Overview of Registration

For registration questions, email or text Dana: rowgeorgia@rowgeorgia.com, phone 770-527-6088

Registration requirements must be completed to gain roster eligibility. If items are missing, a rower becomes ineligible to be placed on the roster. It is strongly recommended that you do not wait on any item.

The registration process is similar for both adult and youth rowers, with a few distinct differences (e.g., parent signatures are required on some documents for minors).

Mandatory Swim Test:
Applies to all rowers (youth and adults). Participants must be able to swim. Do not proceed with registration if you cannot swim.

If you’ve already completed a Row Georgia swim test, you are swim compliant, proceed to the next step in registration, unless you have a change that would affect your ability to swim, or unless RGA determines a new swim test is required.

If you have NOT completed a Row Georgia swim test, Swim Tests details will be communicated through your Boathouse Connect profiles, (detailed in Step 3).

What to Wear to the Swim Test:
Shorts and a t-shirt and/or a swimsuit.

What does a swim test look like?
All three components of the test must be passed. Touching the pool floor or wall is not authorized during any part of the swim test.

• Swim 100 yards without stopping or touching the walls or bottom; no breaks are allowed. Note: there is no specific stroke required.
• Tread water for 5 minutes.
• At the end of the 5 minutes of treading water, a life vest will be tossed to the participant. He/she must properly put on the life jacket and buckle it while treading, and then exit the pool.

Next:
To begin your registration checklist, proceed to Step #1, Registration Payment.

STEP #1 Payment

For registration questions, email Dana at  rowgeorgia@rowgeorgia.com.

New to RGA? Welcome! Complete your payment using the RGA payment link.

Next Step:

After you've completed the season's payment using the designated RGA payment link, proceed to Step #2 USRowing Membership.

STEP #2 USRowing Membership - Mandatory

For registration questions, email Dana at  rowgeorgia@rowgeorgia.com.

• USROWING requires an annual membership for all rowers, coaches, and official program volunteers. Follow the instructions below to obtain a membership from USROWING.ORG.
• If you are a returning rower, to maintain eligibility, you must make sure your USRowing annual membership is up to date and will not expire during Tryouts. It is recommended that you set your membership up on auto-renew as not to disqualify your participation in practices or races.

Detailed instructions provided below.

USRowing Membership Instructions:

• Go to https://usrowing.org/become-a-member-
• Under "Individuals", click on "Register"
• Enter the rower's information.
• In the "Club or Team Name" field, type and select Row Georgia.
• A "Roster is locked" pop-up will appear.
• Enter club code J43ZV and complete the membership. 
• Retain your new membership number, you will need it for your Boathouse Connect profile.

Returning Rowers: BC reconciles with USRowing. As long as you have a valid membership w/USRowing, proceed with the next step in registration. Expired US Rowing memberships will result in suspended participation. Row Georgia is managed and operated by volunteers and therefore maintaining individual compliance is up to each individual. Maintaining current membership and attaching the rower's membership to the Row Georgia roster as detailed above are 100% solely within each rower/parent's control. If a participant's USRowing membership is flagged as expired, or not showing up on the Row Georgia US Rowing Roster, the rower is ineligible to participate.

If you have any questions about US Rowing membership, email the Safeguard Chair, at safeguard@rowgeorgia.com.

Next Steps:

Proceed to Step #3 Boathouse Connect - Rower Profile, Parent Profile, Esign Waivers & Docs.

STEP #3 Boathouse Connect at boathouseconnect.com

For registration questions, email Dana at rowgeorgia@rowgeorgia.com.

Who is required to have a BC profile?

• Every youth and adult rower, and at least one parent of every youth rower (to sign parent/guardian documents).

RGA's routine communications are sent directly to the email(s) and or phone #(s) provided in the rower's Boathouse Connect (BC) profile. Parents/athletes control what additional contacts are listed in the rower's profile, thereby determining who simultaneously receives copies of communication sent to the athlete's profile. If your rower is receiving communication, but you are not, then you are not yet listed as an additional contact on his/her profile.

How to set up your Boathouse Connect profile: ***Access Boathouse Connect using a web browser and NOT the app.***

1. Rower's Profile Onboarding Link: After payment has been completed, click HERE for the ROWER Boathouse Connect Onboarding link. Returning rowers are responsible for ensuring profiles are up to date.

2. Parent Profile Onboarding Link: at least one parent of every youth rower is required to have a profile where they will receive access to parent/guardian forms: Click HERE for the custom parent onboarding link.

Additional contacts within rower's profile: Edit contacts in a profile by simply adding additional phone numbers and emails in "additional contacts" inside the rower's profile. Add both mobile #s and email addresses as communication can be sent either way. The type of message sent depends on the subject, length, and urgency of the information.

To add or edit additional contacts on a Youth BC profile:

From boathouseconnect.com, (via the web browser, NOT the app):

• log into the Rower's profile.
• on the left vertical menu, select My Profile,
• select the next My Profile.
• from the horizontal profile, select Contacts,
• click on Add additional contact, and customize your information.

3. Within a few days of completing payment on rowgeorgia.com and completing/updating your Boathouse Connect profile for the current season, the athlete's BC profile will be added to the applicable group. Parent profiles will be added to the Parents-Waivers and Docs group. Both the rower, and parent are required to complete the assigned waivers and documents.

Completing the E-sign documents is required each season.

Click HERE to see a sample screen of a profile's Boathouse Connect Dashboard with assigned registration documents and instructions.

To sign documents on boathouseconnect.com, access the BC Profile via a browser, NOT the app.

BC Q&A

Are the same messages sent via email and text? How a message is sent depends on the content and urgency of the message:

• Text Messages: Used for time-sensitive communications (e.g., inclement weather notifications). These messages are less than 140 characters.
• Emails: Used for more detailed program-wide information that may or may not be time-sensitive, and can exceed 140 characters.

Does Boathouse Connect merge with other databases? Yes, BC reconciles with US Rowing Membership and the US Center for SafeSport databases with our rosters to ensure compliance. Each rower's US Rowing membership and Safesport training must be up to date to maintain roster eligibility.

Is a BC Profile required for the parent of a youth rower? YES. At least one parent is required to have a BC parent profile in order to sign required adult documents. The parent's profile will be added to the BC Parents - Waivers and Doc group.

Next Steps:

After the BC profile is created or updated, and after the esign documents on the rower's BC Profile Dashboard and on the Parent's profile have been completed, proceed to Step #4.

STEP #4: Parking Pass for Lake McIntosh

For registration questions, email Dana at  rowgeorgia@rowgeorgia.com.

• Fayette County Residents: If the car that will be at our facility already has a Fayette County tag, no action is needed. You're covered, proceed to the next registration step.
• Out-of-County Vehicles: If the vehicle that will be at our facility has an out-of-county tag, an annual parking pass is required to avoid citations. Fayette County residents help fund the facility through increased taxes, so out-of-county vehicles are required to have a pass.

How to Get Your Pass:
Visit the Fayette County Parks & Recreation Department at 140 W. Stonewall Avenue, Suite 208, Fayetteville, GA 30214, or call 770-716-4320.

• Special Rate for Row Georgia Athletes:
  Out-of-county vehicle owners who provide receipt proof of payment for the current season can get the parking pass for $50 (instead of the regular $300 fee).
• Pass Expiration:
  Parking passes are valid for the calendar year and expire on December 31st.

Proceed to Step #5.

STEP #5: Preparticipation Medical Eligibility Form - must be uploaded for this season for all YOUTH rowers, NEW and RETURNING:

• Click HERE for detailed instructions on how to complete and upload the form. Do not upload all pages. See the example via the link above for step by step instructions. Make sure the document has been fully completed, including all required fields.
• This form is required for all youth to be uploaded for this season, regardless if you uploaded it for last season. It is not required for adult rowers.
• If you obtained one for last season, you may reuse that one as it remains valid for 12 months from the date of the physical. YOU MUST UPLOAD a physical for this season.

Proceed to the next step, Step #6 Safesport Training.

STEP #6 Safesport

Youth rowers - Safesport is required for every youth rower. For details on which free training to take and how to submit it, click here.

Adults - Safesport adult training is required for any RGA adult who has regular contact with RGA youth rowers. If you're not sure if you are required to take the training, email safeguard@rowgeorgia.com.

Proceed to the next and final step, Step#7 Finalizing Registration.

STEP #7 Finalizing Registration

Review the steps:

All items required for registration are detailed in this checklist, there are no surprises. Each step's status can easily be confirmed by the registrant independently by checking his/her rowgeorgia.com account, Boathouse Connect profile, and his/her USRowing account. All items must be fully completed prior to gaining roster eligibility.

Only the coaches are paid at RGA, and registration is generously facilitated by volunteers. RGA will not chase missing items. If you have any questions or need assistance, contact:
Dana at rowgeorgia@rowgeorgia.com, or via text at 770-527-6088.