Athlete Handbook
For
Competitive Rowing
2013 - 2014
The ASU Board of Directors reserves the right to make revisions to this
handbook at any time without prior notice.
Please return the Acknowledgement Form (Appendix B) to your respective team President to indicate that you have carefully reviewed and understand the content of this handbook.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
A Message from the Board of Directors 3
A Message from the Head Coach 4
Club Mission & Program Purpose 5
Nondiscriminatory Policy 5
INTRODUCTORY INFORMATION
Nutritional Guidelines for Rowers 6
History of Arizona State University Crew 10
Board of Directors 11
ASU Code of Conduct 12
Appeal Procedures 15
Club Financial Obligations 16
FUND RAISING & VOLUNTEERISM 17
Communication 18
CONTACTS 19
CREW PRACTICE
Training Schedule 20
Purpose of Team Practice 20
Expectations of Crew 21
Crew Dress Code/Recommendations 22
REGATTAS
General Information 23
Boat Selection 23
Seasons of Rowing 24
APPENDIX A: Tempe Town Lake Rowing Code of Conduct 25
APPENDIX B: Acknowledgement Form 28
Welcome to Arizona State University Rowing
To all new and returning ASU Rowing athletes:
Welcome to the 2013-2014 competitive rowing season!
This past fall we had many successes and with the combination of our teams, now more than ever we have the ability to become a truly successful boat club.
“The price of success is hard work, dedication to the job at hand, and the determination that whether we win or lose, we have applied the best of ourselves to the task at hand.” – Vince Lombardi. As a rower, you either know or will soon know that this is the true team sport. It is true that a boat will not perform at maximum capability if each individual does not perform at maximum capability. However, this can be applied to all team sports. What makes rowing so unique is the requirement of each individual to act as ONE. In order for this to happen, every rower will experience frustration, exhaustion, and distress. But if each and everyone one us pays the price of success we can succeed past our expectations.
-The Board of Directors
Welcome Athletes!
Welcome to ASU Crew. By joining ASU Crew you have become an integral part of one of the most exciting and fastest growing sports in the United States. ASU Crew had a very successful Spring 2013 season with the Men’s Lightweight 4+ coming in 3rd at WIRA – the regional championship regatta. The women’s varsity 4+ and the women’s novice 4+ made the grand final for the first time in ASU history. Last fall, we continued to build on our successes with our head race season.
Our athletes come from diverse backgrounds, yet they all bring to ASU Crew a common desire to be the best. It is this determination and commitment that sets our athletes apart from the crowd. It is this type of character, inherent to the caliber of athletes joining ASU Crew which provides the basic foundation for everything we do. Rowing is a sport immersed in history and tradition.
I am also excited about the addition of our new Assistant Coach, Morten Larsen.
Congratulations on taking the next step toward your ultimate potential. I greatly look forward to helping you achieve your goals.
Kristine Malcolm
Head Coach
Club Mission
The Rowing Club at Arizona State University is a competitive program dedicated to unity, hard work, and high achievement in the intercollegiate rowing community; while promoting the advancement of new and experienced rowers.
Program Purpose
ASU Crew is dedicated to performing at the highest level possible while maintaining respect for the sport of rowing. We will strive to continually push experienced and new rowers past their boundaries, resulting in unified and successful boat club.
Nondiscriminatory Policy
Arizona State University Crew admits qualified athletes of any race, color, religion, national, and ethnic origin to all of the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to the athletes. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national and ethnic origin.
Nutrition Guidelines for Rowers
"What athletes need are not magic pills, but the virtues sports are meant to instill: discipline, training, sound nutrition, fitness, skills, goal setting, teamwork, valor, and winning and losing with class."
Dr. E. Randy Eichner, Team Internist, University of Oklahoma
GENERAL NUTRITION
To reach your highest potential, all of your body systems must be perfectly tuned. Nothing is more important to your well-being and ability to perform than good nutrition. Eating the right foods helps you maintain desirable body weight, stay physically fit, and establish optimum nerve-muscle reflexes. Without the right foods, even physical conditioning and expert coaching aren't enough to push you to your best. Good nutrition must be a key part of your training program if you are to succeed. Keeping your energy levels up for peak performance isn't easy. It doesn't just happen. High energy levels are the result of good eating and exercise habits. If you don't pay attention to either of these factors, your performance can suffer. The training period offers you an excellent opportunity to establish sound eating practices that will benefit you on the playing field as well as give you a measure of well-being throughout life.
One of the least-recognized nutrition problems of the athlete is simply not eating enough. Extracurricular activities may make life so busy that you simply don't take the time to eat especially because it’s just the beginning of your day. Practice sessions may be so exhausting that you feel too tired to eat. But you must take the time to eat the right foods. Don't let fourth-quarter fatigue caused by poor eating hurt your performance.
Another problem of the athlete is not eating the right kinds of foods--particularly foods high in starch. Eating a balanced diet that has plenty of starch keeps muscle energy up. Many athletes eat more foods high in protein instead, and that's a mistake. A normal diet contains enough protein to support the added muscle growth and development of an athlete. Because of their rapid growth and development and higher levels of physical activity, many athletes should eat the higher levels of servings recommended from each food group--especially from the bread, cereal, rice, and pasta group and the vegetable group.
Look for Extra Food Energy - athlete’s burn up more calories than your non-athletic peers. You can fill this requirement by eating more food from all food groups. Carbohydrates are the most efficient fuel for your body during strenuous exercise. Get most of your extra energy from foods like starchy vegetables and whole grain or enriched bread, cereal, rice, or pasta instead of from fatty foods. For example, on an athlete's plate, a baked potato should get the nod over French fries. Because of their rapid growth and development and higher levels of physical activity, many athletes should eat the higher levels of servings recommended from each food group. A 180-pound tight end could easily eat eleven servings of breads/cereals and five servings of vegetables daily. This athlete may even need more than the maximum servings recommended. Eating the maximum number of servings recommended from all five food groups provides about 3,000 calories. That's why large male athletes involved in a vigorous sport like football or soccer will have to eat more than the upper end of the recommended serving levels.
Eat Regularly - Breakfast is especially important because you need food to start the day. Your body begins the day in a low-energy, fasted condition. Athletes who eat breakfast score higher on physical fitness tests. Breakfasts can be made up of any combination of nutritious foods that you enjoy eating. On your way to practice you could have a protein shake and a banana to take the edge off of your fasted condition. Don’t overdo it on the simple carbs – white bread, pastas, etc.
PRE-REGATTA NUTRITION
What should the athlete eat before a game? Before a game, your digestive processes may be slowed down by your keyed-up emotional state. To allow for this condition, you should eat an easily digestible meal no later than three hours before the contest. Avoid foods that contain substantial amounts of fats or oils. Fats are more slowly digested than other nutrients. Trying to participate with a high-fat meal still in your stomach is a losing proposition. Meals high in starches are better because they are digested more rapidly than fats or oils.
Make sure your pre-game meal plans follow these guidelines:
- Allow enough time for digestion. Eat the meal at least three hours before an
event.
- Choose a meal that's high in starch. Starch is easy to digest and helps steady the
levels of blood sugar.
- Consume only moderate amounts of protein. Protein foods take longer to digest
than starch. And high-protein meals may lead to increased urine production,
which can add to dehydration.
- Limit fats and oils. They take too long to digest.
- Restrict sugary foods. Sweets can cause rapid energy swings in blood sugar
levels and result in low blood sugar and less energy.
- Avoid foods and drinks that contain caffeine. Caffeine stimulates the body to
increase urine output, which can contribute to dehydration problems.
POST TRAINING/REGATTA NUTRITION
After endurance, strength or power training, the body is primed for nutrient uptake into the muscle cells. So what should you feed your hungry muscles? An abundance of new research has provided clues as to what to consume after the workout, and it has been made clear that the best post-exercise formula would: a) be a liquid meal for ease and rapid speed of digestion and re-hydration, b) contain rapidly digesting, high glycemic index carbohydrates that stimulate the anabolic hormone insulin and lead to glycogen synthesis, c) contain rapidly digesting protein in addition to essential amino acids (BCAA) and glutamine for an increase in muscle protein synthesis and decrease in protein breakdown.
Every Post exercise drink should strive to fulfill the 3 R’s (Restore, Replenish, and Repair)
1. Restore Electrolytes and Water
Fluid and electrolyte restoration should be the cornerstone of any training program. Studies have shown that fluid replacement must occur both during and after exercise because fluid and electrolyte replenishment is crucial in maintaining cardiac output. It is also essential in regulating body temperature, as elevations in temperature can sharply impair performance. Electrolytes, now usually added to sports hydration drinks, can accelerate re-hydration by speeding intestinal re-absorption of fluids and improve fluid retention.
2. Replenish Glycogen Stores Rapidly
Early studies primarily focused on replenishment of glycogen stores by consumption of a carbohydrate supplement both during and after exercise. Carbohydrate supplementation stimulates insulin. Insulin has two major roles: 1) facilitates the transport of glucose into the muscle cell; 2) stimulates enzymes responsible for the synthesis of glycogen from glucose.
Recent studies have extended our understanding of how glycogen is replenished. A post exercise carbohydrate supplement composed of high Glycemic Index Carbohydrates (such as simple sugar) is more rapidly transported into the muscle cell in the critical post workout period. Enzymes responsible for the manufacturing of muscle glycogen are maximally stimulated 0-2 hours after exercise. Therefore it is essential that a carbohydrate supplement be taken in this time frame.
Even more significant are research findings showing that protein and the amino acids, when combined with a carbohydrate supplement can strongly stimulate insulin levels in a synergistic fashion. The ratio of carbohydrate to protein is extremely important to obtain this synergy. The optimal ratio should be 4:1 (four grams of carbohydrate to one gram of protein). At this ratio, the drink delivers the benefits of protein without negatively impacting the critical re-hydration process. By further stimulating insulin with protein and amino acids, muscle glycogen is restored quicker.
3. Protein Intake
Evidence suggests that insulin is a strong stimulus of protein intake by increasing amino acid transport into the muscle and by preventing the breakdown of protein. This interrelationship between glycogen replenishment and insulin is a cornerstone of post workout supplementation.
A second aspect of this process is the need for protein, glutamine and branched chain amino acids. Protein not only stimulates the replenishment of glycogen stores by activating insulin, but also provides the essential building blocks for muscle.
SOURCES:
General Nutrition – www.severnaparkfootball.com/Nutrition
Pre-regatta – www.severnaparkfootball.com/Nutrition
Post regatta – www.nhsca.com/experts/diet_nutrition/antonio1
History of ASU Crew
ASU Crew is part of the Sports Club Organization at the university and receives partial funding from the school for this. In 2007 the Arizona Collegiate Rowing Foundation was founded by parents and supporters of the sport to assist the crew with its founding and equipment needs as well. ASU Crew is also apart of the US Rowing Association which acts as our national governing body for the sport.
Board of Directors
Board positions and a short summary of their responsibilities are as follows:
President:
Direct contact with Arizona State (attend sports club meetings and be the liaison between the team and the school and ACRF), arrange recruiting events for the team, confirm clearance of rowers at the beginning of each semester, and oversee other officers in their duties.
Vice President:
Sets up travel plans for the team (transportation/housing), plan monthly team meetings for the entire team (one for the Men’s Team and one with the Women’s Team), make sure the President is staying on task in their duties, assist the President with anything handed down.
Treasurer:
Develop a budget at the beginning of each year and update it when necessary, collect and record dues from team members, place equipment orders when necessary, register the team for regattas, and turn in pre and post travel paperwork for each regatta.
Marketing:
Plan and follow through with fundraisers, make sure that as many students as possible know about the ASU Rowing Clubs, keep track of events for team history purposes and to turn into the SDS, stay in contact with the ACRF regarding events and family information, determine what new gear is needed for the team with approval of the Executive Board and collaborate with other team members with creative abilities to develop designs.