City Honors Crew is a high school team. Mature 8th grade students are also welcome to join. All prospective novices (first-year rowers) are strongly encouraged to attend the summer Learn-to-Row Camp sponsored by West Side Rowing Club.

Athletes on the rowing team must know how to swim. You will have to take a swim test, and if you can’t pass the test, you won’t be allowed to row. If your swimming skills are weak, you should take lessons before you take the swim test in early March. 

Crew is a year-round sport, and City Honors Crew competes during both fall and spring. Rowers are able to do other sports, but it takes serious time management skills. Some do cross country in the fall, and many are on the swim team in the winter. Others have been able to play soccer or basketball, but it’s hard. You will not be able to do spring sports in addition to crew, so if you are a dedicated baseball or softball player, or if you want to run track, crew is not for you.

Crew practice starts the first week of school in the fall. The novice team practices 3 or 4 times a week in the evening and on weekends during September and October. The fall season ends with a regatta where novices from all the high school teams at West Side Rowing Club race against each other. The other Buffalo teams are Canisius, St. Joe’s, Nichols, Nardin, Holy Angels, Buffalo Seminary, the Buffalo Public Schools team, the Gow School, and the West Side teams.

After a short break, the team starts winter training. How well a team rows in the spring depends on how hard they work in the winter. You will build strength and endurance by doing a lot of running and by sweating for hours on the ergometers at the club. You will also work on your technique in the tank.

In late March, practice starts outdoors on Tonawanda Creek. As soon as the ice melts on Black Rock Channel, practice moves back to West Side. Novice practice is held 4 or 5 days a week in the spring and novice rowers compete in several spring regattas. The New York Championships are held on Mothers Day weekend in Saratoga Springs. The novice season ends with the Fontana All-High Regatta at West Side on Memorial Day.

After the scholastic rowing season ends, City Honors rowers are encouraged to participate in summer crew programs. West Side Rowing Club has 2-week skills camps and highly competitive summer teams that require try-outs.

What about homework? Or clubs? Or band and orchestra? Or family dinners? Or a social life? It’s amazing what City Honors kids are able to do. One rower was in the Roswell program. Another started his own rock band. Most are really good students and get better grades than kids who aren’t so busy. Because novice crew practice is held in the evening, you can do your homework when you get home from school. But be warned. It is not easy to get everything done. You may have to make choices about what other activities you can do. If you want to row, you will have to get yourself organized and keep yourself organized. Skipping crew practice to finish your homework is not an option (except before a really major test). There are nine people in a boat. If one person doesn’t show up, the boat can’t go out and eight people (and the coaches) will have wasted their time. Expect to get a call from the coach if that happens.

What’s good about crew? Ask a rower. He or she will tell you that you get really strong and healthy. You make good friends. And you are proud to be on a team that represents City Honors School, the West Side Rowing Club, the city of Buffalo, the state of New York, and the United States of America.