Indoor rowing partnership breaks down barriers across Manchester

Manchester College, AoC Sport, and British Rowing partnership goes from strength to strength at the latest Manchester College Indoor Rowing Festival

Over the past few years, British Rowing has built a fantastic working relationship with AoC Sport (Association of College Sport).

This national partnership is designed to help more college venues and further education students have the opportunity to go rowing for the first time. With a newly developed Go Row Indoor college hub initiative, both organisations have been able to help more students nationwide to go rowing, many who have never engaged in the sport before. Thanks to funding support of Sport England,  British Rowing has created new relationships with colleges across England. All of the work is aiming to establish and set up indoor rowing programmes that in return, break barriers to the sport and help more students take a first step into rowing.

Manchester College has become one of the latest thriving Go Row Indoor colleges and it is thriving. The college has worked closely with the British Rowing Community Team to help invest in indoor rowing equipment and set up support, before delivering Go Row Indoor Instructor training for students and staff to provide valuable CPD and qualifications to aid future careers. As well as this, the partnership has helped new events to take part in challenges such as the National Online Indoor Rowing Challenge League and AoC Sport in-person indoor rowing events. On top of this, the college is also starting to make links to local Learn To Row opportunities and talent ID via the local Performance Development Academy and clubs.

On Thursday 12th of June, Manchester College and British Rowing celebrated their working relationship by delivering the first inaugural indoor rowing festival at the Openshaw Campus in Manchester. Students were able to access a masterclass on indoor rowing technique, followed by some fierce and exciting individual and team relay racing. Alongside this, the local Performance Development Academy Coach Clare Holman joined the event to undertake some Talent ID testing, giving the students an incredible insight into what it takes to reach Olympic level.

This involved physical benchmarks as well as learning the key do’s and don’ts of competitive rowing. Several students exceeded the national average for Olympic rowing profiles. Three in particular measuring an impressive 6ft 9in with a 7ft 5 wingspan, 6ft 7 with 7ft 1 wingspan and another standing 6ft 4 with a 7 wingspan respectively.

Sam Strickson from AoC Sport said: “It’s been fantastic to bring indoor rowing to Manchester College as part of our growing commitment to providing diverse and inclusive opportunities for students to get active.

“Events like these showcase how indoor rowing can be a powerful tool for both fitness and teamwork, no matter a student’s background or ability. We’re proud to see rowing becoming a regular feature in the AoC Sport programme with the Go Row Indoor College Hubs and the further development from regional and virtual events. It’s great to see colleges like Manchester embracing it with such energy and enthusiasm.”

Ambokile Bell from Manchester College stated: “Our students have had the fantastic opportunity to work closely with British Rowing, thanks to Chris Farrell and his brilliant Community team. The festival focused on grassroots engagement, as well talent identification, indoor rowing training, with a taste of competition at the end.

“A big thank you to AoC Sport and British Rowing for the time, expertise, and energy and we are looking forward to growing this Go Row Indoor College hub partnership and bringing more unique, rowing and high-performance opportunities to our learners in the next academic year.”

Head of Community Chris Farrell said: “We are delighted to be working with AoC Sport so closely and supporting colleges such as Manchester to be able to offer rowing as a new sport to both students and staff members. Rowing is something that has not been accessed by many FE students in colleges in the past and thanks to the Go Row Indoor College Hub offer and Sport England support, we have been able to break barriers and start to help college students with opportunities to make a first step into the sport.

“Whether that is for fitness, to help progress in a coaching or work career, to take part nationally against other colleges and students, to enter BRIC, or to enjoy the sport at grassroots club level onto water, as well as link into local talent ID. It is great to see rowing thriving in a new venue and witnessing many of these young people enjoying and seeking a suitable next step in the sport that works for their ambitions.”

If you are inspired by this work or are a college keen to set up and support rowing for your students, please email [email protected] to get started today.