The aim of the project is to select and train a group of up to 10? athletes male or female aged 14 upwards from the Stockton/Middlesbrough area who have the necessary talent to become Olympic Gold medallists in rowing.
WCS and Potential aims to find future Redgraves, Cracknell and Pinsents.
The address of the ARA World Class Start and Potential pages are: http://www.oara-rowing.org
There is no hiding from the fact that it is an extremely tough challenge to get into the Great Britain Olympic rowing team. Not everyone has what it takes to succeed. What WCS&P aims to do within the scheme is to first test to see if athletes have the necessary physical attributes required for success based on some common characteristics of previous successful rowing Olympians. Athletes are then interviewed to see if they are highly likely to be successful based on test results.
Then it's up to athletes to persuade coaches that they have what it takes to complete the training and work their way up into the team.
Some tests are carried out during special visits to schools and universities normally when large groups are being tested. Other tests are carried out here at Tees Rowing Club.
The recruitment of athletes is focussed on schools and universities, although anyone with the necessary talent is eligible.
There is no requirement to have rowed before. We are very keen to recruit talented non-rowers perhaps from another sport but who wish to become an Olympian in the gold medal winning sport of rowing. We actively encourage people who have no previous sports background but who through tests can demonstrate exceptional natural strength and endurance.
Nathan Adams - the lead coach for the project started work here in the North East of England in 2006. Nathan began his coaching with University of Nottingham as Women's Squad Head Coach who he led to BUSA Women's Championship Gold Medal in 2004 in 4+ as well as Silver Medals in L4+, 4x.
2006-2007 Talent Development Coach WCS&P B.I.R.O
2004-2006 Director of Rowing Nottingham University
2003-2004 University of Nottingham Women's Squad Head Coach
2007 Coach of GBR U23 Lwt 4x (5th)
2007
Chris Boddy, Bob Hewitt GBR U23 Lwt 4x
Chris Boddy Bob Hewitt Australia Youth Olympics Lwt2x, 1x 8+
2006
Chris Bartley (Nott'm Uni) GBR U23 lwt2- Gold and new world best, Senior worlds
GBR Lwt 2-
2005
Chris Bartley GBR U23Lwt4x silver
2007 Chris Bartley (now London) World Championships Lwt4x Bronze
Olivia Whitlam (nott'm Uni now agecroft) U23 W2- Gold medal
2004 British Universities Sports Association(BUSA) Head Race
Women's 1st 8+I Bronze 2004, Gold 2005 Bronze 2006
Women's novice winners 2006
Women's Freshers winners 2006
4+ Gold 2005 4- Silver 2005
BUSA Regatta:
Women's Championship 4+ Gold 2004, silver 2005, bronze 2006
Women's Lwt4- Silver 2004, 2005
Women's 4x Silver 2004, 2005.
Women's 8+ silver 2005, silver 2006
Women's 4- silver 2005, 2006
Women's Lwt 2 silver 2005
Freshers Challenge Winners: prize new Lola Aylings 8+ 2006
Women's Henley Regatta:
Lwt 4- finalists. 2004
Lwt4- finalists 2005
Senior 4+ winners 2005
National Championship of Great Britain:
U23 Men's 1x Bronze 2004
U23 Men's 1x Gold 2005
European Universities Sports Association Rowing Championships:
Women's 4- Gold 2005
Women's 8+ Bronze 2005
Women's 8+ Silver 2006
Women's 4x bronze 2006
Women's 4- silver 2006
MLwt4- 5th 2006
Henley Royal Regatta
Diamond Sculls quarter finalist 2005, 2006
Remenham Challenge Cup (women's international VIII's) quarter finalists 2005
Men's 1st VIII quarter finalists 2004,2005
Men's 2nd VIII qualified 2004, 2005
Metropolitan Regatta:
Women's S2 4+ winners 2005
Women's Head of the River Novice Pennant Winners 2006
4's Head of the River:
Women's S2 4+ 2nd 2004
British Indoor Rowing Championships
Open Lwt Bob Hewitt - Gold
Chris Boddy - 5th
U15 James Briggs - Bronze
Tees RC provides mentored coaching support to the following club members who have generously offered some of their time to support the coaching requirements of the WCS&P Scheme: David Francis, Christine Meikle, Gill Stiller, Stephen Leigh, John Harrison
There will be a squad of between 8-10 athletes in the main World Class Start and Potential programme running here at Tees Rowing Club. Three of the athletes are male: 6 athletes are female and are all from Egglescliffe School.
The athletes are:
Men:
Bob Hewitt - Scarborough
Chris Boddy - Yarm
Women:
All of the women athletes who have joined the WCS&P scheme are from Egglescliffe
School.
Bethany Bryan
Kerry Hassal
Bethany Henderson
Jo Wratten
Nathan has agreed to mentor the new men's squad coach, providing a training programme. Some of these athletes will train alongside WCS athletes, providing a performance environment for them to train in. WCS athletes will integrate with the appropriate squads and represent Tees RC where appropriate. First and foremost these athletes are on an international pathway and training programmes will not be sacrificed.
All WCS&P athletes are fully paid up members of Tees RC. WCS_&P athletes wishing to rack boats on Tees Racks will pay full racking fees and will be subject to the same racking waiting list procedures and costs as any other Tees member.
The athletes are training to become Olympic champions around their work or studies. There is no pretence that the training involved is anything but demanding, physically and mentally. No athlete expects Olympic success to come easy.
The club provides a first class training environment with gym facilities on site and access to suitable boats from Tees RC's fleet. Water access is easy, with calm conditions prevailing for most of the year.
The English Institute of Sport in Gateshead offer additional support with athlete's strength and conditioning training. Tees Rowing Club and WCS&P have a first class facility available to them at University of Teesside Sports and Recreation Department Strength and Conditioning Unit.
Monthly camps for World Class Start and Potential athletes incorporate lectures from recognised experts in the fields of psychology, physiology and nutrition.
WCS&P train, on the whole, outside of peak training times.
The senior group train 3 times a day, starting at 7.30am during the week
The junior group will train around school hours, either in the morning from
6.30am or after school from 3:45pm. As the junior athletes become conditioned
the training volumes will increase.
Weekend training is being scheduled from 12.30 for both groups on a Saturday, with the juniors scheduled to train with the rest of the club Juniors on Sunday, from 9:30am through 12.30. Again where appropriate racing and training will be integrated. Should any club junior show promise or wish to work more with WCS athletes it can be encouraged, with the agreement of both the WCS coach and the lead Junior coach.
Athletes on the scheme, as fully paid up Tees members have access to Tees boats under the normal boat booking arrangements. Some Tees members have kindly offered their boats to athletes and there are boats available from a pool that Nathan has access to. The question of any driver insurance for private boats is being investigated. Boats for sculling camps will be required but every effort will be made when athletes are at camp that disruption to normal boat - booking will be at a minimum
WCS&P will endeavour to access Gym and hall facilities at the RTWC Centre using centre facility-booking arrangement constructed by the Centre manager.
Queries regarding WCS&P are welcomed. You know who to ask.
John Green
President
Tees RC