Yorktown Crew is a community, comprised of athletes, coaches, parents, and others our program touches either directly or indirectly by our actions (e.g. Yorktown High School, Arlington Public Schools, VASRA, the venues at which we compete, the Arlington community at large, and more)
As a community, our mission is to foster a love for the sport of rowing through an inclusive, supportive environment grounded in hard work, positive and open communication, transparency, honesty, consistency, and active engagement by all involved. Though athletes and coaches are most often the public face of our community, it is our collective expectation and commitment that all members of our rowing community will exhibit good sportsmanship both on and off the water, have the utmost respect for peers, coaches, and officials involved in scholastic rowing both inside and outside our program, and will uphold the values of YHS Crew.
The spirit of this mission is demonstrated by our commitment to standards that include but are by no means limited to the following:
• Fairness and Sportsmanship. Though our community is centered on a competitive sport, members of this community are committed to fairness in the treatment of one another and those whom we compete against. This begins with good sportsmanship, but it includes the fair treatment of others inside or outside of competition and training. YHS crew does not condone and will not tolerate actions by its members that discriminate based on gender, religion, ethnicity, race, sexual orientation, or belief, or that result in the mistreatment of anyone for these reasons or any others, be that mistreatment physical, written, verbal, emotional, or otherwise.
• Athleticism and Work Ethic. The YHS crew community is committed to providing athletes opportunities that allow for their ongoing improvement as rowers and coxswains, and as athletes and individuals. Enhancing an athlete's awareness of the positive impact of hard work, development of measurable skills, attention to detail and the ability to deal with adversity are tools valuable in life as well as in athletic competition. A strong work ethic, along with disciplined judgment, is intended to encourage the athlete to recognize and value team accomplishments above personal achievement. Through consistent analysis and reflection, the athlete comes to a better understanding of their sport, teammates, and values the spirit of competition.
• Social/Emotional Wellbeing. Student-Athletes will demonstrate compassion, responsibility and dedication to their team, teammates, coaches, and competitors and act always with integrity, honor and an understanding of their individual role in the school and community. Equally, coaches and parents are expected to demonstrate the same, to each other, to their athletes, and to the rowing and larger community in which we take part, setting an example for their athletes and the sport. Spirit, loyalty, confidence, self-esteem, and enjoyment of the sport are sought as visible components and indicators of a positive experience.
• Safety. Encompassing all of the above standards of conduct – fairness and sportsmanship, athleticism and work ethic, and social and emotional wellbeing – is an overarching priority of safety, and safety in every respect. This sport takes place on the water. It physically demands of its participants more than most sports. In addition, to be successful, crew requires a strong and healthy mental state, not simply at the individual level, but at the boat, team, and cultural levels. Ensuring safety and a safe environment in all these respects isn’t simply a priority – it is the job of everyone in the community and the expectation of the community that everyone will play their part.
This is the mission of Yorktown Crew. To remain in good standing with Yorktown Crew, Athletes, Coaches, and Parents are expected to meet the items outlined in this mission statement and serve as examples of what it means to be ‘One Yorktown’ – a community built on trust, respect, good sportsmanship, and a safe environment for all.
