s race is over and they have been dismissed by their coach they are allowed to be picked up.
PARKING: Be aware that parking is extremely limited and that the section of Kelly Drive along the racecourse (from above the boathouse to beyond the grandstand) will be closed to traffic during the regatta. IN ORDER TO PARK AT THE COURSE, YOU MUST PRINT THIS PARKING PASS AND DISPLAY IT IN YOUR WINDSHIELD.
UNIFORM: All athletes are asked to arrive wearing the Mercer unisuit. If your athlete doesn’t have unisuit they should ask their coach for a Mercer T-Shirt.
WEATHER: Friday and Saturday are scheduled to be very hot. Please make sure athletes come prepared with sunscreen, water, hat, and sunglasses.
LINEUPS/SCHEDULE: Below you will find the lineups and schedule for the Mercer boats. As the schedule might change please keep checking back to the blog for updates.
FOOD DONATIONS: The parent coordinators have asked athletes to donate the following items for the regatta to be dropped off at the trailer with your athlete.
If your LAST NAME begins with A-M, please send a case of water or Gatorade to share with the team.
If your LAST NAME begins with N-Z, please send a box of Clif bars or a few servings of fruit (bag of apples, bunch of bananas) to share with the team.
PLEASE NOTE: Because the athletes have varying race schedules and times that they need to be at the course, they should each bring whatever food (including lunch) they would like for the day.
Hello PNRA/Mercer Alumni,
The boathouse will be open for your use this summer free of charge.
The hours you are able to use the workout space will be 5:30-7:00AM, 1:00-3:00PM and 6:00-8:00PM. If you plan to use the erg room this summer, please check in first with Coach Ochal to sign a wavier form.
If you would like to row on the water you will have to join one of our programs that we are offering this summer.
GO MERCER!!!
Hello, Mercer Parents,
This weekend is the first regatta of the summer: the IDR in Philadelphia. The event spans 2 days, with time trials on Friday, and races on Saturday. Mercer has entered boats in both the U17 and U19 categories. The coaches will post the line-ups shortly. Here is what you need to know:
The Independence Day Regatta (IDR) is an “away” regatta on the Schuykill River in Philadelphia. The City closes down Kelly Drive, which is the road that runs along the River on one side (fun fact: Kelly Dr is named for Grace Kelly’s father). Also, as it is 4th of July weekend in Philadelphia – the area will be particularly crowded. This means you need to plan travel time accordingly.
Please drop your athletes off at the Gillin Boathouse, St Joseph’s University: 2200 Kelly Dr, Philadelphia. Most phone apps recognize the location if you enter Gillin Boathouse. It is NOT located on Boathouse Row, so please be sure to check before you get down there. Please send water and snacks with your athlete!
We will have a Mercer tent set up on Saturday, farther down the course near the Grandstand. The athletes will be up near the start; parents will be down near the finish. This will be an informal affair, a place for us all to gather and cheer for our team. In years past, parents have brought drinks, snacks, chairs. There is no planned food, so it’s up to you whether you want to bring things to share.
Time trials and heats are on Friday. Time trials are races that set the boats up for semi- finals on Saturday. Not every boat that races on Friday will advance to the Saturday races. They are set up in Heats, so they do race against other boats, as opposed to against the clock. The finals are on Saturday. Results are posted by the Grandstand or on www.regattacentral.com.
Where to park? IDR offers parking passes to display on your windshield so you can park farther down the course near the Grandstand and beyond. The pass allows you to get through the police barricades at either end of the course on Kelly Dr, which is useful when you are dropping off your athletes (the drop off point is inside the barricaded area). In addition, many park up the hill from the course and walk down. The passes are on the regatta website: www.independencedayregatta.com. Most of this is pretty self-explanatory when you get to the site, but feel free to give me a call if it looks confusing (it was to me my first time): Jen cell (202) 360-8683.
If your LAST NAME begins with A-M, please send a case of water or Gatorade to share with the team.
If your LAST NAME begins with N-Z, please send a box of Clif bars or a few servings of fruit (bag of apples, bunch of bananas) to share with the team.
PLEASE NOTE: Because the athletes have varying race schedules and times that they need to be at the course, they should each bring whatever food (including lunch) he or she would like for the day.
GO MERCER!
Hello Parents,
Welcome to the Mercer Summer Program. Some of the athletes have already begun, and others will be joining in on Monday. We wanted to give you some information about what to expect during the summer season, and to ask for your help at our biggest regatta: Club Nationals.
The summer practice schedule starts Monday, June 19: 1-3pm. Some athletes are still in school this first week. ***Please let your coaches know if you will be absent or late by filling out the Absentee Form on the website. ***
Small boat practice also starts Tuesday, June 20 5:45-7:00 AM for the boys and 5:45-7:00 PM for girls, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Registration link will be up soon.
We have three (3) regattas scheduled this season: The Independence Day Regatta (IDR) June 30th-July 1st in Philadelphia; Club Nationals July 12th-16th in Cincinatti; and the Philadelphia Youth Regatta July 22nd in Philadelphia. We will give you more detailed information on each regatta by the Tuesday before the event.
The big ask: Club Nationals. We are transporting athletes in vans, staying in a hotel, and competing in multiple events at both the U17 and U19 categories. *** WE NEED CHAPERONES! *** If you are interested in driving a van to Ohio that week (Monday July 10 – Sunday July 16), and being on hand to drive athletes to and from the course, help with meals, and be more involved in the day-to-day of Mercer Rowing, please let Jen Closser know: closserj@gmail.com; (202) 360-8683 (cell). Bonus: you will be thanked and appreciated all day long!
We look forward to a fun and exciting summer of racing. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact one of the Parent Coordinators.
GO, MERCER!
Jen Closser
Jeb Barkenbush
Helene Gallagher
Good afternoon, Mercer Parents and Athletes,
Just wanted to remind everyone that the summer rowing season starts tomorrow, May 30th.
Practice will be from 3:45-6:15pm, Monday- Friday until June 19th. We will switch to our summer hours on June 19th 1-3pm. If you have any questions feel free to email me @ jochal@rowpnra.org
GO MERCER!!!
Mercer Parents and Families,
Thank you rowers and families for coming to a great event last night. It was a pleasure to see everyone!!! What a great year it has been for the Mercer program, and last night we were able to recognize the hard work and dedication of our rowers. Good luck to our Seniors in their future endeavors, we will always be cheering for you! A huge thank you to the Parent Coordinators who helped the Hamilton Manor look spectacular and festive. It takes a village, and our Mercer village went above and beyond this year!
A final reminder, we have opened the registration for the event for those who still need to register. Our Summer Sweep program registration is also open; it starts May 30th for non-Nationals rowers.
GO MERCER!!!!
PNRA/Mercer Parents,
Due to the strong possibility of this weekend’s severe weather the regatta organizing committee has decided to defer to our Adverse Weather Plan.
What this means:
An updated schedule is being worked on and will be released Friday morning.
Important Information about the Inclement Weather Information:
Communication Plan if schedule changes are necessary due to weather:
– Posted on the results board located at the regatta site
– Online via Twitter, Facebook, RegattaCentral, and the USRowing web site
– Via text message. Coaches, athletes, and parents can register to receive weather related text
messages by texting “USRowing” to 313131.
Crews are responsible for staying updated on any announced schedule changes.
Please direct any questions about schedule changes to USRowing at the registration area. Schedule changes will be made using the following priority system:
Under no circumstances will races be rescheduled for a date later than May 14, 2017.
Varsity Boys Tentative Mid-Atlantic Lineups
Varsity Girls Tentative Mid-Atlantic Lineups
Mercer Families,
Please join us to celebrate the Mercer Juniors and all their accomplishments this season! All families are invited to attend the Mercer Banquet on May 16th at 6pm. Please register ASAP!!!
When: May 16th – 6pm
Where: Hamilton Manor (30 Route 156, Hamilton Township, NJ 08620)
RSVP: $38 per person – Register here!
Attire: Business casual
We look forward to seeing you there!
Mercer Families,
Please join us to celebrate the Mercer Juniors and all their accomplishments this season! All families are invited to attend the Mercer Banquet on May 16th at 6pm. Please register ASAP!!!
When: May 16th – 6pm
Where: Hamilton Manor (30 Route 156, Hamilton Township, NJ 08620)
RSVP: $38 per person – Register here!
Attire: Business casual
We look forward to seeing you there!
Good Afternoon PNRA/Mercer Parents and Athletes,
If you have already registered for the trips you can disregard this email/blog post. For those who still need to register for the trips, please register by May 10th. A link to pay for the trip fees is available Here.
Please let us know if you have any further questions.
Thanks,
Coaching Staff
Mercer Parents/Athletes,
This Friday select varsity and novice athletes will depart for the Saratoga Invitational. Below is the information about the event. Stay tuned for the travel roster and line-ups!
Registration: Registration is posted on our website under “Saratoga Invitational” – the fee is $375.00.
Hotel Address:
Varsity: Hyatt Place – Malta/ Saratoga, NY
20 State Farm Place, Malta, NY 12020
Novice: Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott
101 Saratoga Village Boulevard, Malta, NY 12020
Course Location: 1464 NY-9P, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866
Food: Food will not be provided on Friday. Please make sure your athlete comes on the bus with a packed dinner, as we will only be making a bathroom stop on the way to Saratoga. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be provided on Saturday. Breakfast and lunch will be provided on Sunday, but we will be stopping for dinner on the way home, so please make sure your athlete comes prepared with money for that meal. Athletes should pack their own race day snacks (i.e., Clif Bars).
Friday, April 28th
3:45 pm: Athletes arrive at Caspersen Rowing Center
4:15 pm: Vans departs from Caspersen Rowing Center
6:30/7:00 pm: Stop for bathroom break
9:30 pm: Arrive at Hotels
Saturday, April 29th
6:00am- 7:00am: Breakfast at Hotels
6:30 am: All athletes depart for course to rig
9:22 am – 4:29 pm: Racing – TBD on specific race times and lane assignments
6:00 pm: Dinner at Hyatt Place
9:30 pm: All athletes in hotel rooms
Sunday, April 30th
6:00 am – 7:00 am: Breakfast at Hotels
9:14 am – 3:25 pm: Racing – TBD on specific race times and lane assignments
3:30 pm – 5:15 pm: De-rig and load trailer
6:00 pm: Depart for Caspersen Rowing Center
7:30 pm: Stop for dinner and bathroom
9:30-10:00 pm: Arrive at Caspersen Rowing Center
Van Drivers/ Chaperones :
Zach Spitzer
Amanda Klaiber-short
Jeb Barkenbush
Helene Gallagher
Jenn Closser
Judy Berger
In addition, if you will be driving your child home after the trailer is loaded, please contact any of the people above to let them know he or she will not be on the van:
Please me know if you have any questions
GO MERCER!
Coach Justin Ochal
jochal@rowpnra.org
Good Morning Parents and Athletes,
First, I would like to thank all of those who volunteered this past weekend. Without your help and dedication to the Mercer Rowing Program, we wouldn’t be able to run such a great regatta this past weekend!!!
Just want to cover a few things that will be happening at the boathouse this week.
GO MERCER !!!!!!!
Good morning everyone,
The shuttle bus will run Saturday 9:30 AM to 6:30 PM; Sunday 10:00AM to 5:00PM. It will make trips every 45 minutes.
Go MERCER!!!
Mercer Varsity & Novice Parents/Athletes,
Mercer Sprints will be held this weekend. Some athletes will be racing both Saturday and Sunday. Below is the schedule for the weekend. Please make sure to look closely at the time the athletes are expected to arrive at the boathouse based on what boat they are in.
A few items to be aware of for Mercer Sprints:
-Athlete drop off: Please drop athletes off at the boathouse and proceed to the opposite side of the lake for spectating. Once athletes arrive at the boathouse on race day their undivided focus is required by their coach. Parents hanging around the boathouse can cause distractions for both coaches and athletes. We ask that all parents drive over to the other side of the lake and view the regatta with all other spectators (this is also the best vantage point for watching races). After your athlete’s race is over and they have been dismissed by their coach they may be picked up. We thank you in advance for respecting this request.
– Novice athletes are asked to arrive wearing the white Mercer racing shirt and black spandex. Varsity athletes are asked to have their Mercer Uni for racing. Please make sure athletes come wearing layers as it will be chilly in the morning but should warm up as the day progresses.
– We are still in need of some volunteers for Saturday afternoon and Sunday. I am asking that our novice program fill those spots as our athletes are not racing during those times. Volunteering is a great experience for athletes new to the sport. Please click here to sign up to volunteer.
– Food — There will be food on the boathouse side for the athletes. If you have signed up to bring the food please have it at the boathouse at the appropriate time. If your first race is later in the day, please don’t wait until you get to the boathouse to eat your first meal of the day.
– Tentatively we are working with the PHS bus driver to run a shuttle service from the boathouse to the marina side. Trips will run every half hour. Please stay tuned for confirmation.
Mercer Lake Sprints Tentative Lineups
GO MERCER!!!!!
Good evening rowers and parents,
Our annual race weekend is here!!! Attached you will find the weekend schedule and lineups for the races. Practice tomorrow is over on Carnegie Lake. We will be rowing from the finish line launching site.
Carnegie Lake Finish Line Launch Site Address: 875-903 Princeton Kingston Rd, Princeton, NJ 08540
GO MERCER!!!!
Tentative CRI/Gonzaga/National Cathedral/Mercer weekend scrimmage schedule
Saturday:
3:00-3:30 PM Arrive and Rig boats at Lake Carnegie
4:00-5:30 PM Practice
5:45-6:15 PM Stretch and Head to dinner
6:15 7:30 PM Dinner at the Mercer Boathouse
7:45 PM CRI & Gonzaga Athletes depart Mercer Boathouse with Mercer families
Sunday:
7:00AM Arrive at Course
7:30AM Athletes warmup & coaches and coxswain meet at the launch dock
8:15AM Crews launch for racing – Priority on the dock by race schedule
9:00-11:30AM Racing
12:00-12:30PM Crews return from racing, de-rig, and load trailer
12:45PM Visiting Crews Depart
MERCER JUNIORS SPRING 2017
PROGRAMMING PLAN
2017 Spring Programming Schedule:
Varsity Spring Start Date: Monday, March 6, 2017
Novice Spring Start Date: Monday, March 20, 2017
Spring End Date: Monday, May 15, 2017 (For those athletes selected to participate at Youth Nationals, end date is Monday, June 12, 2017)
2017 Spring Practice Times:
Varsity: Monday-Friday, 3:45 pm – 6:15 pm; Tuesdays – OFF
Saturday, 10:30 am – 1:00 pm; Sunday, 7:00 – 10:00 am
Novice: Monday-Friday, 4:00p.m. – 6:00p.m.
Coaches’ Contact Information:
Varsity Boys: Justin Ochal – 609-799-7100 x101 jochal@rowpnra.org
Varsity Girls: Matt Carlsen – 609-799-7100 x102 mcarlsen@rowpnra.org
Novice Boys: Zach Spitzer – 609- 799-7100 x 103 zspitzer@rowpnra.org
Novice Girls: Amanda Klaiber-Short- 609-799-7100 x106 aklaibershort@rowpnra.org
Attendance Policy
We have standardized the attendance policy and procedure across all Mercer teams. In order for both coaches and athletes to have efficient and productive practices, our coaches prepare boat assignments each day in advance. We ask that all athletes give at least 24 hours notice if they must miss practice. If an athlete is boated and misses practice without notifying the coach, the athlete’s boat will not go out on the water that day, and the athlete who missed practice will not be boated the following day.
We have created an online form for athletes to fill out when they know they will miss a practice. The form can be found on our website by clicking “Programs/Mercer Juniors/Program Forms.” In the event that an athlete cannot provide 24 hours notice, please attempt to notify the coach via email, text message, or phone call as soon as possible.
Regatta Registration
Regatta fees are paid in addition to standard programming fees and are generally only required for away races. To register for a PNRA event or regatta, please go to the “Programs” section of our website and click “Mercer Juniors.” The link to Regatta Central will be found under the “Registration” section. Links will be posted at least 7 days before the event and should be paid prior to the day of the event. You will also be able to find links for registration on the MJRC blog.
MJRC Blog and Communication
All of our additional communication for the 2017 spring season will be posted on our programming blog. You can find the blog by going to our website, www.rowpnra.org, and locating the “Programs” tab at the top. If you hover over the tab, a drop-down menu will appear. Find “Mercer Juniors,” and another drop-down menu will appear for “MJRC Blog”. Please check the blog regularly, especially during racing season. Communication among parents only can be found on the “Parents of MJRC” Facebook page.
Please also take a moment to join the PNRA text list to receive our emergency messages (used in the case of a weather event or last-minute schedule change). You can do so by texting the message “PNRA” to 313131.
Line of Communication
1) For questions about the workouts/ Lineups or coaching decision the communication should be:
Parent<-> Rower <->Rower<-> Coach
2) For questions about logistics for race, concerns about safety and ????? etc.
Parent <-> Parent Coordinators
Parent Coordinators <-> Coach
Parent (or Coach or Parent Coordinators) <-> Mercer Committee
Injury Policy
It is imperative that athletes report injuries to coaches in a timely manner. If coaches are not informed that an athlete is injured, the coach could unknowingly push the injured athlete, potentially resulting in a more severe injury. If an athlete has an injury which requires medical attention, they must see a physician and provide a doctor’s note to his or her coach. A physician’s clearance is also required to return to practice.
Nutrition
Nancy Clark’s Sports Nutrition Guidebook, Fifth Edition is a great read for those of you who are interested in learning more about what your athlete should be eating to fuel his or her growing body. Nancy Clark has a number of renowned clients who have relied upon her expertise in diet for sports conditioning to gain a competitive edge. She has advised members of the Boston Celtics (basketball) and Bruins (ice hockey), as well as many collegiate, elite, and Olympic athletes from a variety of sports. She is also the team nutritionist for the Boston Red Sox baseball team. http://www.nancyclarkrd.com/books/sportsnutrition.asp
Spring 2017 Condensed Schedule
San Diego Crew Classic – San Diego, CA; March 29 – April 3, 2017
CRI/Gonzaga/National Cathedral Scrimmage – Carnegie Lake, NJ; April 8-9, 2017
Mercer Lake Sprints – Mercer Lake, NJ; April 22-23, 2017
Saratoga Invitational – Saratoga, NY; April 28-30, 2017
US Rowing Mid-Atlantic Regional Championship – Mercer Lake, NJ; May 13-14, 2017
Boathouse Clean-up & Last Practice — Mercer Lake, NJ; May 15, 2017
MJRC Team Banquet – Hamilton Manor, Robbinsville, NJ — May 16, 2017
USRowing Youth National Championships – Sarasota, FL — June 7-12, 2017
Regatta Details
San Diego Crew Classic: March 29 – April 3 — Mission Bay, California
Race Background: This is the second time in program history that PNRA/Mercer will be sending a varsity boat from each program to compete at the prestigious San Diego Crew Classic. This is a great opportunity for our top boats to compete against West Coast teams. Lineup selection is expected to be finalized by March 14 and after that will change only in the event of injury, illness, or other emergency.
Number of Mercer athletes racing: Top eight of both varsity men and women
Estimated Cost: $1,550
CRI/Gonzaga/National Cathedral Dual Race: April 8th, 2017 – Carnegie Lake, NJ
Race Background: This race is a continuation of our annual dual race with CRI and Gonzaga. CRI and Gonzaga will travel to Princeton this year, and we will host their athletes overnight on Saturday, April 8 with racing scheduled for Sunday, April 9. This year we have also invited National Cathedral to attend with their top three varsity eights.
Mercer athletes racing: Varsity Men and Women
Athlete Hosting: We have started a tradition for this event where the home team hosts the visiting teams’ athletes. This year we will have 54 boys and 54 girls to house on Saturday night. As for athletes’ meals, we will eat dinner together on Saturday night, and host families will be responsible for providing a light breakfast on Sunday morning before athletes depart for their races. We ask that families sign up to host at least two visiting athletes and that adults (not athletes) provide all transportation while the visiting teams are here. Please sign up with one of the parent coordinators if you are interested in being a host for this event. (Please list if you have any pets at home). We need everyone’s help to make this run as smoothly as possible.
Tentative Schedule:
Saturday, April 8:
2:30 pm – CRI, Gonzaga, National Cathedral, and Mercer athletes arrive at Carnegie Lake to rig
3:00-5:30 pm – Practice
6:00-7:30 — Dinner (location TBD) and clean up
8:00 pm — Athletes depart to host families’ homes
Sunday, April 9:
8:30 am – Athletes arrive at Carnegie Lake to race
9:00-11:30 am — Racing
Estimated Cost: – $15-$25 for Mercer athletes
Mercer Lake Sprints: April 22-23 – Mercer Lake, West Windsor, NJ
Race Overview: The Mercer Lake Sprints will take place on Saturday, April 22 and Sunday, April 23. Varsity racing will start in the afternoon on Saturday, with most finals occurring on Sunday. We expect most Mercer athletes (including most novices) to race in this regatta. Tentative lineups will be posted no later than Friday, April 14, though lineups are subject to change up until race day.
Schedule/Web Link: http://www.rowpnra.org/MercerLakeSprints.cfm
Registration: Because PNRA/Mercer hosts and staffs the regatta, our entry fees are waived.
Saratoga Invitational: April 28-30 – Saratoga Springs, NY
General Overview: On Friday, April 28, the team will travel to Saratoga Springs, NY to compete in the Saratoga Invitational. This is a great opportunity to face very strong competition before Mid-Atlantic Regionals and Youth Nationals. Due to the competitive nature of the racing and the travel required, we will not be able to race all of our varsity athletes. The athletes traveling will be selected no later than Monday, April 24.
Travel Details: The vans will depart from the boathouse parking lot on Friday, April 28. Athletes should plan to report to the Conover soccer field parking lot at 3:45 pm, and the vans will depart at 4:30 pm. After racing, we will leave Saratoga at 5:00 pm on Sunday, April 30 and return to the boathouse by 9:00-9:30 pm.
Hotel Details: We are staying in Malta at the Hyatt Place, located in downtown Malta, NY. The hotel is about a 10-15 minute drive from the racecourse.
Hotel Info: Hyatt Place Saratoga Malta, 20 State Farm Place, Malta, New York 12020
Food: Each athlete should plan to bring his/her own dinner for the van ride to Saratoga on Friday evening. Once in Saratoga, however, all breakfasts, lunches, and dinners will be provided. Dinner on Saturday night and breakfast on Saturday and Sunday mornings will be served at the hotel. Lunches will be provided at the regatta at the Mercer food tent, and athletes will have plenty of food from the tent to eat on the trip home.
Race Venue Information: The trailer, tent, and launch area for the race are at Lee’s Park, adjacent to the course. Parking is available for $15.
Rowing Course Address: Lee’s Park, 1464 Route 9P, Saratoga Springs, NY (518) 584-1951
Race Schedule: The race schedule will be available the week of the race and is typically very similar to the previous year’s regatta schedule, available at http://www.saratogarowing.com/saratoga-invitational.
Estimated Cost: $360
Mid-Atlantic Regional Championships: May 13-14 – Mercer Lake, West Windsor, NJ
Race Overview: This is the final race of the regular season for those athletes whose boats do not qualify for Youth Nationals. All Mercer athletes (including most novices) will typically race in this event.
Schedule: The schedule will be finalized before the race, but racing typically takes place on Saturday and Sunday from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. If there are a lot of entries for some events, there may be some racing Friday evening.
Estimated Cost: Because PNRA/Mercer hosts and staffs the regatta, our entry fees are waived.
USRowing Link: http://www.usrowing.org/Events/RegionalRegattas/MAJuniors.aspx
USRowing Youth National Championships: June 7-12 — Sarasota, FL
Race Overview: Mercer crews will qualify for the National Championships by finishing in the top 3 spots of a qualifying varsity event at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Championships.
Flight Details:
June 7: United Airlines Flight 1568. Departs Newark at 9:30 am and arrives in Tampa at 12:31pm
June 12: United Airlines Flight 1062. Departs Tampa at 10:15 am and arrives in Newark at 1:20 pm
Hotel Details: Hampton Inn Sarasota, 5995 Cattleridge Boulevard, Sarasota, FL 34232
USRowing Link: http://www.usrowing.org/events/YouthNationals.aspx
[Estimated Cost: $700-850]
Parent Coordinators
Throughout the season, you may have questions about regattas, schedules, volunteering, etc. Your parent coordinators are here to help! Please feel free to contact any of the parents listed below for help answering those questions that pop up along the way.
Boys:
Helene Gallagher- helenehg@comcast.net
Nanci Levine – Mercer.Nanci@hotmail.com
Girls:
Jeb Barkenbush – jebarken@gmail.com
Jen Closser – closserj@gmail.com
Hello Parents,
Just a reminder, we are back to our normal spring practice times starting tomorrow. The schedule is as follows:
Varsity- 3:45-6:15PM. Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday. Saturday 10:30-1:00PM; Sunday 7-10AM Tuesday- OFF!!!
Novice- 4:00- 6:00 PM Monday- Friday
Go Mercer!!!
Today’s practice 3/10/17 is optional. Be safe getting here if you are allowed to come. Please check your respective team Google Docs / Facebook groups for a workout to do at home if you are unable to come.
Girls- 3:45-5:45
Boys 5:45-7:45
GO MERCER!!!!
As the spring season gets underway, we wanted to bring a couple of important calendar items to your attention:
Due to unrowable conditions forecasted for next week, we will go back to the Winter times for the Varsity. Novices will only practice on Tuesday.
Varsity Practice Times for Next Week (3/13-17)
Girls- 3:45-5:45
Boys- 5:45-7:45
Novice Optional Practice Tuesday (3/14)
Boys: 4-6 PM
Girls: 6-8 PM
Mandatory Parent Meetings:
CRI/Gonzaga/National Cathedral Varsity Scrimmage (April 8-9):
We will be hosting 108 athletes (54 boys, 54 girls) for this annual scrimmage, and we will need all hands on deck to house all the visiting rowers. This is a great opportunity for our athletes to compete and to get to know rowers from other boathouses off the water — please consider being a host!
All that’s required of hosts is:
Be on the lookout for an email from your parent coordinators about this event!
GO MERCER !!!!!
Dear Parents and Athletes,
Tomorrow, Thursday, February 9th there is the potential for a severe incoming storm. We urge you to sign up for our texting service so we may provide the most clear and convenient method of communication in regards to possible practice cancellation. If you haven’t already, please sign up for our texting service. Text PNRA to 313131 to sign up. We will be sure to send a text informing you of the status of practice.
GO MERCER!!!!
Good Afternoon MJRC Alumni,
For those who are still home on winter break the erg room will be open and available for your use between 11am-1pm Monday- Friday. If you have any questions please email me @ jochal@rowpnra.org
Coach Justin
GO MERCER!!!
Good Morning MJRC Alumni,
We will have the erg room open for those who are home from college and need to get those erg workouts in. The erg room will be open 8am – 10am, Monday-Saturday from December 19 through Dec 31. There will be a nominal fee of $50, payable by check to PNRA. If you have any questions please email me @ jochal@rowpnra.org
GO MERCER!!!
Parents and Athletes,
Just want to clarify practice today and tomorrow. Both varsity teams will have normal practice today and tomorrow — Girls 3:45-5:45, Boys 5:45-7:45.
Coach Justin
Good afternoon, Parents,
As we wrap up the fall season, it is time to start looking forward to Winter and Spring training. Please read everything below – I know it is lengthy, but this contains all the necessary information to carry us through to June.
Final Regattas:
Frostbite Regatta: this is a Varsity-only regatta on Saturday, November 12 at Mercer Lake. Additional information (such as arrival time), rosters, and line-ups will be posted by coaches as we approach the date. All spectators are welcome to watch from the Marina side of the lake. The tentative schedule for Frostbite is as follows:
Time Event
9:49 – 10:24 AM High School Women’s Four
10:31 – 11:06 AM High School Men’s Four
1:26 -1:54 PM High School Women’s Eight
2:01 – 2:43 PM High School Men’s Eight
Braxton Regatta: this is a Novice and Varsity regatta on Sunday, November 13 at Mercer Lake. As with the Frostbite, additional information, rosters and line-ups will be posted by coaches as we approach the date; and all spectators are welcome to watch from the Marina side of the lake. The tentative schedule for Braxton is as follows:
Time Event
8:00 AM High School Women’s Varsity Four Time Trial
8:15 AM High School Men’s Varsity Eight Time Trial
8:30 AM High School Men’s Varsity Four Time Trial
8:45 AM High School Women’s Varsity 8 Time Trial
11:09 AM High School Women’s Varsity Four Final
11:15-11:45 AM High School Men’s JV Eight
12:21-12:45 PM High School Men’s Novice Eight
12:51 PM High School Men’s Varsity Eight Final
2:51-3:09 PM High School Women’s JV Eight
3:15-3:33 PM High School Women’s Novice Eight
3:39 PM High School Women’s Varsity Eight Final
Boathouse Clean-up:
Fall Boathouse Clean-up Day is November 14, 2016 during regular practice time. Athletes should bring a change of clothes that they don’t mind getting dirty, as we will be moving launches out of the water, cleaning the erg room, boat bays, and areas around the boathouse and parking lot.
Winter Training Schedule:
Winter training for Varsity and Novice is by invitation only.
Varsity Training:
The winter Varsity season runs from November 15, 2016 through March 4, 2017. Training includes both boathouse practice and strength training. Over the past three years the juniors have worked with physical therapist and collegiate rower Kaitlin Jackson (see Bio below) to supplement the aerobic training we do throughout the winter with endurance strength training. This year we will again be working with Kaitlin Jackson, this time in space provided by CrossFit Hamilton. While our sessions will be held in a CrossFit gym, this program is not CrossFit but instead is one that has been specifically designed and tailored by Kaitlin for rowers. Every exercise the group does will simulate/reinforce the movement patterns we use to move the boat, and each session will include dynamic warm-ups and post-workout stretching. While the coaches believe this training really helps with the development of the rower, the program is completely optional and operates independently of the Princeton National Rowing Association. The CrossFit gym is located at 2101 E State St, Hamilton, NJ 08610. The schedule is as follows:
Girls: this year the girls will have the earlier training slot, from 3:45 – 5:45pm Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. CrossFit begins November 30: Wednesdays 3:45-5pm, and Saturdays 8-9am.
Boys: this year the boys will have the later training slot, from 5:45- 7:45pm Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. CrossFit begins December 1: Thursdays 3:45 – 5pm, and Saturdays 9-10am.
Holiday Breaks: this year athletes will have both a Thanksgiving and Winter Break. Thanksgiving break is November 19 – 28 (practice resumes on the 28th); Winter break is December 19 – January 2, 2017 (practice resumes on the 2nd).
Strength Training Schedule:
| Girls | Boys | ||||
| November | 30 | ||||
| December | 3,7,14,21,28 | December | 1,3,8,10,15,17,22,29,31 | ||
| January | 4,7,11,14,18,21,25 | January | 5,7,12,14,19,21,26,28 | ||
| February | 1,4,8,11,15,18,22,25 | February | 2,4,9,11,16,18,23,25 | ||
| March | 1,5 | March | 2,4 | ||
Novice Training:
The winter Novice season runs from November 30, 2016 through March 2, 2017. The novice will practice at the Boathouse on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 5:45 – 7:45pm, and Saturdays from 10am – 12pm. Novice will not participate in the CrossFit program, but will have strength training incorporated into their workouts at the boathouse.
Cost for Winter Training:
Varsity- $425
CrossFit – $350 (Paid directly to CrossFit)
Novice- $300
Winter Erg Racing :
January 22- Philadelphia Indoor Rowing Challenge — Philadelphia, PA
February 5- Mainline Slide — Ardmore, PA
February 11- Center City Slam- Philadelphia, PA
February 12- Crash B’s — Boston, MA
To participate at Crash B’s, an athlete must compete at a previous indoor race during the season. The travel that may be associated with the winter races won’t be handled by the parent coordinators or coaches, and is the responsibility of athletes interested in attending. If there are a significant number of athletes attending we will send coaching staff to assist.
Spring Season:
Spring season is tentatively scheduled to start on March 6, 2017 for Varsity and March 20, 2016 for Novice. These dates are subject to change due to ice on the lake and other weather conditions.
Tentative Spring Racing Schedule:
San Diego Crew Classic April 1-2 – Top Varsity Boats
CRI/ Gonzaga Race – April 8-9 – Depending on Princeton (CL) (Varsity Only)
Mercer Lake Sprints April 22-23 – Mercer Lake (Varsity and Novice)
Saratoga Invitational- Saratoga NY April 29-30 (Top 3 Varsity and Top 2 Novice Boats)
Mid Atlantic Regionals – May 13-14 – Mercer Lake (Varsity and Novice)
Youth Nationals June 7-11th – Sarasota FL- Qualifying crews
Go, Mercer!
Kaitlin Jackson Biography:
This was a busy weekend for the Mercer athletes!
On Saturday, the annual Head of the Halloween was held on Mercer Lake. For this event, coaches mix up varsity and novice, boys and girls, and see who can complete an around the lake (ATL) the fastest. The best part: the incredible costumes the athletes raced in! From ninja turtles to leprechauns, identity theft to fairy princesses, we had an incredible array of costumes that could be rowed in.
The results were:
20:40.6 Waters
20:54.9 Wolf
21:05.2 Trat
21:13.4 Joukowsky
21:43.7 Snieckus
22:40.3 Fisher
22:43.2 Weir
22:51.7 Caspersen
23:25.9 Merion
23:31.8 2X
23:45.7 B2
24:49.0 G1
28:19.1 Four
Sunday was an exciting day on the Schuylkill for our top novice boats. This was the first race for most of our athletes, and Mercer’s first time racing novice at the Head of the Schuylkill. Our novice athletes learned about rigging boats, trailer loading, and finding their way through 100s of trailers at the regatta to find ours. There are so many moving parts on regatta day and we can’t thank the parents enough for their patience (and snacks!) during the race.
Our novice boys’ boats raced well and came in 6th (15:32.7) and 30th (17:58.01) out of 55 boats. Our novice girls finished a respectable 4th (17:45.2) and 14th (19:04.4) out of a 30-boat field. All novices are back at practice today to unload the trailer and get back on the water because the Mercer Challenge is Wednesday!
Happy Halloween! GO MERCER!
Good afternoon, Parents,
This Wednesday is the Mercer Challenge Regatta. It is an in-house regatta during practice, and held at the Boathouse. Mercer will race against the other resident clubs, including Peddie, and Lawrenceville. The Varsity will race ATL’s (around the lake), and the Novice will race 1000m. The start time for the regatta is 4:15. The varsity will be racing in 4’s and 8’s. Between the 4’s and 8’s race the novices will race.
All athletes should report to practice at the usual time, IN UNIS for Varsity and the Mercer T-Shirt for the novice.
If you would like to watch, please do so from the Marina side. Not only is it the best for viewing, it also keeps the Boathouse side open for athletes and coaches as there are a lot of moving parts.
Go, Mercer!
Good Evening Parents and Athletes,
The registration link for Head of the Schuylkill is here. The trip fee covers both registration fees for the regatta as well as tent food. Please note that the coaches register the athletes for the event; the registration cost you are asked to pay is just the mechanism by which we cover the costs associated with travel.
For those who are participating in the Head of the Halloween please bring $1 as a donation used to help cover the cost for the post race snacks.
Good afternoon, Parents:
This Sunday, October 30th is the Head of the Schuykill Regatta in Philadelphia, the first regatta for some of our novice rowers! The Coaches have already posted information and line-ups, but this is some extra information for Mercer Families.
For Parents of Athletes who are Attending:
The first Regatta is a great experience. The two most important things you can do is (1) have your athletes at the Three Angels Docks Area ON TIME, which is 2 HOURS BEFORE RACE TIME; and (2) make sure your athletes are well-fed and dressed appropriately, in uniform and appropriate outerwear, and have snacks and water.
The website for the Regatta is www.hosr.org. On it you can find course maps, parking information, start times, etc… This is a Head race, which means boats will be starting staggered and one at a time, rather than in heats of 6. You can (more or less) figure out when to expect the Mercer boats once the bow numbers have been released. Race 24A Men’s Novice 8+ will start at 10:35am; race 24B Women’s Novice 8+ will start at 10:50.
Another useful website for general regatta information, such as start lists, other club entries, and results is www.regattacentral.com.
Athletes need to be dropped off at the trailer, which is located at The Angels Docks, the central hub which is about a mile north of Boathouse Row. The trailers are NOT at Boathouse Row, which is the end of the course. This is a big regatta, and they will have Kelly Drive closed to all vehicles except coaches and event staff. This means you cannot drive in to drop your kid off. Check the website out for parking and shuttle information – there is a shuttle that runs between parking lots and the course, and please PLEASE plan accordingly. Arrival time is really important.
Further up on Kelly Drive, between the Grandstand and a small parking lot, Mercer will have a tent set up for parents. Look for us! We will have coffee and snacks, and are excited to cheer on the rowers! The finish line is further down closer to Boathouse Row, but this weekend is a good time to figure out where Mercer usually meets.
For Parents of Athletes who are Cheering from Afar:
Results will post on www.herenow.com, or www.regattacentral.com, so you can see how the team is doing. We will do our best to update onsite as well.
Go, Mercer!