FISA Junior Coaches Conference Concludes in Eton

FISA Youth Rowing Commission member Debby De Angelis reports

55 participants met at Dorney Lake, near Eton

The 7^th annual FISA Junior’s Coaches Conference was successfully complete at Dorney Lake, Eton College, UK on Sept. 17-20.  55 participants representing 20 countries were present for the three-day event.  The coaching experience of the participants included 26 persons with ten or more years of coaching and 13 with less than five years of coaching experience.  Only 14 of the participants work full time as professional coaches and 26 were volunteer coaches.  We had a first time participation from Nigeria and six participants from Russia, making the Russians the largest delegation other than the UK.

Topics included rowing history, school rowing, strength training, rigging and adaptive rowing.  In looking at comparisons of school rowing in four countries, we saw both similarities and vast differences.  We are happy that most do not have the challenges of the South Africans when they go to race at Victoria Falls on the Zambezi River.  It is the only regatta where the umpires launch carries a gun to chase off crocodiles and hippos if they become a problem to the race. 

Sharing coaching experience for junior rowers

Bruce Grainger presented “The secret Craft of Rigging” bringing humor to an early morning presentation on a complex topic with a dynamic PowerPoint presentation as might be expected from one who teaches computing at Eton.

The conference was hosted by the ARA and included a dinner at Eton with Provost and Mrs. Eric Anderson.  Mixing history, art and great food, the evening event was another highlight for sharing rowing education with new found friends in the rowing family.  The excursion included a visit to the River and Rowing Museum in Henley.

Many thanks go to Eton for a well-prepared conference, the rowing coaches of Eton, the ARA, Gary Harris, Rosie Mayglothling, Loretta Williams, Pam Davies, Adrian Barsby and Bruce Grainger.