John XXIII Rowing Club 

Dear Rowing Families

Welcome to Term 2! This is the term we start to get very busy with regattas commencing in one week for the girls’ squad, some long-distance racing opportunities for the boys’ squad at the end of May into June, and All Schools commencing towards the end of the term. We also have the Year 8 Learn to Row program starting next week, so the shed will be a hive of activity. 

The regatta that John XXIII College hosts will also be held during this term on 6 June, and we will commence planning and volunteer recruitment soon. This information will mainly be through the parent WhatsApp groups, so please keep an eye out for those. It’s a great day and a fundraising activity for the Club. Training days – due to the IGSSA regatta calendar and boat loading, our calendar is messed up for the Year 9’s and 10’s and is no longer on alternate weeks for the boys and girls. Please refer to the calendar on STACK for your Friday training days. With all that activity, please ensure you stay as healthy as can be. Get as much sleep as possible, stay hydrated, eat well and keep up the hand hygiene. 

Remember, if you can’t make a session, please email Claire.woolfitt@johnxxiii.edu.au, or jimmy.oregan@johnxxiii.edu.au for the Girls Squad or lauren.strong@johnxxiii.edu.au for the Boys Squad. Starting this week, an email will be sent to parents of rowers who did not attend the session without explanation. 

Remember, the bus leaves the College bus shelter at 5:05am. See you at the boatshed!

There is no training on Monday, 27 April, due to the ANZAC Day Public Holiday.

IGSSA Regatta

The first regatta of the IGSSA season is on Saturday, 2 May. Please attend as many training sessions as possible this term to allow you to train in various combinations and boat types. Please ensure your coach knows your availability. 

Regattas generally run until 12pm, followed by boat unloading until approximately 2pm. 

Regattas are held at Champion Lakes Regatta Centre, Henley Drive, Champion Lakes. 

Year 8 Learn to Row 

The Year 8 Learn to Row program commences with rowing sessions this week. 

Students participate in one water session at our Canning Bridge boatshed (Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday morning. (An afternoon session will be considered if there is interest.)

Students also attend one land session at school in the afternoon, using the rowing ergometer or doing rowing-specific circuit training.

Rowing sessions:

• Tuesday morning 5:30am (bus departs school at 5:05am)
• Wednesday morning 5:30am (bus departs school at 5:05am)
• Tuesday afternoon 4:30pm (bus departs school at 3:30pm)

There is a bus from school departing at 5:05am and all rowers return on the bus to school at approximately 8:10am. If it is more convenient, rowers can be dropped at the boatshed and catch the bus back to school. Morning sessions are mixed with both boys and girls in the same boats. 

For the land session, these are held from 3:30pm to 4:30pm at the school, combined with the rowers from Years 9 to 12, with a mixture of rowing ergometer and circuit exercises. 

• Girls land session at school is on Monday afternoons at 3:30pm - 4:30pm.
• Boys land session at school is on Thursday afternoons at 3:30pm - 4:30pm. 

Sessions commence in Week 2 of Term 2, and this year will go for nine weeks. Year 8s will have the opportunity to race in two regattas at Champion Lakes on Sunday, 14 June, and Saturday, 27 June. Year 8s are also encouraged to participate in the House Regatta on 29 August in Term 3. 

The cost of this program is $375. Please complete this form to register: 

Year 8 Learn to Row Registration Form 2026 – Fill out form

Please contact me at: claire.woolfitt@johnxxiii.edu.au if you have any queries. 

Uniforms

The new zootsuit is now in stock at the Uniform Shop. There is also a training top that can be worn under the zootsuit, and a ¼-zip fleece. The only compulsory item is the Zootsuit for racing at regattas.  There is a stock of the old zootsuits which can be worn for training. 

Stack Team App

This App is one of our main avenues for communication with rowers and their parents. Please download the ‘Stack Team App’ on your phone, as this is the central place for training schedules, training updates, access to the rowing handbook, to name a few. It is important that all rowers and parents have access.

To get this app please go to the App Store or Google Play and download the Stack Team App onto your mobile device, then follow these simple steps:

• Sign-up to Stack Team App. You’ll be sent an email to confirm your registration.
• Log-in and search for JTCRC, then request to become a member.

Buses

• Pick up: 5:05am at College Bus shelter
• Return: 7:30am from Boatshed

2026 Rowing Club Registrations are open for Years 9 to 12 

It's never too late to register; the John XXIII Rowing Club welcomes existing and new members for our 2026 season.

Registrations are still open. Please complete the online Registration form by clicking on the link: JTC Rowing Registration for 2026 – Fill out form

Those who have not rowed before, or who would like to be a coxswain and represent the College, are also encouraged to join. 

 2026 (Term 2) Rowing Training Schedule  

Key Rowing Events 2026

Absent from training procedure 

Asthma and Allergies

All rowers with asthma or allergies, please remember to bring your asthma puffers, EpiPens, or required medication to all sessions. 

Claire Woolfitt

John XXIII Rowing Coordinator