This fall, St. Matthias is working with the Chicago Rowing Foundation (CRF) to offer a 7th/8th grade boys and girls rowing team.  

As some of you may know, rowers typically start competing in high school but CRF offers an amazing program for middle schoolers in 7th/8th grade.  

The link below will take you to a CRF registration page.  There is a 100 rower cap and fills up quickly, so please register ASAP and indicate St. Matthias as your school on the athlete information page.

I am sending this to all middle school families, including 6th graders, so you are aware of the programs we are beginning to offer.  Although 6th graders will not be able to compete this year, there will be summer of 2018 camps available.

Fall Season Details

September 5-October 14, 2017
Tuesday and Thursday Evenings
6:30 p.m. to 7:45 p.m

Saturday Mornings
11:00 a.m 12:15 p.m.

Middle School Regatta
Saturday, October 14, 2017
WMS Boathouse
Time: TBD

All practices and the regatta take place at the WMS Boathhouse at Clark Park (3400 N Rockwell). Although practices are three days a week, CRF has said rowers can opt to practice twice per week in order to accommodate their busy schedules.

The season fee for Middle School Fall 2017 team is $350 which covers all practice, coaching and related expenses, payable via credit card or check.

CRF offers a challenging yet rewarding outlet for strong athletes of all backgrounds, regardless of the ability to pay. Limited financial scholarships are available to qualified individuals, limited to 7th and 8th graders only. Financial Aid requests are due August 21. Any request sent after this date is not guaranteed to be met.

7th and 8th grade rowers, any experience.  Rowers will be separated into groups. Each group will have two outside practices and one inside practice each week. Group information will be sent out closer to the start of the season.

Some of you may have heard our very own Henriksen family have seen their daughter Sammie, a St. Matthias graduate, grow into a great rower.  Sammie (Class of '15) was selected by USRowing to represent the US at the CanAmMex Regatta in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada on July 7 and 8 versus the Junior National Teams of Canada and Mexico.  Sammie rowed in the bow seat (the first seat as seen from the front of the boat) in the 8+ and the 4+ races, where the US team won gold in both events. 

We will have jerseys to purchase in the coming weeks for those who register. Although they will not be mandatory, they will identify them as rowers for St. Matthias at practices and the regatta.

If you have any questions, please let me know.

Tony Lopez

Athletic Director