One season ends and the next begins…

Schools Rowing …Why Row?

 Rowers belong to a very positive group of athletes and while at school they have a busy, active lifestyle

 Third formers will have 7 to 10 hours a week of supervised training – through holidays as well.

 Seniors work up to 10 hours on the water and 4 hours land training per week

 3 two day camps and about 10 x 1 and 2 day regattas through the season

 Rowing's training base and discipline will prepare athletes to excel in any other sport, particularly important if they have the talent to aspire to regional, national or professional level sport.

 Rowing also teaches less obvious things like working with a team, self discipline, self reliance, setting and achieving goals, staying controlled under pressure. You'll be pleasantly surprised at some of the changes you'll see.

 The only weight worries rowers should have is whether they are eating enough.

Costs

 In the short time your child is at school, you too will have a busy, active lifestyle as the program needs your help to succeed.

 Although coaches are volunteers and the Rotorua Rowing Club provides the boats through community grants, there are still plenty of costs. Each rower needs to pay about $100 per month from June to March inclusive, about $2 per hour of training. When you fill in the application forms we will provide you with payment details. Each rower affiliated to the club pays regularly into their groups rowing account which then pays the club and others for subscriptions, regattas, camps etc.

 Early mornings – Everyone gets used to them surprisingly quickly and there's always car pooling. The 7.45 pickup to take rowers from club to school has proved harder for many so we work together to transport all rowers to school gyms straight after rowing for showers and breakfast at the gym kitchens for DIY breakfast. The club also have showers and will soon be building more showers for girls.

Support team

 The RRC rowing program has experienced coaches who operate in a team environment, encouraging and training new coaches as they step forward to take on the challenge. They each have had many successes over the last few years.

 Mark Edmonds is the running trainer who uses Smallbone park during the summer on Monday and Wednesday afternoons at 3.30.

 Schools provide great facilities with the gym and assistance in some areas, and provide a liaison person for rowing.

 The Parents from each school have 2 representatives on the Rotorua Rowing Club committee, plus one person who organises the group – mostly via email, one person who runs the account and everyone else helps on a job by job basis – lots to do.

Getting Started

 Come along to one of the meetings we are having in May to learn more and get started

 You can then fill in the club application form and arrange for regular payments to the groups bank account.

 Although Rowing is a summer sport, our training program starts in May, working around winter sports, and builds towards NZ Schools championships at the end of March.

Enquiries: Alastair Riddle 021 447111