Middle School at Osprey

Who / Where / When 
2025 Spring Season Registration Open Now! 
Offered at BOTH Osprey AND Nathan Benderson Park this year! 

• Registration: At the bottom of the page!
• Grades: 6 through 8 - No experience necessary! 
• Location: This page is for our Osprey Location: 343 Palmetto Ave, Osprey 34229
• Fall Dates (see below registrations for more details on times/dates):
  • Preseason is August 27 - September 28 (Only offered at Osprey)
  • Regular Fall Season is weeks of September 30th - December 9th (no Thanksgiving week practices)
• Practice Days & Times: The middle school program is 2 days/week. 
  • Weekday practices are 4:30PM-6:45PM (6:30PM during Daylight Savings)*.
  • Saturday practices (only offered at Osprey location) are 8:30AM-11:30AM.

*Schedule Note: For those who may get out of school later in the day, it is ok to arrive after 5:00PM for your weekday practice. You will still get to participate and we are used to working kids in when they arrive to us. 

Osprey:

• Osprey's standard program has you choose one weekday and everyone comes on Saturday. You get to choose rowing in a 1x or 8+'s during the week and everyone rows in the team 8+'s on Saturday. This session will start October 1st and finish on December 12th (no practice Thanksgiving week). Rowing will be mostly in 8+'s (8-person boats). All levels welcome. No experience necessary.
  
  • Preseason: Offered Tuesday and Saturday practices for 5 weeks August 27 - September 30. Primarily rowed in 8+'s.
  • Singles Program Regular Season: Sculling (2 oars per rower) in singles, learn the skills of handling your own boat and the refined skills it takes to row a single. This program starts the week of September 30th is offered Mon, Tue, or Fri. You will choose one of these week days for the season. Saturdays will be in 8's (sweep rowing) with all program participants.
  • 8s Program Regular Season: Sweep (1 oar per rower) in team boats, learn how to row in 8s and how to work together as a team. We offer this option on Tuesdays or Thursdays. Saturdays will also be in 8's (sweep rowing) with all program participants. 
  • Additional Days: Some individuals would like to come more than the two practices a week so we allow you to add an additional day for the regular season.

Fall Races: For athletes who are ready and interested in competing, there are 3 optional Fall races. Race fees are charged separately.

• • • Benderson Chase, Nathan Benderson Park, October 12th-13th
    • Halloween Regatta, Tampa, FL, October 26th 
    • Plant High Fall Sprints, Nathan Benderson Park, December 7th 
    • Sarasota Crew Intrasquad Regatta, Nathan Benderson Park, December 14th

Spring Season:

• • Spring Session: 10+ weeks of rowing in the program of your choosing. January 20th to April 5th (No practice the week of Sarasota School District Spring Break). We will have practices on days that are school holidays during this session. We offer a race opportunity instead of practice for AYC Series 1 in February and again in April.
  • Spring Add-On: We offer an additional spring session of 5 weeks that ends with a race for those that want to continue. This is the only session where we recommend that athletes have prior rowing experience. Dates are April 5th through USRowing Southeast Regionals in May at Lake Lanier in Gainseville, GA. The fee for the spring add-on will include this race.
  • Spring Race Options: For athletes who are ready and interested in competing, there are 3 optional Spring races. Race fees are charged separately.
    • American Youth Cup, Sarasota, FL, February 14-15th
    • Florida State West District Championship - April 5th, Sarasota FL
    • USRowing Southeast Regional Championship, May 10-11th, Gainseville, GA
• End of the Year Banquet, May 18th, 2025. All program participants and their families are invited!