Novice Program
Jackson-Reed Crew Interest Form
Interested in learning more about Jackson-Reed Crew? Complete our online form. We will notify you with registration for the 2025-26 school year opens!
Interested in Rowing?
Rowing is a challenging but incredibly rewarding sport. Among other things, rowers develop terrific strength and endurance, make a tight-knit group of friends, compete at a national level and learn lifelong lessons in dedication and time management.
Joining the team requires no prior experience. Jackson-Reed Crew is open to all students attending Jackson-Reed High School. If you have never rowed before, you will join the novice/freshmen squad before moving to varsity after your first year.
Because rowing is not available until the high school level, freshmen have a unique opportunity to learn and explore a new sport, starting on equal footing with their classmates and competitors. Over the course of the year, incoming student-athletes go from never having stepped into a boat to rowing at a very competitive level and are ready to join the varsity squad in their second year.
Need Based Scholarships are available
We offer need based full and partial scholarships. The process is confidential. To Learn more read our Scholarship Policy and reach out to our AR Treasurer jacksonreedcrew.artreasurer@gmail.com
The Swim Test
All athletes new to Jackson-Reed Crew must take a swim test but prior swimming experience is not required. If you do not pass the swim test at first, you can still participate in Jackson-Reed Crew - you will wear an approved PFD at all times when you are on the water. Once you feel your swimming abilities and/or fitness have improved enough, inform your coach and he/she will setup another swim test.
Swim test exceptions are allowed for athletes who previously passed a swim test for the 8th grade Learn-to-Row program and athletes who would rather wear an approved personal flotation device (PFD) while on the water.
For the swim test, athletes should wear a swimsuit.
● Part 1: Swim 100 yards with any stroke or combination of strokes without stopping or hanging on the ends or lane lines. Speed and form do not matter.
● Part 2: Tread water for 5 minutes
Swim instruction resources:
Tail of the Potomac 2022
Fall 2025 Novice Practice Schedule
| Novice Girls | Novice Boys | |
| Monday | 4:30 - 6:30 PM | 4:30 - 6:30 PM |
| Tuesday | 4:30 - 6:30 PM | 4:30 - 6:30 PM |
| Wednesday | 4:30 - 6:30 PM | 4:30 - 6:30 PM |
| Thursday | 4:30 - 6:30 PM | 4:30 - 6:30 PM |
| Friday | 5:30AM - 7:30AM | 4:30 - 6:30 PM |
| Saturday | rest | rest |
Winter 2025/2026 Novice Practice Schedule
| Novice Girls | Novice Boys | |
| Monday | 4:00 - 6:00 PM | 6:30 - 8:00 AM |
| Tuesday | 6:30 - 8:00 AM | 6:30 - 8:00 AM |
| Wednesday | 6:30 - 8:00 AM | 6:30 - 8:00 AM |
| Thursday | 6:30 - 8:00 AM | 4:00 - 6:00 PM |
| Friday | 4:00 - 6:00 PM | 4:00 - 6:00 PM |
| Saturday | 8:30 - 10:30 AM | 8:30 - 10:30 AM |
| Sunday | rest | rest |
Spring 2025 Schedule FYI - '26 TBD
| Novice Girls | Novice Boys | |
| Monday | 5:30 - 7:30AM | 5:30 - 7:30AM |
| Tuesday | 5:30 - 7:30 AM | 4:30 - 6:30 PM |
| Wednesday | 4:30 - 6:30 PM | 5:30 - 7:30 AM |
| Thursday | 5:30 - 7:30 AM | 4:30 - 6:30 PM |
| Friday | 4:30 - 6:30 PM | 5:30 - 7:30 AM |
| Saturday | 8:30 - 10:30 AM | 6:30 - 8:30 AM |
Freshman / Novice Coach Bios
Charlotte Elkes
freshmen/Novice girls, head coach
Charlotte began her rowing career in 2015 at Walter Johnson High School. While there she medaled multiple times at Maryland State Championships, stroked the V4+, and qualified multiple times for SRAAs. Due to her conflicting work schedule, she spent her senior year of high school sculling on the Anacostia in the mornings with Washington Rowing and became the first ever athlete to represent Walter Johnson in the single scull category at the Stotesbury Cup Regatta. She also rowed with TBC racing during both the summer and fall of 2017. Charlotte is joining Jackson-Reed after a successful year leading the St. John's College High School novice women to school-record-breaking finishes at regattas such as Head of the Schuylkill, WMIRA Championships, and Stotesbury Cup. Currently Charlotte is pursuing a degree in environmental science at UMD while rowing competitively with Capital Rowing Club at regattas around the country.
Carlo Price
Novice Boys, HEAD coach
Kelsie George
Novice Boys, Assistant Coach
Kelsie George (JRHS Class of 2024) began her rowing career in 2019 with Jackson-Reed Crew's Learn-to-Row program for 8th graders. She continued to row with Jackson-Reed Crew for four years of high school. While at Jackson-Reed, Kelsie contributed to two WMIRA team points trophies, placed 4th at Mid-Atlantic Championships, raced twice at Head of the Charles, and placed 2nd at the 2023 Stotesbury Cup Regatta in the 2V 8 category. In her senior year, Kelsie co-captained the varsity girls squad. Kelsie returns to Jackson-Reed Crew this spring as an assistant coach with the novice boys and learn-to-row program. Although she plans to return to Smith College next fall (where she will continue to row), Kelsie is super excited to help the Tigers to success this spring. Welcome Kelsie!
Gracie Dulin
Novice Girls, Assistant Coach
Gracie (they/them) started rowing as a freshman in 2017 in Oak Ridge, Tennessee with ETRO and Atomic Juniors. They raced for Atomic in the coxed four, in 2021 their senior year, and placed 8th in the nation. They were recruited to row at Temple University, where they majored in Political Science. While an athlete at Temple, they started Student Athlete Safe Space, a club for queer students and allies to find support in athletics. Some of their highlights at Temple include medaling in the U23 4- at Summer Nationals in 2023 and winning at the Kerr and Kelly Cups their senior year in 2024. This past year, they worked as an AmeriCorps VISTA at the School District of Philadelphia while studying as a grad student at the University of Pennsylvania and rowing with Undine’s High Performance team.
