Junior Racing & Practice Clothing
We row in all kinds of weather: rain, snow, wind, cold , hot. All athletes need to be appropriately dressed for the conditions we will see outside. Remember, rowing is an outdoor water sport!
Rowers and coxswains need to be dressed appropriately to go on the water. Underdressed athletes risk not going on the water -- and that could keep their entire boat off the water.
Some things must be purchased from the JL Racing Team Store at the beginning of the season.
Suggested Clothing:
Racing Jersey (REQUIRED):
This can be purchased at the beginning of each racing season at the JL store.
Only one needs to be purchased for all years of rowing, unless the jersey has been lost. They are available to order at the JL team store at the beginning of each season.
Black Racing Trou (REQUIRED):
These are rowing shorts. They can be purchased at the JL Store. Black compression shorts from something like Underarmor also work well.
Trou of some sort are required for all rowing days. Baggy shorts cannot be worn, as they get caught in the seat wheels. It's good to have multiple pairs of shorts for a week's practice. Practice shorts do not have to be black.
Black trou are available in the JL Team Store, but also at any time on the JL Web Store.
Alternatively, a Uni may be purchased from the JL Store, which combines the jersey and the shorts into a single garment. This is a very common racing outfit for crews, and the kids who have them really like them.
Running Shoes (REQUIRED):
A pair of good-quality, good-fitting running shoes are required for land workouts. We run a lot and do body circuits. Appropriate footwear is imperative for preventing injuries.
Leggings:
At the beginning of the spring season and the end of the fall season, the weather will be colder, so we also recommend leggings of some sort (black preferred for racing).
Jacket:
A raincoat of some kind is very good for cold rainy days. Hoods are recommended. The jacket can't be too long for rowers or it will get caught in the seat wheels. (Coxswains, see #6.)
The Sequel Release jackets from JL are excellent rowing jackets. The team-specific jacket has limited ordering times at the beginning of each season and are $149.
Other generic versions of the Sequel jacket are available at any time for $120 from the JL Web Store.
Coxswain’ Clothing:
Coxswains will be spending a lot of time sitting in the boat. They need layers to stay warm. The club has four exposure suits of varying sizes for coxswains. These will keep them warm, dry, and safe (they float!).
Coxswains will not race in the exposure suits, so they should be prepared for races with appropriate layers.
Hat:
Hats are good in both warm and cold weather.
Baseball hats or visors are good for water practice, especially when it's raining or sunny/hot. For racing, there is a black racing hat available on the JL Team Store site.
In addition, we will make white baseball hats (with the Souhegan Crew logo) available to both athletes and parents. These will be ordered after the season has started.
During cold weather, winter hats are good as well.
Flip-flops, Sports sandals, Crocs:
Some kind of shoe that can be easily slipped on and off and left on the dock (in rain!) is very helpful for launching boats quickly. Kids can wear their running shoes, but they will get rained on.
Sunglasses:
Polarized sport sunglasses can be very helpful on the water on sunny days -- especially for coxswains!!
What Not to Wear:
Remember your ABCs: Anything But Cotton
Cotton is terrible in wet cold weather. Don't wear it!Baggy cotton sweatshirts:
Kids have a tendency to want to wear these on the water. They are like sponges in the rain and they will get very cold.
In addition, the big front pockets get in the way of oar handling.Baggy clothing:
Baggy clothing gets in the way of rowing, getting in the way of oar handling and getting stuck in the seat wheels. Embrace lycra.Gloves/Pogies:
Rowers cannot wear gloves while rowing. Gloves may be taken on the water to wear while the rower is not actively rowing (e.g. during certain drills), but they must be removed when they begin rowing. (Coxswains should wear gloves in cold weather.)
Pogies hide a rowers hands completely, so the coaches cannot see what they are doing. It is important that the coaches can see their hands/wrists while they are rowing.