Camps Information
TRAINING CAMPS
There are training camps in July, October and January. The camps are held at Epworth Camp, Cambridge.
Our training camps prepare rowers for the season ahead. The camps are hard work, but also great fun for both crew member and parents, and provide a great opportunity for all club members to form strong relationships.
The learning curve is steep and the camps are always very successful from a technical rowing perspective, for team building and crew member's personal growth.
Camps are organised by the Committee and coaches, but we are heavily reliant on parent helpers to assist in a variety of activities. These include car-pooling, trailer transportation, catering, boat maintenance etc. A group of parent helpers are required on site during the course of the camps.
Nutrition for all is a key requirement as training camps can be quite exhausting. All camp attendees are requested to provide their own lunch for the first day and also to bring a container of nutritional home baking that can be used for post training recovery. Catering is provided for all crew members, coaches and parent helpers (staying at camp) for all other days. Special dietary requirements can be accommodated if sufficient notice is provided.
Accommodation and Meals
CREW MEMBERS
Crew member accommodation is in single sex dormitory/rooms with some, or all, of their age group crew. The rooms are treated as bedrooms, where privacy is respected. Boys and girls do not spend time in each other’s dormitory/room.
Unless otherwise specified, crew members will need to bring their own sheets (preferably fitted bottom sheet) and a duvet/sleeping bag, blanket and pillow. From a hygiene perspective it is not acceptable to lie on the mattresses without any cover on the mattress!
Rooms can get very hot in the summer and cool in winter, therefore heater/fans may be provided.
Crew members are responsible for keeping their rooms clean during their stay and clearing and sweeping/vacuuming out their rooms on the day we vacate camp.
The Head Coach and Club President (or Committee Member in Charge) set lights out times.
PARENTS/SUPPORTERS ACCOMMODATION
Epworth Camp has both powered/non-powered camp sites available for parents/supporters. These can be booked through our Camps Manager and there will be a cost per night (set by the camp provider) that will be invoiced to you by our Accounts team. We may also have limited dormitory style accommodation available to book - this however, is not guaranteed. Alternatively some parents book into Cambridge Top10 and Air BnB type accommodation nearby.
MEALS
All meals are provided to our crew members as part of crew member fees. All food is prepared onsite in a commercial kitchen by our wonderful parent volunteers. Our menu is loaded with fresh vegetables; nourishing salads, hearty meals and delicious fruit and home baking. We prepare almost everything from scratch (with the exception of “first night burgers” which are a high quality, frozen pattie) so there are very few preservatives or artificial ingredients. Our menu is designed to ensure athletes receive all the fuel they need to grow and cope with their demanding training schedule.
Meals are also able to be provided to parents/supporters who are accommodated at the camp. The cost will be approx $25/day (in addition to accommodation) and you will be invoiced by our Accounts Manager on completion of the camp/regatta. As part of your camp registration, you have the option to elect whether you want food, or you will self-cater.
Meals are eaten together in the camp’s dining room (or at the regatta site). Meals are always healthy and balanced and there is plenty for everyone.
Our season registration form collects details of crew member allergies and dietary requirements. If supporters or siblings attending the camp/regatta have food allergies or special dietary requirements please let our Camps Manager know on the Google Form, and also pack any special food which may be required. If any details change throughout the season, please notify the Club Secretary at Secretary@tgsrowing.org.nz so our records can be updated.
HOME BAKING
Each crew member is requested to provide home baking for training camps. For longer camps, two batches of baking are requested.
Home baking is used as part of lunch, morning/afternoon tea or dessert where appropriate, and distribution is monitored as part of the overall foods prepared.
Biscuits and slices are best as they keep longer, but all contributions will be gratefully received…please clearly label if contents contain nuts or are gluten free.
For transportation, ice-cream containers are ideal, however if you want your container back please ensure it is named (and can either be collected at the regatta/camp or back at the club).
PERSONAL FOOD & DRINK ITEMS
While we provide plenty of nutritious food, and baking and fruit for snacks in between main meals. Crew members are permitted to bring their own small supply of sweets, chocolate, flavoured milk drinks, recovery drinks etc. Please include these with their personal packing and ensure that they are clearly named as they will need to be stored in a communal area (Epworth Camp does not allow food to be stored in dormitories).
Devices at CAMPS AND REGATTAS
Crew members are allowed to use their devices during the day at break and rest times. Phones will not be permitted in rooms after lights out. We’ve found this provides for better sleep for our crew members.
LAUNDRY
Laundry is usually done each evening by magical “laundry fairies”, also known as parent volunteers. Only training gear is washed, so your athlete will need to ensure they have enough underwear and casual clothing to last for the full camp. (Please note that socks and underwear often get wet, so may need to be changed a couple of times per day.) It is vital that ALL items put in for washing are named as with many athletes it can be quite challenging to ensure laundry is collected by the right people. In fact, name EVERYTHING - despite our best efforts it seems many athletes struggle to maintain a tidy room, so clothes can and do get mixed up.
First Aid & illness
Blisters for rowers are highly likely! Crew members are to ensure that they have their own blister prevention and treatment kit (see packing list) - our first aid trained parents/coaches can assist to apply plasters/tape etc.
The club’s first aid kits/boxes are kept in the following locations:
Bayswater Blue Shed (Committee Room)
Camp Kitchen
Boat Park
Coach/Safety boats – in a water-proof box which contains basic items, flares & thermal blankets etc
Erg Shed (Basic Kit)
The club has a number of St Johns first aid trained parents, coaches and senior crew members.
Athletes who are unwell are not able to attend camp as bugs spread very quickly. If an athlete becomes unwell at camp, we will ask that their parents collect them as soon as possible (we will look after them in the meantime, and have a “quarantine room” available to minimise the risk to other athletes).
Camp Schedules
The camp schedule will be displayed in several locations around camp. Crew members and parents should familiarise themselves with the schedule.
Crew members are responsible to ensure they are where they need to be at the scheduled time. While this should be ‘old news’ for returning rowers, it can be a developing skill for new rowers so parents can play a part by encouraging your crew member to be at the right place, at the right time, with the right gear!
All athletes must wear a hat on water, and carry their own personal drink bottle. Drink bottles should not be shared with others.
Athletes stay at camp 24/7...they are kept very busy with on-water training, eating, land training as well as some fun activities and down time.
Parent Participation
Camps are managed by Coaches and TGSRC Committee, but would not function without parents support. An email asking for your support will be distributed prior to each camp.
Many hands make light work :-)
We usually use the website ‘SignUp’ to facilitate people registering for duties. This helps the rostering process.
ROSTERS:
Transport - van drivers and carpools as required to transport boats (rowing boats and coach/safety boats), food and kitchen equipment a.
Kitchen Duties - There will be a roster created which covers food preparation, serving, dishes and cleaning. All parents helping at camp are requested to help with at least one duty per day. The duty roster will be posted in the kitchen. Upon arrival please ensure you familiarise yourself with your duties.
Laundry Duty - Epworth Camp has two large washing machines and dryers which are coin operated ($1 and $2 coins). A parent (or two) will be assigned to laundry duty to wash training clothing (eg row suits, t-shirts/shorts). We may request that each rower provide gold coins for camps/regattas – this can be taped to their home baking container. The camp/regatta specific information will highlight whether or not laundry money is required.
Catering Loading/Unloading - Getting the catering organised is a huge task. Assistance may be required to help with loading and unloading at Bayswater, before and after camp.
NOTE: If, for any reason, the duty assigned to you is not suitable please exchange with someone else on the roster – this is your responsibility and please do not just fail to turn up – this lets the whole club down.
Epworth Camp Facilities
Epworth Retreat & Recreation Centre, 116 Finlay Road, Hora Hora, RD2, Cambridge
The camp is located right beside the Waikato River.
The mobile coverage at Epworth has significantly improved over the past years and hopefully most providers now get reception. WIFI data can be purchased. There will be contact numbers provided to you ahead of each camp in case there is an important need to get in touch with your crew member.
Epworth Camp Facilities
Epworth is set on 10 acres beside the Waikato River and also maintains and utilises 2 acres of water frontage.
Along with the dormitory accommodation for Crew Members/Coaches, Epworth also offers a really lovely setting for camping for parents/supports.
Swimming pool - The use of the swimming pool (for rowers) is to be organised and supervised by the coaching staff. Please ask the Head Coach or TIC for permission before using the pool. Families using the pool must supervise their own children - the supervision needs to be by someone over 16.
When accommodated in the main lodge upstairs, access to the pool, lower field and the river is via the stairs out the back of the kitchen area, not the steps leading to the downstairs site (there is normally another rowing club accommodated in the downstairs area at Epworth).
The Gym - This will often be set up with some erg machines (provided we have space to transport them to camp). It is available for all to use – unless the rowers are using it for training or erg sessions.
Showers/Toilets - Two blocks will be allocated to girls/women and two to boys/men. There is no swapping, even if there are unused showers/toilets.
Dining hall - Parents are welcome to use this area at any time during the day and evening. If we are accommodated upstairs, the only request is that, after 9pm chairs do not get dragged over the floor if there is another group accommodated in the sleeping quarters directly below.
Laundry - This is located on the lower level and there are large washing machines and dryers which are coin operated ($1 and $2 coins).
Chiller - There is a chiller at Epworth Camp which parents/crew members can put personal food items in. Please name your items/bag so it is not used as communal food. There will be shelves allocated for this.
WIFI can be purchased.
Crew members are not permitted to swim in the river at any time as the water may cause infection/illness. Rowers must always disinfect and dress any minor cuts or abrasions each time they return from river training.