TO: FSRA Coaches
RE: 2007 FSRA State Championship

I appreciate the discussion amongst the FSRA member list regarding the many
changes for this year's event. Please see the revised Regatta Packet, which
should eliminate some of the confusion from my previous email.

The committee underwent an extraordinarily deliberate process with ample
discussion about even the minutest portions of our state regatta. We tried
to balance the need for creating the most competitive opportunities for our
rowers while also running an efficient and straight-forward regatta.

For the first time ever, we are moving to a two-day regatta. The FSRA
General Membership supported a progression from heats on Saturday to finals
on Sunday. Moreover, we've embraced a more fair system with reps and
semifinals (depending on the number of entries) to ensure that the best
teams lineup in the Sunday finals. The addition of reps and semifinals
ensures that many, many more boats will race two or three times throughout
the regatta.

The order of events is much improved over previous years and was designed,
primarily, to provide a reasonable progression based on the projected number
of entries. Our new order of events should work well. If there are issues
with it, we will have every opportunity to change it in the future.

Regarding the removal events from our championship, I can explain a bit
about the committee's thinking.

Our regatta has grown every year for decades and, with the move to a single
event with scholastic and youth programs, we have grown beyond the ability
to hold a one-day regatta. While the move to a two-day regatta creates more
time for racing, the addition of reps and semis more than fills the extra
space. We set a goal of concluding the regatta by early afternoon,
preferably around noon, on Sunday. For teams from Miami, Ft. Lauderdale,
Jacksonville, and Tallahassee who face 4-6 hour return trips, it's critical
that we get students home at a reasonable time on a school night.

Because of the limitations of a two-day regatta that ends by midday on
Sunday, we were forced to eliminate events. Sculling entries have been
growing and we did not want to limit those events. Accepting that certain
events were untouchable (V4+, V8+, L4+, etc.) we looked at lower tier
events. The lightweight 8+ has been effectively eliminated for years because
so few teams ever want to enter it. The move to eliminate the Frosh 4+ and
3rd 4+, however, was much more difficult.

Large teams have very few options other than entering a full slate of
eights. Eliminating the 3rd 8+ (which had 9 entries last year) would
actually have the impact of expanding the regatta schedule and lengthening
the amount of racing on Sunday. We could not eliminate the event without
having many students arriving home after 9pm on a Sunday night.

Eliminating the Frosh 4+ and 3rd 4+ keeps the day short by condensing those
rowers into sculling and eights events. Those events will be more
populated, and therefore more competitive. The day will be shorter and the
schedule more efficient.

We appreciate the helpful insight into the Regatta Committee’s work. I’m
excited about how much progress has been made in creating an excellent event
for this year, but we have much more work in front of us.

If you have thoughts or ideas, do not hesitate to find me or any other
Regatta Committee member throughout the year. Additionally, do not hesitate
to call me anytime with questions about the committee’s process for this
year or next.

All the best,

Dan Newman
President
FSRA

Varsity Coach
Leon Crew, Tallahassee
850.321.0738

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