SRL Plus:

Who for: Those who want to improve their rowing skills, but are not interested in racing with the Masters, or cannot commit to traveling to away regattas. 

What is offered: Coached rowing 2 times/week with a heavy emphasis on improving technical rowing skills. Very similar to current Intermediates.

Requirements for Participation: At least one (1) year of prior rowing experience within the last 5 years.

Opportunities to test newly acquired skills: On 3 Sundays during the Summer season, races will be held among the SRL Plus team(s) and the SRL teams who competed in the finals of the 2024 SRL Regatta. On each of the 3 Race Days, these teams will race over a 600m course just downstream of the boat house, starting at the fountain in Superior Bend and ending at the place where the east side bulkhead turns just upstream of the old Cereal Processors’ plant parking lot. As soon as the race is finished, the crews will proceed upstream, spin, and come into the dock, for the next team to take their boat. Assuming that we have 2 SRL Plus teams plus 10-12 teams from the 2024 SRL Championships, and further assuming 10-minute centers for the races, these can be run in 1-2 hours, or from 9-11:00 AM on a race day (the first 4 crews will have to be there ½ hour early to get out the equipment, and the last 4 crews will have to put the equipment away.). Each team will race 1 time on a race day. This gives each SRL Plus team 3 guaranteed opportunities to race at home in a season, and each SRL team participating 3 opportunities to race in addition to the 2 SRL Regattas. This will afford chances to evaluate performance and work on rowing issues in between races. This will also increase the opportunities for all rowers on these teams to race. Each year those who made the finals in the preceding year's SRL Regatta can test their mettle against the SRL Plus teams allowing everyone a bit of racing fun while honing their skills. Medals/T-shirts, etc. not anticipated but could be considered.

Practice: Monday/Wednesday 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm

Reserve-Masters:

Who for: Those who actively intend to improve their rowing skills and fitness levels to be confident that they can meet the Masters fitness standards and/or technical skill levels. These would include not only those SRL rowers and those who in their past were high school or collegiate rowers looking to move up to Masters gradually, but also those who signed up for Masters initially but were unable to meet the fitness standards and/or were deemed by the Masters head coach(es) to be in need of some further seasoning before joining the Masters squads.  Those on this squad would have to commit at a minimum to 90% of the coached practices , performing at least 90% of the on-land training program as well as attending at least 1 regatta.

Requirements for Participation: At least two (2) years of prior rowing experience within the last 5 years, and meeting minimal fitness standards (75% of the fitness standards required of Masters Program participants). These standards may be waived/altered at the discretion of the Reserve Masters Coach.

What is offered: Coached rowing 2 times/week with a heavy on-water emphasis on improving technical rowing skills consistent with that being taught by the Master's coach(es), coupled with a land-based fitness training program. Coordination between the Reserve Masters coach and the Masters head coach(es), on matters of rowing technique and style would be a must.

Fiscal Requirements: at the time the budget for 2025 is set, a mechanism for adjusting dues for those who either move up to Masters or get sent down to Reserve-Masters during the season would have to be created. We have worked with pro-rata dues systems based on weeks in each program in the past, and this might work here.

Opportunities to test newly acquired skills: Ordinarily 2 or 3 regattas not too far from Cleveland (Grand Rapids, Indianapolis, Central Ohio) each summer offer "recreational" level races. These would be opportunities (as well as those races the Masters attend for which Reserve-Masters member was "called up") to test their skills.

Practice: Monday/Wednesday 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm