Shout is where you can have your say on junior rowing. Whether you want to tell us about your club, event or a really exciting rowing experience, here's where you can shout about it.

Fiona Parker recently flew over to America to compete in the Head of the Charles. Here's her story.... 

My Head of the Charles Experience

“Thames Rowing Club, take up the pressure! You’re almost at the start….and Go! Good Luck Brits!”

When I was told I was going to Boston, USA, to row in the Head of the Charles I was thrilled. The Head of the Charles is the largest rowing event in the World, with competitors ranging widely in abilities, ages and nationalities. It was not long before our squad was over 30 thousand feet high in the air armed with our personalised kitbags and heading to Boston.

The first few days in Boston were a great chance for 'team bonding'. We indulged ourselves in American culture by eating 'yellow meals' each day which featured chips, eggs, toast and waffles (Oh, what would our coach have said!) and by spending our dollars on the under priced Urban Outfitters and Abercrombie goods.

We also had a training session before the weekend, which gave us a chance to get used to steering the notoriously difficult course of seven bridges and a number of bends including the infamous 'hairpin turn' where a minute can be lost through a slight steering error.

My double partner and I were lucky to be offered the facilities of the Harvard University Boathouse and additionally a fantastic Fluid Design boat. The day before our race, we got up early to watch our coach compete and to take in the atmosphere of the event. It was more like a party than a rowing race, with free samples of food being given out everywhere, loud music and stalls which must have been selling every piece of kit in the USA. There were also rowing stars everywhere and it gave us all a great boost to think that we were racing at the same event as legends like Alex Partridge and Mahe Drysdale.

On the morning of our race heavy rain greeted us and we decided to boat as late as possible to ensure that we would not get too cold. As we rowed to the start, the nerves began to take hold of me, but they were dominated by excitement as I realised what a fantastic opportunity this would be. As we crossed the start line we were affectionately referred to as  "Brits!”, this made me smile for one last time before we took the rate up and began our starting sequence.

Our excitement kept us rowing hard throughout the course and it grew as we began to overtake boats! The best part of the race was when a loudspeaker announced to the crowd, that we had come 'all the way from across the pond'. In the end, both the four and the double from our club enjoyed fantastic results.

The Head of the Charles was an incredible experience and I recommend anyone who is given the opportunity to compete to seize it. It is completely different from any other rowing event and was unquestionably the most electrifying race I have ever had."

Fiona Parker, 16

Here's some of the thoughts from York City RC collected together by fourteen-year-old, Becky Turley.  If you'd like to feature on this page with your junior squad then email news@britishrowing.org.

Laura, 17	Nick, 16	Iona, 15
“The people, my teammates and rowing on a morning are the best things about rowing. I try to row three to four times a week. The funniest thing about rowing is having spectators hearing private conversations! The best thing about being a member of York RC is the people and the Ouse is great for rowing on. I enjoyed watching the Olympics! My favourite bit has to be the men’s four: who didn’t enjoy that? I have ambitions for 2012, however they’re somewhat unrealistic!”	“The best thing about rowing is the racing and the group of friends in the boat…and winning! I usually row in a J18 4x- and train seven times a week, sometimes twice a day. I do my schoolwork in my free periods and evenings. Probably the worst thing that’s happened was crashing at the National Junior Sculling Head, and knowing we couldn’t compete. I liked watching the Olympics, especially watching the men’s four beat the Australians! I don’t have any ambitions for 2012; it’s too soon to think about it.”	“I took up rowing because I found netball dull and my brother rowed and recommended it to me. I come down five times a week, but when I’m feeling really enthusiastic, six! I was crazy about the Olympics! The women’s double was the best; it was really inspiring. My goal is to beat my personal best for 2000m by training hard! My favourite thing about being a member of the York City RC is the relaxed atmosphere with the juniors and the sense of support.”
Ruth, 16	Will, 15	James, 16
“I try to row at least four times a week but sometimes that inevitably doesn’t happen. I try to do most of my schoolwork during my free periods, so I have plenty of rowing time after school. I normally row in a double or a coxless quad. I really like the people who I row with and I love the team atmosphere. As for other sports, I like running, but rowing is my number one. I go to church regularly and a Christian youth club, but other than that, I have no time for other hobbies.”	“I started rowing for something to do over the summer. I wanted to stay fit and it looked fun and I like gym sessions the best, because you can feel the effects. I usually row in a single or a coxless four. I tend to row six times a week, and rowing is my priority. The best thing about York City RC are the personalities in the club. My personal goal is to win more medals, and I want to achieve this by doing longer training sessions. My hero is anyone who has won an Olympic medal by more than two lengths!”	“I like the self-achievement and social life of rowing, the 2000 Olympics encouraged me to start rowing, especially Sir Steve Redgrave. My aims are to get faster in the quad, improve technique and train hard. I also want to beat the senior men! Obviously, I will try my best to come as close as I can to the 2012 Olympics, I probably won’t succeed, but I’ll try! Sir Steve Redgrave is my hero, because he shows what you can achieve in rowing.”
Georgina, 14	Joseph, 14	Becky, 14
“I row because I wanted to do a sporty hobby to keep fit and my sister already rowed. Training on the river with friends is what I enjoy the most. I tend to row in a double and a quad. I row three to four times a week but it’s difficult to fit it in with my schoolwork, I try to organise my time so I can fit everything in. My personal aim is that I want to get stronger by training more.”	“I started rowing because I saw the rowers, thought it looked like fun and regattas are the best things about rowing. The best bit of the Olympics was watching the men’s lightweight double. As for 2012, I’m not aiming too high! It would be nice to go, but I’m not holding too many hopes. My aim is to do well at the National Schools Champs, and I plan to work hard and train more to achieve this. I also play cricket, badminton and football.”	“I took up rowing because my dad rows, and he suggested it to me one day, not thinking I would really take an interest. I’ve been rowing for over three years now! I mainly row in the Power Double with Iona! I love meeting new people at regattas. I get on really well with some of the girls from Bradford ARC and the worst thing is probably when I fell in at the start of my first ever single race…at Bradford, doh!! There are so many funny things that happen when we all get together!”
	Phil Jones, Coach
	“I got involved with coaching juniors through coaching my own children. I enjoyed it, so when they went to university I just carried on coaching. I enjoy seeing juniors gain confidence and competence, and progress from being absolute beginners to enjoying the sport and achieving success, whether this is at local or national level. With more equipment, and even more help from club members, we would be able to expand the junior membership further. I look forward to seeing the beginners enjoy their first experience of head racing, and in particular I would also like to see the J18 boys improve on their seventh position at the National Junior Sculling Head.”