Rowing Tryout Information
 Information Session
- These will occur when school begins. Dates and times will be given. Typically, one week after move in.
- These info sessions will outline what try-outs entail, when, and where they will be.
Try-outs will last approximately two weeks. During that time, we will teach you how to row and handle equipment. Try-outs are open to anyone interested in joining the rowing team, regardless of prior rowing experience.
What's Next?
To streamline the Tryout process we would like you to start some of the necessary steps this summer. All division I athletes have to go through this process.
- Contact Coach Dougherty at doughertyt@smu.edu. Let him know you are interested.
- Register with the NCAA Eligibility Center
-Â Choose the Account Type: Academic and Athletics Certification Account: Required for Division I or II prospects. Costs $110 for US/Canadian students and $170 for international students.
-Â Submit Transcripts: Contact your high school counselor to upload or send your official high school transcripts directly to the NCAA. - Fill out the paperwork I email to you, and bring it to the training room located in Loyd All-Sports Center Stadium and give to Athletic Trainer Addison Iliria.
- When you get on campus make an appointment at the Health Center and get your free physical. Use the form I send you.
- Take a sickle cell test either at the Health Center or with your home doctor and have them email or fax the results to our training room 214-768-1225 care of SMU Rowing Trainer.
- Fill out the compliance information/forms, that will be given to you, make sure you understand the NCAA rules that our Director of Compliance will send you.
- When school begins there will be an information meeting that you should attend that will go over the try-out process and try-out times.
How To Prepare For Rowing
Suggested WorkoutsBeing a part of the SMU Rowing team requires its members to be at peak physical condition in order to maximize their success in competition. While we are more than happy to help a prospective athlete learn how to train, if a rower already works out five times per week, they will be more than ready for practice.
- Lots of abs. Don't forget the back, as power is generated from the back to help row. Crunches, bicycle crunches, toe touches, hip bridges, superwomen and oblique crunches are also great ways to prepare the body.
- Run! Rowing is an endurance sport. Running is higher impact than rowing, but it takes the same kind of lungs.
- Bike! Biking takes more effort getting out the door than running, but it mimics the leg strength of rowing better than running.
- Swim! A great way to get a full body workout and prepare the lungs at the same time.
Contact Information
Tom Dougherty, Assistant Coach- Phone: 214-868-1436
- E-mail: doughertyt@smu.edu
Frequently Asked Questions
How often do we practice?During competition (20 hr.) season we train 6 days a week. Practice times are in the morning Monday, Wednesday, Friday 7am – 9:30am Tuesday/Thursday 7am – 9am and Saturday mornings. We also have weights and condition sessions in the afternoons.
Where is practice, and how do we get there?
White Rock Lake is four and a half miles from campus. We car pool to the boathouse for our practices there. On campus, we will practice at Moody Coliseum, where are erg room is located.
How often will we travel?
For those who qualify for seats in racing line – ups they will travel to the competitions on our schedule as well as any training camps that the team host. You can look back at our past years racing schedules to see the venues that we travel to.
What are we looking for in our athletes?
- A STRONG ATHLETIC BACKGROUND
- A DESIRE TO COMPETE AS A DIVISION I ATHLETE
- EXEMPLARY FITNESS
- AN ABILITY TO LEARN QUICKLY
- A WILLINGNESS TO WORK HARD
- STRONG CHARACTER (BEING A GREAT TEAMMATE!)
