It's a great art, is rowing. It's the finest art there is. It's a symphony of motion. And when you're rowing well, why it's nearing perfection. And when you near perfection, you're touching the Divine. It touches the you of yous. Which is your soul. -- George Pocock

If you've come to this page, you may be actively thinking about joining the Langley High School Crew Team. We know that you probably have lots of questions. Is the program physically demanding? It is and then some. Maybe you've heard crew training requires a certain amount of dedication and time. We can certainly tell you it requires both. Not everyone is cut out for this great sport, but for those who are, being a part of our team is one of the greatest things you will do during your time at Langley. Our program has grown into one of the top high school programs in Virginia and we regularly create top rowers, top boats, and championships galore. Maybe even more important, our rowers graduate from our program as stronger individuals who regularly make lifelong friends rowing for the Saxons.

Q: Why Row with Langley?
A: There are a lot of great reasons to join Langley Crew

• No Previous Rowing Experience Needed
  We are a co-ed program where almost all our new athletes arrive with little or no rowing experience. Our Novice-program coaches will teach you the art of rowing while also introducing you to training programs that will help you to build endurance and strength. Coxswains will learn how to steer our racing shells and how to manage a race.
• We Are a Top-Ranked High School Rowing Program
  Langley has won state championships every year since 2012, and has even sent rowers to Nationals. We have a proven program that turns novice rowers into capable, experienced rowers able to perform at the highest levels.
• Earn Your Varsity Letter
  While Langley Crew is a club sport, you can still earn your Langley High School Varsity Letter.
• Great Trips to Great Regattas
  Each year, Langley Crew travels to one of the largest and most prestigious high school rowing events in the country—the historic Stotesbury Cup Regatta outside Philadelphia. We also travel to the Scholastic Rowing Association of America Nationals regatta, which can be held in a variety of locations.
• Langley Regularly Places Athletes into Top Collegiate Rowing Programs
  Collegiate rowing programs are constantly on the hunt for great student-athletes, and often scout Langley’s program.
• Real Teams, Real Friends
  Crew is the ultimate team sport, where coordination and synchronization are vital. We pride ourselves on creating strong, capable teams, and many of our rowers develop friendships here that last a lifetime.

Q: What does a typical year look like?
A: Fall: Learn to Row is an eight-week program at the Occoquan where coaches and team members teach potential new rowers basic techniques and get them on the water to see what rowing is all about.
Winter: Winter conditioning begins in mid-November and concludes in late February.
Spring: Water training begins in late February and runs through late May, including during Spring Break. Regattas are held between late March and the end of May.
Summer: Many of our rowers join nearby clubs or rowing programs to further develop their skills.

Q: When is the Crew season?
A: Crew is a spring sport, but practices begin in the late fall. Winter conditioning normally begins in mid-November and involves strength and endurance conditioning, including rowing on the rowing machines, called “ergs.” Winter conditioning is held at Langley, every afternoon after school and on Saturday mornings. Water practice will begin in late February. Weather permitting, students will go to the Occoquan every afternoon and on Saturday mornings to row on the water. In bad weather, students will practice at Langley.

Q: Does the team practice over Spring Break?
A: Yes, it does. Spring Break provides us an ideal opportunity to expand our training and gel as a team. Generally, we practice at the Occoquan for morning and afternoon sessions, with a lunch break in between. Attendance at Spring Break practices is mandatory for returning rowers and very strongly suggested for new rowers as this intense practice sets us up for the later regattas, such as the VA state championships, Stotesbury Cup and SRAA Nationals. 

Q: What happens at practice?
A: For winter conditioning, you’ll spend most of your time on the ergs, but you’ll also do some endurance and strength training. For water training, you’ll spend time on the water, rowing with your boatmates to perfect your timing and technique. You may also do some erging or other training at the Occoquan.

Q: Crew seems to be a large time commitment. What about school?
A: The crew team learns how to be really good at time management. You take a bus from Langley to the Occoquan for water training, and the buses have wifi, so most of the team do homework on the bus, and there’s always someone to help with the homework if you need it. The crew team has generally had the highest GPA of all Langley teams, with 50-70% of the crew team having GPAs over 3.5.

Q: Can I do other activities as well?
A: Yes, depending on the activity. Some team members do fall or winter sports, while others do other non-sport activities, such as band or other clubs.

Q: When does the rowing season begin and how long is it?
A: Crew is a Spring sport. The rowing season begins in late February and concludes in late May. Practices take place on the Occoquan River after school Monday through Friday, and on Saturday mornings. Rowers are strongly encouraged to take part in winter conditioning, which begins in mid-November.

Q: How many regattas are there in a season?
A: There generally are eight local regattas, including the State Championships. The Langley Crew team generally goes to two out-of-town regattas—the Stotesbury Cup Regatta in mid-May on the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia and the Scholastic Rowing Association (SRAA) Nationals regatta. The SRAA is held Memorial Day weekend, and only qualifying boats will be invited to attend this event.

Q: How do we get to the Occoquan for practice?
A: The Langley Crew Boosters Club provides transportation for athletes from Langley to the Occoquan and then back to Langley HS on weekdays through a private bus carrier. Although some upperclassmen opt to drive themselves, using the bus transportation is promoted for safety reasons. Rowers and their families must provide their own transportation to Saturday practices and regattas.

Q: Who can answer other questions about the crew program?
A: Please email us at Langleyrowing@gmail.com. We will do our best to answer whatever questions you may have!

If you are interested in trying out rowing for the first time, we offer a Fall Learn to Row program for anyone at Langley who has never rowed before, as well as rising 8th graders at Cooper. During our eight week Learn to Row program, you will have the opportunity to actually get on the water and row with our experienced rowers. The program costs $200 and takes place at Sandy Run Boathouse on the Occoquan.

The club will be hosting an Open House on Saturday, Sept. 7 at the Occoquan for any families interested in seeing what rowing is all about. Come down to see the facilities, talk to parents, coaches and athletes. This day is free of charge and open to all!

The 2024 program begins Saturday, Sept. 14 at 10am and usually runs for 3 hours. Depending on how many participants we get, we may have staggered start times for different groups to make sure that everyone has the best experience possible! The last Saturday session takes place on Oct. 26th and is traditionally a fun Halloween dress up day.

Register for our LTR program today!

Our next swim test is Wednesday, Sept. 11 from 6:30-8:30pm at Spring Hill Rec Center. 

Check out the New Rowers’ Guide and the Parents’ Guide to Crew or contact us at langleyrowing@gmail.com.

Click on these links for even more information:

       Prospective New Rowers’ Guide

       Parents’ Guide to Crew

        Athlete Guidelines

        Meet the Coaches

        New Rower’s Regatta Survival FAQs

There is no cost to participate in Winter Conditioning. However, to be eligible to participate in crew, you must register and pay for Crew by following Steps 1-3 below. The participation fee is set each year in January, but generally ranges around $2000.  Winter conditioning begins December 1, 2024; and the spring season begins in February.

Refund Policy: A final cancellation date, usually in late January, will also be set prior to registration. Full refunds will be given for any cancellation made in writing, prior to that date. No refunds will be given after this date.

How to Join the Crew Team:

Step 1: Langley Athletics Registration

1. Each athlete must register on the FCPS Athlete Registration Website. Registration must be done each year. If you registered for the 2023-2024 school year, you need to reregister for the 2024-2025 school year. Click here to register your child. 
2. A physical completed after May 1, 2024. The physical must be done on the official VHSL form that can be found here. You can send the completed VHSL form to langleyathletics@fcps.edu.

Step 2: Online Registration and Payment via LCBC's SportsEngine Management Site

Registration is not yet open for the 2025 season. Check back later in the fall.

This registration step is separate from the Langley after-school activity registration. Aside from being the payment vehicle, this registration is critical as it ensures your student’s name is on the Crew Team roster, which is used for such things as communication distribution lists, varsity letters, student-athlete awards, senior celebrations, and other important team activities.

Step 3: Swim Test

The swim test must be completed before the start of water training, but must only be completed once. A group swim test will be organized before Learn to Row starts in September.

• All rowers new to Langley Crew rowers are required to pass the swim test. If you had a swim test as part of Learn to Row, you do not need another.
• See the Swim Test Guidelines for more information.
• If you missed the organized swim test, independently arrange a swim test with a certified lifeguard. Upon completion, have the lifeguard and a non-parent adult sign off on the Swim Test Form.

Step 4: US Rowing Waiver

This step is required to participate in regattas and must be completed annually.

• Go to the USRowing membership portal and select "Individual / Join".
• Enter club name: "Langley Crew Boosters" and club code: BH9VS (case-sensitive - use all caps!)
• Enroll in/renew membership (there is a nominal fee for Basic Membership).
• Sign the waiver for the current school year. Confirmation will be sent directly to Langley Crew.

If you have any questions regarding registration, please email langleyrowing@gmail.com

All rowers MUST have an official Langley uniform to race.

All rowers in the boat must be dressed exactly alike to compete. Uniforms are ordered once a year, in December, to ensure arrival in time for regatta season. The uniform packet consists of the uni, a tech shirt, and a hat or visor. 

Uniform Ordering Information

Parents will order their student uniforms individually. You will receive an email from Langley Crew with instructions shortly before the ordering window opens. The pop-up store will only be open for a short time, to speed production of the uniforms. 

Once the window opens, you will also receive the link to order. If your student is a returning rower, have them try on last year’s uniform before the ordering window closes!

Measuring information:

The uniforms are form-fitting, with the tops and bottoms measured separately then joined to form one single garment. Parents will need to measure their students and determine top and bottom sizes prior to placing the order. Sizing guide can be found here. 

• Men – provide weight, height, chest & waist measurements.
• Women – provide weight, height, bra with cup, waist & hip measurements. 

Payment information:

Uniform payments will be made directly to the vendor when ordering. 

Distribution Information: 

The uniforms will all be delivered to the Crew Booster Club Apparel Committee, who will distribute them during practice.