Parent/Family Volunteers
Rowing is unlike any other sport. The adage “it takes a village” couldn’t be more fitting for rowing. To make the season flow smoothly we need your support and volunteer efforts. Rowing is the ultimate team sport on the water and off - that includes parents and families. Rowing is a sport that most student-athletes have never tried until now, and takes place on water; so the coaches are focused on teaching, coaching, and safety. Rowing is also a sport that requires a lot of coordination of people, travel, and large-scale equipment. It involves getting the team to race venues, to be outdoors for hours in a wide variety of weather, and to race in places farther from school than typical high school team distances. It is a sport of higher-than-usual expenses, and the team's goal is to ensure that cost is never a barrier to participation.
All of this to say that outside of coaching SHHS Crew Parents, Inc. picks up the rest of the work to make the team run. We organize volunteers, feed the team, and fundraise, while also budgeting the team's finances. We set up the team tent at races and ensure there is food for everyone. We cheerlead and support ALL athletes. We seek donations from local businesses and our families and friends. We write the parent/family handbook, and we maintain this website! Sometimes we even paint oars and clean the equipment. We are dedicated to supporting the SHHS Rowing team in any way we are asked, and parent involvement is hugely important for the team to be successful. Parent/family involvement is critical to SHHS Crew - it is not hyperbole when we say there is no crew without parent volunteers.
To ensure an equal distribution of work and an enjoyable crew season for spectators and rowers alike, SHHS Crew Parents ask each family to volunteer each season. Ideally, each family would take on either one season-long position or volunteer for at least three single-event jobs per season. This is in addition to providing food for our regatta days.
We know that every family has a different level of time, talent, and resources to offer. Good news…SHHS Crew needs some of each! No matter your schedule or situation, there is a way for you to help out.
Spring 2025 non-food-tent volunteer positions: sign up here
Spring 2025 regatta food donation sign-ups:
Mitten (Kensington Sprints), Saturday 4/26/25
MSRA, Saturday and Sunday 5/10-11/25
Volunteer descriptions:
Chuckwagon Driver (all season):
This job requires a pickup truck or equivalent vehicle capable of pulling a 6x12 trailer that transports tents, tarps, food supplies, grills, cookware, and more. SHHS Crew Parents, Inc. provides a stipend for gasoline. You will pick up the chuckwagon and deliver it to the regatta site. Typically, this needs to be done the afternoon before the regatta begins. After the regatta, return the trailer to storage.
End of Year Party Coordinator (single-event job - spring season):
Work with the Coach(es) to plan the awards ceremony. Reserve venue, coordinate food, and facilitate teammate gifts for Seniors.
Erg-A-Thon Coordinator (all season - spring):
Coordinate a fundraising Erg-A-Thon in the spring. Update/set up fundraising site, secure venue, plan logistics, and work with Fundraising Chair on marketing.
Equipment Coordinator (all season):
Maintain items in the cuckwagon - this includes grills, propane tanks, tents, food serving equipment, and assorted tools and gear. Keep an inventory and alert the Board when repairs or purchases are needed. Keep the chuckwagon organized and clean between regattas. Coordinate annual deep-clean of chuckwagon.
Food Captain (single-regatta job):
Act as the primary point of contact for any questions about food for the week of the regatta. Be the drop-off point for all food collection (you will need ample refrigerator space!). Purchase ice, organize all food into coolers and bins then deliver the bus. Oversee setup of food tent and preparation of food at regatta site.
Food Volunteer (single-regatta job):
Help with setup of food tent, cook food, clean up, deal with trash and leftovers, help with site tear-down. Early arrival is needed for set up.
Memorial Day Parade Coordinator (single-event job - spring):
Register the team to participate. Arrange trailer driver(s), organize rowers to participate, and organize candy donations and recruitment stickers. Work with student-athletes on decorating the trailer.
Photographer (all season):
Take photos and videos at practices and regattas and gather photos and videos from team families. Share the best photos/videos with the Social Media Manager for posting. Save a selection of photos from each regatta to the team’s Google Drive, labeling photos with event and athlete names.
Recruitment Coordinator (all season):
Organize rower recruiting event(s) at Shaker Heights Middle School in late May, and work with the coaches to coordinate “Intro to Shaker Crew” (summer) and “Open Practice” (winter) events.
Shaker Sports Booster Rep (all season):
Attend all Shaker Sports Booster meetings as a representative of the SHHS Crew Team. Act as an advocate for the crew team’s needs, share highlights with Boosters and the Athletic Department for inclusion in newsletters, and report Booster news back to the crew parents.
Social Media Manager (all season):
Manage the RaiderRowing Facebook and Instagram accounts, posting 3x a week in season and at least weekly throughout the school year. In the spring, gather senior spotlight information for posting. Post alumni updates, and work with the board and coaches on posting announcements and updates throughout the year.