To Our Varsity Parents and Families —
It’s a sunny summer/fall day, we have almost finished the second week of school and the rowing season has begun. I am returning for my fourth year as one of the GVSU Rowing Team advisors. I am looking forward to seeing all of you that I met last year and getting a chance to meet more of you this year. I have been asked to continue in my role as a liaison between the rower’s parents/families and the University. So, please feel free to contact me if you have questions, concerns, need to vent, want to help, whatever….
Our coaching/support staff is back with us this year, with just a few changes. John Bancheri will continue on as head coach for both varsity men and women. Kelsey Arnold will be returning to coach the women’s novice team and to see if she can repeat the women’s novice undefeated season from last year. Alyssa O’Donnell returns as our Assistant Varsity Coach. Hugh McKeegan will not only coach the novice men’s team this year, but will also be in charge of facilities and logistics. Tyler Sellmer has graduated and will be leaving soon to join the U.S. Navy. Mike Stoll returns as a Rowing Team advisor. Our third advisor, Kirsten Bartels has left GVSU so we will not see her this year.
Last year, we had awesome family support for the regattas. Carolyn Ciungan volunteered to help coordinate the regatta menus and the requests for food items. Parents volunteered to host regattas. We added making travel food for many of the trips and lots of sandwiches were made to send along. LOTS of parents/families brought food and those that couldn’t helped support the team financially. So we are ready to start this all again this year.
Carolyn has agreed to continue to help coordinate the food tent menus. We will be asking for a parent/family to host each regatta. As a host, we ask that you and Carolyn work together to decide on a healthy meal option(s), be at the regatta site early to set up tables and food, organize the folks who volunteer to help serve food and help tear down and clean up after the regatta is over. Mailings requesting food items will come from Carolyn again this year. Last year, we were fortunate to have some senior parents who were very involved in hosting the regattas. We will need to replace these families with support from you, so please give serious consideration to hosting a regatta. There are always LOTS of folks to help out, so you are never alone in the effort, but ultimately someone has to be responsible for the food tent.
On the GVSU website, www.grandvalleyrowing.com, you will find all the latest rowing news, so be sure to check the website often. The 2013-2014 schedule is also posted there. Under ‘Support’, you’ll find a Parental Information page where I will have emails that I send with relevant information posted as well.
Here are the events we have been asked to provide food for this fall.
Sept. 21/22 – Varsity Combine – We have been asked to provide lunch, dinner and breakfast for the varsity rowers. I have some parent donation funds left from last year, so I will be purchasing food for this from those funds. Food will be sent along with rowers and they will take care of making their own meals (sandwiches, hot dogs, etc). Sandra Crandall has offered to assist with logistics/dessert since she lives so close to Sandy Beach park. There will be no ‘regatta food tent’ at this camp out, so no need for anyone to host.
Sunday, October 20 – Head of the Grand – East Lansing, MI – I will definitely need a host for this event. Our Varsity 8 and 4 men and women will be travelling to Boston for the Head of the Charles this same weekend. And I will be out of town from Oct. 17-29, so will not be available to host/attend this regatta. So, if your son/daughter will be going to Lansing for this regatta, please consider being a host as many of the parents who hosted last year are either gone or their rowers will be going to Boston. Thanks!!
October 19-21 – Head of the Charles – Boston, MA – We will be providing travel food for the team. Diane West has offered to help with this.
Saturday, November 2 – UM Fall Invitational – Ypsilanti, MI – We will need a host for this event.
(There is a possibility that we will attend the Head of the Eagle in Indianapolis on October 26 in place of this regatta.)
Saturday, November 9 – GV Frostbite Regatta – The Quarry, near GVSU – GVSU rowers will compete against each other. Cookout to follow event.
Please put Saturday, October 5th on your calendar as this is Family Weekend at GVSU. We’ll be hosting families down at the Boathouse and you can get a chance to ‘learn to row’. I plan to be there so if you come, please be sure to find me and say hello!
Thanks to ALL of you for all your support! We couldn’t do any of this without you. Looking forward to a great year!!
Chris Scott
GVSU Rowing Team Advisor
Grand Valley State University
123a Student Services Building
Allendale, MI 49401
scottc@gvsu.edu
616-331-3754
“Grand Valley State University Rowing Club challenges its student-athletes to reach the highest level to which they aspire both academically and athletically, while continuing to build and sustain a nationally competitive intercollegiate rowing program.”
“PULL FOR THE LAKER NAVY!”
