January 23, 2008 News British Rowing NewsBritish Rowing EventsRowing CommunityGB Rowing TeamIndoor RowingRowing & RegattaPartners#YourStoriesArchive Newcastle Schools Indoor Rowing gets underway in 2008 Indoor Rowing 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. ADVERT 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 ADVERT