Hi All,

our club is considering adopting academic standards for our junior
athletes. We have two main goals with these standards: the first is that
we would like to avoid losing rowers due to poor academic performance.
In the past, some parents have taken their children out of the sport to
focus on their schoolwork. We would like to approach these rowers
earlier in the process, so that we can help them manage their workload
and continue rowing as well. The second goal is to improve the image of
rowing among teachers and parents alike, in the sense that we encourage
hard work, both on and off the water.

Unfortunately, as an independent club, we are not in a position to
enforce or even to look at grades. Some parents would gladly get
involved with the process, but I have a feeling that those would not be
the ones with at-risk kids.

Does your club have academic standards? How do you encourage/enforce
them? What are the carrots and sticks that you use?

thanks,
John Bartucz
Rochester Rowing Club of Minnesota