Welcome Parents

You are here at an exciting time! 

 

ETHS Rowing was established in Fall of 2022, so things are new and developing as we build our club into something great for our kids and the ETHS student-athletes of the future. Truth: there is much to organize and plan. As ETHS Rowing Club Parents, we are dedicated to taking on everything that is needed to make this club run successfully, inclusively, and joyfully, and to keep as much off our beloved coaches' plates so they can focus on coaching. We handle everything from travel logistics, to merchandise, from fundraising to social media accounts - it takes a village!  

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We are currently structured into 12 committees under three umbrella categories (listed below). 

We are excited and encourage you to join!

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Why is your involvement so important?

 

Rowing is a sport that most student-athletes have never tried until now, and takes place on water; the coaches are focused on teaching, coaching, and safety.

 

Rowing is also a sport that requires a lot of coordination of people and large-scale equipment. It involves getting athletes to bodies of water, to be outdoors in a wide variety of weather, and to race in places farther from school than typical high school team distances. It is a sport of higher than usual expenses, and our club's mission is to ensure no financial gatekeeping. All of this to say that outside of coaching, we ETHS Rowing Club parents pick up the rest. We organize, we shuttle, we fundraise, we budget the team finances we have raised. We plan pre-race dinners, we set up the team tent at races and ensure there is food for the team there. We cheerlead! We seek donations from local businesses and other teams, we write the handbook, we write this text you are reading! In short: we are dedicated to supporting the ETHS Rowing Club, and parent involvement is important in order for the club to be successful.

 

 

How can you be involved?

 

The short answer: Anyway you can! 

 

Our dedication to breaking barriers of exclusivity in the sport of rowing means that we do not charge fees to participate. We need help coordinating at any level of the group, whether you feel comfortable to be the lead of a committee, or sign up to drive supplies to a scrimmage, provide fruit salad for a social event, or help organize fundraising .. and there is so much more. 

 

As an example: Regatta Organization

We are anticipating 2-4 regattas per season (Fall & Spring) plus additional scrimmages. While scrimmages are likely held at the DRC in Skokie, most regattas are away from Evanston, requiring coverage of many elements in advance and on location. Starting with driving supplies to location, setting up the team’s tents and gear, delivering and preparing meals during the event day, clean-up, etc. - all of which is handled by us parent volunteers, not the coaches. It’s such a rewarding experience and a fantastic way to meet other parents within the ETHS Rowing Club family and other rowing clubs. It is a community effort!

 

 

Rowing Parent Committees

 

During our first year we created an initial list of committees, and encourage you to join one. Being part of a committee does not mean you are expected to do all under that heading, but simply to help lead: to to come up with ideas, contribute however you can, and make sure the items for that committee get done.

 

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LOGISTICS

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/ REGATTA

• Oversee all on-site regatta needs including set up, break down, on-site meals, volunteer recruitment and delegation

• Equipment trailer inventory, organization, and transport

/ ADVANCE PLANNING

• Book Hotels

• Restaurant/Hotel Space reservations

• Charter Transportation
   

/ COMMUNITY BUILDING

• Pasta Dinners

• Team Banquets

• Parent Socials
   

/ SUPPLY DONATIONS

• Keeps list and inventory of team needs

• Seeks sponsors and above items from donors

• Construction Projects

 

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FINANCE

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/ FUNDRAISING

• Create and oversee fundraising campaigns

• Identify and apply for grants

• Explore and identify non-grant opportunities (e.g., sponsorships)

 

/ FINANCIAL AND STRATEGIC PLANNING

• Set fundraising goals by semester and year

• Map out multi-year funding and spending goals
   

 

COMMUNICATIONS EXTERNAL

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/ OUTREACH

• Website

• Newsletter
   

/ SOCIAL MEDIA

• Content creation, storage and organization

• Manage Instagram and Facebook accounts

 

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COMMUNICATIONS INTERNAL
 

/ ONBOARDING

• Parent group registration

• Onboarding emails

• Parent orientation meeting
   

/ ENGAGEMENT

• Manage ETHS email account

• Schedule/run regular Committee Meetings, incl creating agenda, assign secretary

• Manage parent spreadsheet and badges

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/ THE 411

• Team calendars

• Rowing handbook (Coach content)

• Parent handbook

/ DESIGN

• Brand Guide and Asset Management

• Spiritwear design and sale

• Stickers/tattoos/magnets, etc

• Uniforms, team gear as Coach needs

• Design collateral (flyers, handbooks, badges, etc) for Fundraising, Outreach, Regatta Teams as requested by Coaches, Committees, and other Comms groups

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Are you ready to join?

 

If this sounds like something you want to be part of, we are excited to welcome you into our ETHS Rowing Parent Club at any time of the season or year. Send us an email via our contact form and we will get back to you shortly