THIS IS YOUR TEAM TOO
When your athlete joins Oakton Crew, something unexpected happens to most families: you get hooked too.
Maybe it's the first time you watch your kid's eight surge off the starting line in perfect unison. Maybe it's the pasta dinner the night before a big regatta, forty teenagers sharing memories and a meal, loud and nervous and laughing. Maybe it's just standing on the dock in the early morning fog, watching your child do something hard and do it well.
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Oakton Crew is not a drop-off sport. It is a community — and the families who go all-in on that community consistently describe it as one of the most meaningful experiences of their parenting years. The volunteer requirement exists because this program cannot function without its families. But the reason most Oakton parents end up doing far more than the minimum is simpler than that: they want to be here.
PARENT EXPECTATIONS
Every Oakton Crew family is required to complete a minimum of 10 volunteer hours per athlete per year. These hours span the full season and support everything from race day operations to equipment maintenance to the meals that fuel our athletes through grueling spring weekends.
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This requirement is established by the OCCBC Board of Directors each year before team registration, and it becomes a binding part of your family's signed Membership Commitment. Families with multiple athletes on the team are expected to contribute proportionally.
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Communication
Oakton Crew runs on information, and staying connected is one of the most important things a family can do to have a smooth season. Slack is our primary platform for real-time communication — practice updates, schedule changes, weather calls, and urgent notifications all come through here. Every athlete and at least one parent or guardian should have Slack installed and notifications enabled before the first day of practice.
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The Catch is our weekly newsletter. It covers the week's schedule, upcoming events, volunteer sign-ups, board updates, and anything else families need to know.
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The OCCBC website is the permanent home for the season calendar, forms, resources, and archived newsletters. When you need something and aren't sure where to find it, start here.For specific questions, every board member has a dedicated email address and a defined area of responsibility — so you'll always know exactly who to contact.
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One thing we ask of every family: when you have a concern, bring it to the right board member or coach directly and early. Oakton Crew is a community built on trust, and open communication between families, the board, and the coaching staff keeps that community strong.
Attendance
Rowing is a team sport in the most literal sense. When one athlete is absent from practice, every boat that athlete trains in is affected. A missing seat isn't an inconvenience — it changes the workout for everyone in the shell.
We ask that athletes approach their commitment to attendance with the same seriousness they bring to competition. Coaches set attendance expectations at the start of each season, and athletes are expected to communicate absences directly to their coach as early as possible.
For families, this means building the practice and regatta calendar into your planning early. The spring season runs February through May, practices are five days a week, and most weekends include a regatta. It is a significant commitment of time, and families who treat the calendar as non-negotiable — rather than something to work around — consistently report a better experience for their athlete and for themselves.
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Life happens, and coaches understand that. What matters is communication, respect for teammates, and the understanding that showing up is part of what it means to be on this team.
Team Culture
Oakton Crew has a culture that athletes and families often describe, years later, as something they've never quite found anywhere else. It is worth understanding what that culture is built on — and what every family is asked to uphold.
Excellence without ego. Our athletes compete hard, train harder, and hold each other to high standards. They also celebrate each other's successes, pull each other through hard days, and understand that the boat only moves when everyone pulls together.Â
Respect for the coaching staff. Coaches make decisions about lineups, training plans, and race strategy. Those decisions are not always easy, and they are not always what every athlete or family hopes to hear. The OCCBC and the coaching staff have a strong, collaborative relationship — and the best thing families can do to support that is to trust the process.
A team-based sideline culture.
On regatta days, Oakton families are visible and vocal. We love that. We also ask that families cheer for Oakton Crew with the same spirit our athletes bring to competition: enthusiastically, respectfully, and with grace toward other teams and their families.Â
An inclusive community. Oakton Crew fields athletes across varsity, junior varsity, and novice levels. Every boat matters. Every athlete matters. Families are asked to support the program as a whole — not just the boat their child happens to be in — and to help create an environment where every rower feels valued, challenged, and proud to wear the Cougar.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The Oakton Cougar Crew Booster Club is governed entirely by parent volunteers. The board includes 13 officer positions — from President to VP of Membership to Treasurer — and every one of them is filled by a current Oakton family. Serving on the board is the deepest commitment we ask of families, and the most rewarding. Board members shape the program, manage the budget, support the coaches, and ensure that Oakton Crew runs like the well-organized, well-funded program it is. Elections are held each spring for the following year. If you're interested in serving, reach out to the VP of Administration.
HOSPITALITY: FEED THE TEAM
One of the most beloved volunteer opportunities in the program, and one that puts you right in the middle of the team experience. We host team dinners the night before major regattas — watch a group of athletes who have been grinding through months of training sit down together and just be kids for a few hours. The Hospitality team coordinates the calendar. If you like to cook, entertain, or simply want an excuse to spend an evening with this team, this one's for you.
The hospitality tent at Sandy Run is another high-visibility opportunity — stocking and staffing the tent that feeds and energizes athletes and families throughout a full regatta day.
OPERATIONS: EQUIPMENT AND BOATHOUSE SUPPORT
Sandy Run Work Days bring families together to help maintain the club's equipment and boathouse space — cleaning, organizing, minor repairs, and seasonal setup. These are hands-on, sleeves-rolled-up days that are genuinely fun and give you a close-up look at the equipment your athlete trains on every day. The VP of Operations coordinates work days and welcomes all skill levels.
Volunteer Roles & Opportunities
We mean it when we say there is a right fit for every family. Here's a look at just a few of the volunteer opportunities across the season.
REGATTA SUPPORT
On race days at Sandy Run, Oakton Crew is required to staff a set number of official VASRA positions — marshals, finish line judges, registration volunteers, and more. These are assigned roles with specific responsibilities, and they are essential to the regatta running safely and on schedule. Regatta volunteer sign-ups are posted through the VP of Volunteers well before each race day. VASRA also publishes detailed job descriptions for each position so you know exactly what you're signing up for — find them on our VASRA Volunteer Guide page.
FUNDRAISING
The OCCBC runs fundraising events throughout the year to help keep membership dues as low as possible. Tag days — neighborhood fundraising events hosted by parent volunteers — are one of the most important, and they rely entirely on parent hosts opening up their neighborhoods and their time. Fundraising volunteers work directly with the VP of Fundraising and the VP of Volunteers to make these events happen. No special skills required — just willingness to show up and represent the program
ADMINISTRATION AND COMMUNICATION
Behind every smooth-running season is a lot of behind-the-scenes work: managing membership paperwork, updating the website, producing the weekly newsletter, coordinating email lists, and supporting board members with their committee work. If you have skills in writing, design, technology, or administration and prefer to contribute from behind the scenes, there is meaningful work for you here. Each VP oversees a committee and welcomes parent volunteers to support their area.
BACKGROUND CHECK REQUIRED
Chaperones
TRAVEL & TEAM SUPPORT
Chaperones assist with supervising rowers during bus transport to away regattas and at overnight events. They ensure team safety, maintain check-in protocols, and provide a welcoming presence for athletes during travel.
ORGANIZATION SKILLS PREFERRED
Spirit Wear
SALES & ENGAGEMENT
Help our community show their Cougar pride! This role involves managing our inventory of Oakton Crew apparel, tracking sales at events, and helping new team members pick out their gear at the beginning of the season.
GET INVOLVED
The VP of Volunteers manages all sign-ups and can help match you with the right opportunity for your schedule, skills, and interests. Volunteer opportunities are posted here and in The Catch newsletter throughout the season.
Ready to jump in? Sign Up for Volunteer Opportunities or email the VP of Volunteers at volunteers@oaktoncrew.com.
If you're interested in joining the OCCBC Board of Directors, contact the VP of Administration at administration@oaktoncrew.com.
SUPPORT THE SQUAD
Fundraising is the lifeblood of Oakton Crew. Your contributions directly support the purchase of high-performance racing shells—which can cost upwards of $40,000 each—as well as the ongoing maintenance of our specialized fleet. Beyond equipment, the Booster Club funds essential coaching fees and critical scholarship programs that ensure the sport remains accessible to every student-athlete, regardless of financial background. Every dollar donated and every hour volunteered helps us maintain our competitive edge and build a sustainable future for the entire Cougar crew family.
STAY CONNECTED
The Cougar Crew Board is here to help you navigate through fees, volunteers, and race day logistics. We welcome all new and returning parents to reach out.
info@oaktoncrew.org