Alexandria Summer Crew Registration to be Held on Saturday

Interested in learning how to row this summer? Then come down to the Dee Campbell Boathouse this Saturday, June 23, and sign up for the Alexandria Crew Boosters' 2012 Summer Crew Program. Sign-up will be held from 8-10 a.m. at the boathouse, which is at 1 Madison St., Old Town Alexandria. The program is open to both youth and adult novice rowers who are interested in learning more about the sport. Sessions begin on Monday, June 25, and run for five weeks. The program concludes on Saturday, Aug. 4, with the Blue Plains Sprints, an annual regatta that pits the summer rowers against each other in a series of races and marks the official end of the summer rowing season.

This year's programs include:

Youth Novice Sweep - Novice sweep, which means one oar per rower, is a learn-to-row program for students in the eighth through 12th grades. No experience is needed. Rowers are grouped by age and ability, and learn the basics of rowing in eight-person shells. Sessions are held from 7:15-9 a.m. Monday through Friday. The fee is $175.

Youth Intermediate Sweep - Intermediate sweep focuses on building rowing skills and technique, as well as strength and endurance. The classes are for rising ninth-graders with one competitive season of rowing under their belts. Sessions are held from 7:00-8:45 a.m. Monday through Friday. The fee is $175.

Youth Sculling - Youth sculling, where each rower uses two oars, is for high school students with two competitive spring seasons of rowing and experience sculling or in a varsity-level 8 or 4. Scullers will row in quads, doubles and singles. Sessions are held from 6:45-7:45 a.m. Monday through Friday. The fee is $200.

Adult Novice Sweep: Session 1 - The class is for adults of all ages who want to learn the basics and the beauty of rowing; no experience is needed. Sessions are held from 6-7:30 a.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The fee is $250.

Adult Novice Sweep: Session 2 - This class also is for adults of all ages who want to learn the basics and the beauty of rowing; no experience is needed. Sessions are held from 6-7:30 a.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, and 7-8:30 a.m. Saturdays. The fee is $250.

Every participant in the Summer Crew program must register in person, submit a signed waiver form and certify or pass a swim test. Registration forms can be found at www.tcwcrew.org/programs/summercrew.html.

Additional questions can be sent to Lexye Hearding, the director of the Alexandria Crew Boosters 2012 Summer Crew Program, at .

Two scullers make their way up the Potomac during the Blue Plains Sprints a few years back. The Sprints is an annual regatta that pits T.C. Williams Summer Crew participants against each other in a series of races and marks the official end of the summer rowing season. Photo credit: Bob Laubach

Two "eights" are shown poised at the starting line ready to race at the Blue Plains Sprints a few years back. Photo credit: Bob Laubach

A pair of rowers in a double scull race down the Potomac during the Blue Plains Sprints a few years back. Photo credit: Bob Laubach