Newcastle Schools Indoor Rowing gets underway in 2008

Three schools linked to Clubmark accredited Tyne Rowing Club have
started up their indoor rowing clubs for 2008. There has been a
flurry of rowing activity in schools in Newcastle as the three
schools have been taking part in assemblies and taster sessions aimed
at getting school children into rowing in the west of
Newcastle. Kenton School, All Saints College and Walbottle
Campus Technology College have spent the past two weeks finding out
about rowing and taking part in indoor competitions.

Kenton School has seen all of its Year 7 pupils take part in
taster sessions during PE sessions over the past two weeks. Over 300
pupils have had the opportunity to compete against fellow pupils in
indoor rowing competitions.

All Saints College has also seen similar activity with a Year 8
group taking part in a taster session using the schools new indoor
rowing machines as well as the whole year seeing a presentation on
rowing in schools and at Tyne Rowing Club.

Walbottle Campus Technology College’s Year 8 pupils have also been
visited and were highly receptive to an assembly that gave them an
idea of what rowing was all about. Many thanks must also go to
Keiran Emery, while also being a junior world champion, he was also
an ex-pupil at Walbottle and his name was used shamelessly to promote
rowing to prospective rowers!

The response from pupils and staff alike at all schools has been
highly enthusiastic, with interest from pupils being very high. We
are already seeing inter-school competition growing in Newcastle,
with the three schools wanting to compete against each other. We
hope that many competitions will come from this.

During the summer term, pupils in the after school clubs will move
down to the river learn to row at Tyne Rowing Club. The club hopes
that this will prove to be a positive experience for all involved and
that many of those who take part will continue to row with the
club.

Finally, many thanks must go to the PE departments at Kenton, All
Saints and Walbottle; in particular Graeme Wood for setting up all of
the Kenton taster sessions, Laurie Ingham for setting up the taster
session and assembly at All Saints and finally Avril Fleck for
organising the assembly and after school club at Walbottle.

Gavin Coates
ARA Community Sports Coach
Tyne Rowing Club