HRRA Juniors Program
Our Junior programs are designed to address three philosophies.
- By creating composite teams, we can match the best athletes from varied programs and put together top-rated teams that represent the best the Hudson Valley has to offer.
- Melding traditional rivals during the scholastic seasons into composite boats, we create a sense of regional rowing pride.
- Providing extensive access to expanded coaching ideas and experiences makes our regional scholastic teams stronger and prepares them for success at the collegiate level.
We address each of these philosophies by providing Learn-to-Row and Novice teams, skill building and water time for intermediate athletes, and intensive training and technique work for advanced rowers. Each HRRA athlete shares their experience with teammates and coaches of other teams and creates new experiences to take back to their scholastic teams, tightening that connection and helping to create our rowing community.
Junior Spring Rowing Program:
Our Junior Spring Rowing program is open to athletes in grades 9-12 who do not have a scholastic rowing program available through their high school, or those who are home schooled. Athletes learn safety, technique, how to handle boats, steer boats, and basic race skills. Beginner and experienced rowers are welcome.
Dates: April 3rd – June 4th, 2023
Practice Time: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, 5:30-7:30pm
Rower Fee: $620 – Register here
Coxswain Fee: $35 – Register here
Coach: TJ Scarpa
Junior Winter Training:
The HRRA Junior Winter Training Program creates a team atmosphere with internal competition to produce fast athletes, while also encouraging a supportive team environment.
If you are serious about increasing your performance on your spring/summer teams or laying the groundwork for collegiate rowing recruitment, the HRRA Winter Training Plan and its staff of regional coaches will help you achieve your goals.
Pre-Winter Junior Training
Dates: Saturday, November 25th – Saturday, December 23rd
Price: $75 (includes registration in Ergathon and free t-shirt if Ergathon registration is completed by December 3rd, 2023 see instructions below.)
Rower Fee: $75 REGISTER
Coxswain Fee: $0 REGISTER
Practice Days & Times:
Girls & Boys: Mondays, Wednesday, 4-6pm, Saturdays 7-9am
We’ll be participating in HRRA’s Annual Ergathon again, which coincides with Concept2’s Holiday Challenge. Registration is free if you are signed up for Pre-Winter Junior Training. Plus you get a Ergathon t-shirt if you register prior to December 3rd! Click here to register for the Ergathon.
Our junior athletes will receive focused erg, weight, and tank coaching reinforcing proper biomechanics and technique that will help them get the most of the regular winter training session. Junior athletes will be focusing on training to do a 6k on December 23rd which will help to set up training splits for the upcoming Winter Training Program.
Regular Junior Winter Training Program
Dates: Tuesday, January 2nd – Saturday, March 2nd
Price: $200.00
Practice Days & Times:
- Girls: Tuesday & Thursday 4-6pm, Friday 4-5:30pm/5:30-7pm alternating* Saturday 7am-9am/9am-11am alternating*
- Boys: Monday & Wednesday 4-6pm, Friday 4-5:30pm/5:30-7pm alternating* Saturday 7am-9am/9am-11am alternating*
* The “alternating” schedule will have boys and girls swapping early and late times each week for the Friday and Saturday sessions.
Week 1:
- Friday Girls 4-5:30pm Boys 5:30-7pm
- Saturday Girls 7pm-9am Boys 9am-11am
Week 2:
- Friday Girls 5:30-7pm Boys 4-5:30pm
- Saturday Girls 9am-11am Boys 7am-9am
**SPECIAL COMBO PRICING**:
Pre-Winter & Winter Training:
- ROWER FEE: $250 REGISTER FOR SPECIAL COMBO PRICING
All athletes must have a Basic USRowing Membership ($25) and an online waiver completed. If you have already paid the membership under a different club name you must log in to the USRowing portal and add Hudson River Rowing Association to your club affiliations by the first day of practice.
- The HRRA code is H9RR4 and the online waiver link is HERE.
HRRA Program and race fees do not include uniform, hotel, traveling expenses, or USRowing membership (when applicable). Athletes are responsible for these additional expenses. HRRA does not provide adult chaperones for unaccompanied minors.
Junior Advanced Boys & Girls:
The Advanced Junior Sweeps Program is open to rowers who are rising sophomores, juniors and seniors, those who have just graduated high school as of spring 2023, and have a birthday of 1/1/2005 or later. Rowers should have competitive racing experience at the JV or Varsity level, or have the recommendation of a coach.
This is a competitive program which focuses on how to train, increasing the athlete’s technical skill set and learning how to prepare physically and mentally for national competition.
Registration includes participation in one local regatta and free summer racing shirt.
Program Dates & Times:
September 5th – November 2nd, 2022
Boys
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday 5:30pm-7:30pm
Saturday 7:00am-9:00am
Rower Fee: $540 – Register – Boys Team
Coxswain Fee: $35 – Register – Boys team
Boys Coach: Kevin Piotti
Girls
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday 5:30pm-8:00pm
Saturday – 7:00am-9:00am
Rower Fee: $540 – Register – Girls Team
Coxswain Fee: $35 – Register – Girls team
Girls Coaches: Andrew Runne & Matt Rignanese
The team will be representing the club at the following regattas during the Fall.- Sunday, September 17th, 2023 – Head of the Hudson – Albany, NY
- Saturday, September 30th, 2023 – Poughkeepsie Regatta – Poughkeepsie, NY
- Saturday, October 7th, 2023 – Head of the Housatonic – Indian Well State Park, CT
- Sunday, October 15th, 2023 – Head of the Passaic – Rutherford/Lyndhurst, NJ
- **Saturday, October 21st – Head of the Charles, Boston MA (dependent on bid acceptance)**
- Saturday, October 28th, 2022 – Head of the Fish, Saratoga, NY
* Please note time change for Junior Advanced Girls Team
Program Dates & Times:
June 13th – June 23th ~ Monday-Friday 5:30pm-7:30pm
June 26th – August 6th
Boys: Monday-Friday 6:00am-8:00am
Girls: Monday-Friday 5:30am-7:30am
Rower Fee: $540 – Register here.
Coxswain Fee: $35 – Register here.
Boys Coaches: Kevin Piotti & Dom Scecchitano
Girls Coach: Andrew Runne
The team will be representing the club at the following regattas during the summer.
- Sweep & Sculls Regatta
- Saturday, July 8, 2023
- Providence, RI
- Philly Youth Regatta
- Saturday, July 22, 2023
- Philadelphia, PA
- Overpeck Summer Sprints
- Saturday, July 29, 2023
- Ridgefield Park/Leonia, NJ
- Bridge to Bridge Regatta
- Saturday, August 5th, 2023
- Poughkeepsie, NY
For away regattas race fees are additional. Transportation, room and board are are the responsibility of the athlete’s family.
Junior Intermediate Boys & Girls:
The Junior Intermediate Sweeps program is designed for rowers who have completed a novice season through HRRA or through their scholastic team. The program will work on further developing their technical skills and endurance.
Registration includes participation in one local regatta and free summer racing shirt.
Dates:
September 5th – November 2nd, 2023
Program Days & Times:
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday & Friday 5:30pm-7:30pm
Rower Fee: $465 – Register here
Coxswain Fee: $35 – Register here
Girls Coach: Courtney Woodard
The team will be representing the club at the following regattas during the Fall.
- Saturday, October 1st, 2023 – Poughkeepsie Regatta – Poughkeepsie, NY
For away regattas race fees are additional. Transportation, room and board are are the responsibility of the athlete’s family.
Dates:
June 26th – August 6th
Program Days & Times:
Monday-Friday 6:00am-8:00am
Rower Fee: $465 – Register here.
Coxswain Fee: $35 – Register here.
Boys Coach: Jacob Tivnan
Girls Coach: Courtney Woodard
The team will be representing the club at the following regattas during the summer.
- Philly Youth Regatta
- Saturday, July 22, 2023
- Philadelphia, PA
- Bridge to Bridge Regatta
- Saturday, August 5th, 2023
- Poughkeepsie, NY
For away regattas race fees are additional. Transportation, room and board are are the responsibility of the athlete’s family.
Coxswains Comprehensive Program:
Registration for all coxswains of Adult or Junior Comprehensive Programs with at least a season of novice/one year of coxswain experience under their belts. Our Comprehensive Programs operate like a collegiate program in the sense that all skill levels are on the same team but receive coaching specific to their experience level and goals to help push them up the skill curve.
Coxswains may be selected by coaches for additional racing opportunities based on performance, which will be paid for at a later date via a supplemental “Racing Fee” registration, Enrollment includes standard summer HRRA practice tank. All registrants will need to have a current USRowing Membership before they begin any on-water activity. Athletes new to rowing should register for and complete our Junior Novice program before signing up for Junior’s Comprehensive. Athletes and Parents are encouraged to reach out to the Head Coach at hrracoach@gmail.com with any questions they may have.
Junior Novice/Learn-to-Row Boys & Girls:
Juniors who are entering the 7th grade or higher, learn to row and improve on their completed learn to row skills in eight oared shells on the Hudson! Athletes learn safety, technique, how to handle boats, steer the boats and basic race skills.
Registration includes participation in one local regatta and free summer racing shirt.
Dates:
September 6th – November 2nd, 2023
Practice Days & Times:
Monday & Friday 5:30pm – 7:30pm
Saturday 7:00am – 9:00am
Rower Fee: $290 – Register here
Coxswain Fee: $35 – Register here
Coach: TBD
Dates:
June 26th – August 6th
Practice Days & Times:
Monday-Friday 7:00am-9:00am
Rower Fee: $290 – Register here.
Coxswain Fee: $35 – Register here.
Coach: Jacob Tivnan
The team will be representing the club at the following regattas during the summer.
- Bridge to Bridge Regatta
- Saturday, August 5th, 2023
- Poughkeepsie, NY
For away regattas race fees are additional. Transportation, room and board are are the responsibility of the athlete’s family.
Recreational Sculling:
The Recreational Sculling Program is focused on skill building for beginner and intermediate-level scullers. Scullers who have graduated from a Learn-to-Scull program are encouraged to enroll in this program to further develop their skills. This program is also HRRA’s finishing school for novice scullers who want more time to work up to a competitive team. Prerequisite for enrollment in Recreational Sculling is completion of one or more Learn-to-Scull sessions or by permission of the coach.
HRRA’s Learn to Scull Program is for novice scullers and scullers who have been away from the sport for a while. You will learn to scull in doubles, quads and singles at the coaches discretion. You will learn a healthy new low impact sport with an aim to graduation into our recreational sculling program. Registration includes a free summer training shirt.
Dates:
June 26th – August 6th
Program Days & Times:
Monday-Friday
Coaches: Jude Kurzum and Jimy Hernandez
Assistant Coaches: Isabelle Rivera and Lily Stasaitis
Rower Fee: $415
Session I: 5:30am-7:00am
Register here
Session II: 7:00am-8:30am
Register here
Dates:
July 17th – August 4th
Program Days & Times:
Monday-Friday 8:00am-9:30am (No session on July 19th)
Rower Fee: $250 Register Here
Coach: Anna Sisung

Sweep & Scull Combo Program:
For Experienced rowers already enrolled in either Junior or Masters Comprehensive Programs. Enables registrants to participate in Rec Sculling program during shifts times outside of their regular sweep program hours. If participant is chosen by coaches for racing, they will pay a supplemental “racing fee” registration later in the season the same way they would for Junior or Masters Comprehensive.
All registrants will need to have a current USRowing Membership before they begin any on-water activity. Adults and Juniors new to rowing should register for and complete our Junior or Adult Novice programs before signing up for Rec Sculling. Athletes are encouraged to reach out to the Head Coach at hrracoach@gmail.com with any questions they may have.
Dates: Sept. 8, 2021 – Oct. 31, 2021
Practice time: Refer to Sweep and Sculling program schedules.
Fees: $250 – Register here