Coach Development Opportunities
Take your first steps in coaching or develop your coaching practice further: we particularly welcome applications from groups currently underrepresented in rowing including women and those from diverse backgrounds
British Rowing is committed to building a diverse and inclusive coaching culture where difference is embraced, and exceptional talents can flourish. In October 2023, we launched a new suite of coach development initiatives that enable coaches to work with a British Rowing Coach Developer and create development opportunities tailored to each coach’s needs, to help achieve this aim.
We are pleased to repeat this bespoke learning offer in 2025 for up to 60 coaches.
If you are new to rowing, then curiosity and openness to learn and challenge yourself are more important than having knowledge about rowing.
If you are committed to coaching in rowing, motivation and an openness to developing yourself further are more important than accolades.
What you’ll get
- One to one support from an experienced Coach Developer.
- Money-can’t-buy experiences which will inspire coaches to work creatively.
- Access to a new and exciting network of coaches through Coach Cafes.
- The chance to experiment and push the boundaries of your coaching practice.
- Opportunities to visit regional hubs, high profile outreach programmes and well-established clubs, universities and schools.
- Ongoing support through buddies/ambassadors and the opportunity to share experiences on representative advisory panels.
- A fluid timetable to meet individuals’ needs including tailored workshops and development opportunities.
About you
We want our coaches to be representative of everyone in society and we understand the importance of different experiences and voices.
It’s important to know that you do not need any prior knowledge of rowing.
We are looking for people who have a willingness to learn, challenge concepts and bring new ideas to the sport. We particularly welcome applications from groups currently under-represented in rowing including women and those from diverse backgrounds.
We also welcome applications from those who are in coaching leadership roles in community clubs, or aspire to those roles and those who are concluding a formal coaching qualification and who would welcome support in transitioning from the classroom to practice.
If you have a passion for coaching sport and developing others, then we would love to hear from you.
Benefits to you
- You will work with a Coach Developer to understand you and your context, and plan the best way to support your goal to become a rowing coach.
- You will be supported to bring your personal development plan to life and fruition, with workshops, communities of practice, online learning resources and opportunities to shadow our coaches to learn about what they do and what rowing and coaching is all about.
- If you don’t already have one, then you will be given the option, if you choose, of completing a coaching qualification. The end result will be the confidence to coach rowing sessions for your community, engaging those who might not have considered rowing before.
Our hope is that you stay in the sport and build a lifelong career around the opportunities provided and the skills you have developed.
Responsibilities
- Work with pathway and community coaches, gaining experience of the Regional Development and Outreach programmes to learn to deliver sessions aimed at developing rowers.
- Attend and support the delivery of an agreed number of development opportunities throughout the year.
- Bring new ideas and challenge concepts surrounding the Regional Pathway to support the development of the programmes moving forward.
- Promote rowing, developmental pathways and outreach programmes within the community as a sport open to all and a means to progress in rowing.
- Learn about, understand and encourage the use of the Rower Development Guide.
- Abide by and promote all British Rowing’s policies including Safeguarding, Codes of Behaviour, Welfare, Health and Safety and Clean Sport Policies.
- Promote inclusive environments (such as knowledge and understanding around cultural differences and cost of living barriers, etc.).
Person specification
Essential
- A passion to develop yourself.
- Commitment to the opportunities offered throughout the year.
- The ability to communicate effectively, inspire and enable.
- A willingness to learn and develop in a community development environment.
- Experience working with groups in a sporting environment.
- Current First Aid training, or willing to attend.
- Current Safeguarding and Protecting Children training, or willing to attend.
- To undertake a satisfactory enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) with children’s barred list check if applicable (enhanced DBS check is required if working with adults at risk).
Desirable but not essential
- Experience of coaching or development.
- A qualification related to sport, health and fitness or coaching.
- Experience of working in and promoting inclusive environments.
Please note: Places will be prioritised for women, for those coaches from a non-traditional rowing background and for coaches striving to deliver something new or ground breaking and are struggling to get started or be heard.
If you don’t fit one of these categories, please still apply. Any applications that are not successful this time will help us shape further development opportunities in the sport. We will respond to all applicants.
Cost
The initiatives come with a dedicated development budget of up to £1,500 per participant, with additional funding available where appropriate, to facilitate these.
We ask participants to contribute £250 to this cost.
If you require financial support, please get in touch to discuss. Email [email protected].
Application process
Interviews and places will be offered to applicants based on the quality of their responses to the questions in the application form, with consideration given to an understanding of the information provided on this page.
Applications are now open and will close at 9am on Monday, 28 October 2024.
FAQs
Do I need to be a British Rowing member and what if I am from another nation?
Yes, you need to have British Rowing membership. If you are a member of Welsh Rowing / Scottish Rowing, we would liaise with your home nation on your behalf to see if they would support the bespoke 1-1 support. The workshops would be provided by British Rowing. This is due to the opportunities being funded by Sport England.
Is this suitable for all forms of rowing / rowing projects i.e., indoor, coastal, recreational, rehabilitation?
Yes, absolutely. It is about improving the experience and support for all in the sport.
Can more than one person from a club apply?
Yes, absolutely.
What are the outcome measures? Are they metric?
The outcome measures are not metric, although coaches who feel supported and confident in their role are likely to translate to more rowers. The opportunities are about coach development and experience.
Is there a minimum or maximum age for taking part in this opportunity?
The minimum age is 16 years old at the time of applying and there is no upper age limit. Learning is a lifelong process so if you are curious to learn, we encourage you to apply.
If you have any further questions not covered above, please email our Learning, Education and Development team at [email protected]
Coach Development Opportunities 2025 – Start date
The 2025 opportunities will begin with a formal launch on 24 January 2025 at the British Rowing Coaching Conference.
