Tynemouth RC making waves with Learn to Row courses
Fergus Mainland caught up with Sam Daniell to hear about the impact of the Learn to Row support scheme as well as the British Coastal Championships on the club
It’s been a busy time up in the Northeast. Tynemouth RC is coming off the back of hosting the British Coastal Championships in August, but it’s also been the club’s busiest period for Learn to Row courses.
For Sam Daniell, Captain of the club based just around the coast from the iconic King Edward’s Bay, the club has transformed over the past 12-18 months. The club has developed a thriving High-Performance squad which has won medals up and down the country and seen athletes gain international selection but since January, they have been inundated with request to join their Learn to Row courses. For a club which had around 20 active members, it was a lot to manage, but they took it all in their stride just as they handle a rogue wave out in the North Sea.
“At the start of this year, we had a huge Learn to Row enquiry, more than we could handle safely given the ratio we want to keep, particularly as we are out on the ocean wave,” explained Sam.
“We were always cautious about taking on too many because we didn’t want too many coming in, and the ratio of brand newbies to people who were more experienced would be a bit off. We tended to run one Learn to Row Course back in the Easter to get most of the summer season. We used to do a traditional eight-week, one session a week type course, which was quite difficult for a small club to manage with no dedicated coaches, so it was quite a strain on volunteers to help and support with that.
“Last year, we trialled doing a one-hit crash course in the autumn, so it was a full day that started on the ergos, some confidence drills in a single, and then out for a quad session. This was just to show what it was like, and if they join, then we carry on with the coaching and the learning. It was a bit of a ‘suck it and see’ because people kept enquiring about doing tasters, but you can’t really do tasters for a novice without going through the ring roll of a Learn to Row course.”
It was during a conversation between members of their Performance squad and some of the staff at British Rowing that the club became aware of the Learn to Row support scheme.
As the club wanted to expand its ability to host Learn to Row courses, it became clear that they needed a new engine for their safety rib.
With more novices joining the club and taking to the water, ensuring a safe pipeline for new members was a priority.
“It’s an old RNLI rib, and the engine had one of the pull cords that nobody could use; you had to be like Arnie to get it started. We’re switching up to an electric start, so those people who have done the Powerboat training in the club can use it. Obviously, they’ll need refreshers, but it means we have much broader safety cover for the club, which is really good.
“The funding helped that, and the other thing that was appealing was the fact that it would be managed through the British Rowing booking system because we intended to have people bringing cash down to the club, or people paying into personal bank accounts, and then it would have to be transferred. It’s not much, but it’s an extra hassle that people can’t be bothered dealing with. Having all of that dealt with was great. The other thing that appealed was getting things advertised, and I think, in a roundabout way, that has helped increase numbers and people looking for Learn to Row courses or rowing clubs.
“We always used to see a spike after the Olympics, but this year, it’s been off the charts. We’ve run two Learn to Row courses; we could have run 10. We’ve got 20 people on our waiting list and lots of enquires to learn to row, it’s unheard of. It’s a great problem to have, and I definitely think the British Rowing aspect has helped.
“For the last nine Learn to Row participants, seven have joined, which is a really good conversion for us. One year, we ran a course for eight people, and nobody joined. It’s great to give people the opportunity, but it’s tough when nobody converts, so we’re really pleased with the numbers now converting. When I asked, most of them had seen something on social media and had then gone on British Rowing to have a look at Learn to Row courses, so there was a definite benefit to being more closely linked to the Learn to Row Scheme.”
The Learn to Row courses have allowed the club to cast a wider net, bringing in new people who want to learn how to row. As well as this, the club is keen to grow its presence in the Northeast, emphasising that they are a club that will cater for everyone, regardless of your rowing background.
A big catalyst for this was the British Coastal Championships. Spearheaded by Heather McDermott, the Championships allowed the club to gain recognition across the region and beyond.
“She did an amazing job, and huge kudos to her,” stressed Sam.
“She was really keen to hook in as many local organisations as possible. While she has contact with a lot of local clubs, she has built relations with a local jet ski club that did safety cover for us. The sailing club that is in the haven with us was also involved. All the different safety organisations were told, she built up a great relationship with the council, who were very supportive, so it really put us on the map as part of that coastal community and sporting community on the north east rather than on the side.
“The timing was a bit off for a lot of the river clubs to get engaged. There was a regatta at Newburn the same weekend, and there were other things going on, and I think people were also unsure as to what it was going to be like. However, the coverage, I mean, we had TV coverage, which was incredible, seeing people you know on TV was brilliant.
“We had TV coverage, which was really cool, a lot of social media coverage, and some of the photography out of the event was fantastic. I think it will have shown river clubs in the Northeast that this is an option for them. Possibly not just to switch, but to have it as an alternative over the summer. We’ve had quite a few enquiries from experienced rowers wanting to do tasters and give it a go, so I think that has been a good outcome from that event.”
Sam and the rest of Tynemouth RC aren’t trying to be a river club; they are trying to be the very best club they can. One that welcomes everyone with the same warmth that greeted Sam when she first arrived. For lots of the members, Tynemouth RC is the only club they have known, and Sam wanted to use the Coastal Championships to prove that it is a sport for everyone, and there are plenty of other rowers similar to them around the country.
“We’re at that point where we have a big gap between those who learned to row at the club and our high-performance group. I want to start pulling those people up to fill into a Senior and Masters squad that is competitive, particularly the new focus on coastal rowing. It sounds daft, but sometimes you have to see someone who looks like you going and doing it to think, ‘Oh, I’ll go and give it a go,’ rather than looking at the Olympics and they are all in their twenties and there’s no way someone who learned to row in their fifties could compete.
“A lot of our rowers have never done anything out of Tynemouth or out of the north. We’re also seeing an increase in enquiries from people who have rowed elsewhere, which is great, and the gap we’ve had historically. Now, there is something available, but it’s layers upon layers upon layers; there’s been a lot of activity over the last 12-18 months that has shown that Tynemouth has a place.
“When we were trying to be a river club, we were never going to compete as we can’t trust our water, we can’t row in fine boats, and we were never going to get the conditions, so we were always the poor cousins of the river clubs. Now, we are competing at a high level in a world that suits us, and I think that’s made a real difference. The British Rowing push on coastal, particularly Beach Sprints, with LA coming has really helped us by showing people that it is something that is available.
“One of the things that I say to people who enquire is that there is something for everybody. I’m really determined that the club remains like that and that there is a warm welcome for anyone, whatever your ability you have. While it’s exciting to see the club grow, that’s something we want to hold onto that whoever you are and you’re willing to give it a go, you will find your level and we’ll support you.”
British Rowing is pleased to announce the launch of further Learn to Row grant support for the summer and autumn 2025 season, which clubs can apply for now.
This is an open application process for both clubs that have already taken advantage of the Learn to Row support and new clubs to the scheme. Clubs can apply anytime from 8 August through to the 31 of October 2025 – support is available for Learn to Row experiences across indoor rowing, river, coastal, or a combination.
