Dayncourt School

Two years ago, lottery money given to the Rushcliffe School Sport Partnership funded several rowing machines across secondary schools including Dayncourt School, and, as part of a three year project with Nottingham Rowing Club, success has come at Dayncourt in the form of Year 11 student, Declan Gamble.

Declan first started rowing at Dayncourt as an extra curricular activity via the project and the support of regular coaching by Nottingham Rowing Club.  He has proved to be such an ambassador for the sport that in October 2008, Declan attended a Junior Rowing Leaders course.  From the course, he has now been promoting rowing and delivering sessions in our local primary schools including Candleby Lane School, and has also been helping out with various indoor rowing competitions, proving a very dab hand with all the technical equipment that has to be set up in order for any event to take place.

Also in October 2008, Declan qualified to represent the Rushcliffe School Sport Partnership at the British Indoor Championships.  Here he got his first taste of the big time.  From this, Declan set out to become faster and stronger as a rower.

Earlier this year Declan took part in a 5 week course of ‘wet’ rowing on the River Trent, and from there was invited to join the Nottingham Rowing Club.  As a member he now trains 5-6 days a week at the club.

As if being in your last year at Dayncourt with exam pressures and coursework and representing Year 11 as Vice-Chairperson on the whole school student council isn’t enough, Declan runs a rowing club for our Year 7 students at lunchtimes on a Tuesday passing on all the skills that he has learnt.

On 8 November Declan took part in the Henley Long Distance Sculls on the River Thames which was rowed over a 3,000 m course.  With the help of his rowing partner, Matt Pomery Declan recorded his first win in the J16 double sculls earning him a well deserved trophy.

Declan also won the recent Rowing Factor held at Dayncourt School and through this has proved that he is the number one rower in Year 11 throughout the whole of Rushcliffe.  He will now go on to represent Dayncourt and Rushcliffe once again in the British Indoor Rowing Championships on Sunday 22 November at Birmingham National Indoor Arena along with Sam Bright Year 7, Callum Reader Year 10, Will Gill Year 10, Jo Gilbert Year 11 and Daisy Hickman Year 11.