W-L Crew is one of the most storied high school teams in the country. Started in 1949 by legendary coach Charlie Butt, W-L Crew has had a long history of competitive success nationally and internationally, and has produced dozens of elite rowers as well as many high school and college coaches.
Crew is a spring sport at W-L, starting in late February and running until the end of May, with several post season social and award events in early June. The team is open to any 8th-12th grade student who is (or will be) attending W-L and who is interested in a new and difficult challenge. Crew is a time consuming, rigorous sport that offers many rewards. Our team consistently has one of the highest team GPAs of an team in the school. We train hard, and have a good time doing it! To help you and your family discover whether rowing is for you, and to prepare you for the rigors of the spring season we offer two pre-season events:
- Fall Green Days/Open Houses: these are days in September/October where we are allowed to go out on the water. Any student can come down to the boathouse and try things out. We teach you everything you need to know! Parents are encouraged to stop in, especially the Saturday sessions when fellow “Crew Booster” parents are available to answer questions .
- Winter Conditioning: runs from late November until the start of the spring season in February and is open to any Arlington 8th-12th grader. This is a general conditioning program with a specific emphasis with training for rowing. Sessions are held 5 days a week at W-L. Again, no experience is necessary. This training program is not mandatory, but is highly encouraged for any athlete thinking of rowing in the spring who is not doing another winter sport at W-L.
If you can’t attend either of these introductory programs, no worries! We still accept new athletes at the start of the season.
If you are interested in crew but are not quite sure about joining the team, please be sure to complete our team interest form. If you are ready to take part in an amazing sport with one of the finest crew programs in the nation, complete the steps listed on our Join page.