2016 Schools rowing

[LBA]

Heads Up I am going to have a rant !! I am bored reading this forum at the moment.
Reading, writing and arithmetic! Do they actually still teach students these basic skills at schools - I am not perfect far from it but I do try my best to construct sentences use spell check and generally read information that is provided on topics I am interested in.
BTS - posted a while ago
"love the gossip, innuendo and unconfirmed scandal of this site. Like others. I will go the merciless ridicule or provocative speculation without hesitation. It's fun, like BS-ing in the pub"
Where is that now?
So far we have
deez ebola nuts - Who I think is actually nuts - like BTS said What are you smoking?
rower for life - asked about Joeys IV's when Oarsome posted the results from Rowing NSW website on this forum. All the results are posted on Rowing NSW website for the whole world to read. Thank you for posting them Oarsome by the way.
RowingLAD101 - "I was on the Parramatta all mornings" Let's hope your resume is well written and you present well in interviews in the future. I suggest you get a mature pair of eyes to edit your resume it before you submit it to any future employer.

At the end of the day - to the best of my knowledge there is a program that generates the draws and there is a formal procedure to change or substitute rowers in crews. AAGPS rowing coaches also use this program to allow the draws to be produced. But sometimes the changes / substitute's are not entered into the program or the actual program has been printed ready to be sold at the AAGPS Regatta's. So unless you know every young rower from every school and what they actually look like we as onlookers will never actually know who is what boat. Crews might have changes due to illness and or injury. Even a good set of Bushnells will not help people like me.

I don't claim to know much about anything really but I have heard that in January Rowing Camps all the boys will have to trial again for seats in boats. Truth be told right up until 12/03/2016 things can change.

I am interested in race plans - do the coaches work out a couple and do they change them every GPS Regatta - last year I am sure each coach would have studied the oppositions race plans - so do they change them this year? - do they have more than one play so to speak? - the best defence is a good offence!

You cannot lift the rating and expect an VIII to respond immediately they are bigger and heavier than a IV. A IV will respond quicker to a call from the cox. Do the schools have cox training - after Saturday I hope so. The shortest distance between two points is a straight line or has that changed as well ??

Technique versus grunt of the big rugby players - the boys who played rugby could pull a good erg but they might have short little arms and look like egg beaters thrashing in the water.

Had my rant - the Race that stops the Nation is not far away better find my fascinator ! I guess it will not be long before the race that stops all the rowing parents of the AAGPS schools will be hear.

Would love to hear from MR and Barry - last year seemed like there was more substance to consume in the Forum - where is the little pig - hope he has not been slaughtered - somebody should have saved him like Babe!

 

[rowerforlife]

LBA, if you have problems with people asking questions, then i'll ask some different ones.
Why is High so uncompetitive, and do you think they will ever win again?
I have also heard that the quads High entered at the Head of the Parra were their Yr 9 Quads, which is quite interesting.

 

[LBA]

Rowerforlife - please I love asking questions everybody should feel comfortable to ask questions any and all types of questions - that is how we increase our knowledge.
The results of how Joeys IV's went at the HOR Parra were available if you looked you did not have to ask - I am sorry if you think I was harsh.

I would never stop people from asking questions - I asked about races plans.
I hope one day High wins again - who knows what the future holds. I think it comes down to the boys that attend each GPS School - High correct me if I am wrong is a selective boys school ??? There focus could be be interpreted as purely academic. It is a personal decision where you send your child to school based on many things.
There are so many variables in having any winning rowing crew the same could be said about rugby, cricket, hockey. I wish High success on the water as I do all the other young men and woman. Is success only measured by the hardware won but? If you improve at any sport have fun make friends - could that not count as success as well !

 

[Inside Shoulder]

High correct me if I am wrong is a selective boys school ??? There focus could be be interpreted as purely academic. It is a personal decision where you send your child to school based on many things.

Don't be too sure about High - the tide may be turning in sport.
Their 1sts beat Newington in cricket in the first round of this season's comp - and Newington have a very good side on paper.

 

[rowerforlife]

Don't be too sure about High - the tide may be turning in sport.
Their 1sts beat Newington in cricket in the first round of this season's comp - and Newington have a very good side on paper.

This is true. Apparently their best juniors are playing in 1st and 2nd XI. But when it comes to rowing..... Their juniors aren't he worst, then something happens, and they lose in the seniors. From the looks of their quads, (their bladework showing Yr9 level) they might promise a better future for High Rowing.

 

[behindtheshed]

Yep! Shore & Scots senior 8's were training in sunny Penrith. Not too sure as to why a school would bother stacking senior 8's into fours for a regatta like the Head of the Parra?

Why indeed? except a clean sweep looks good on the website

 

[behindtheshed]

Rest assured that Shore did not stack any crews at this HOTParra, both senior eights were training out on the Nepean and the remaining fours rowers were competing on the Parra

Just having a quiet chuckle over this. Nobody accused a specific school when discussing stacking, yet so many with elbows extended jumping to Shore's defence!

 

[LBA]

I wonder what level my blade work would rate at ?
Unfortunately I will not be using my binoculars on the 14th. I hope everybody has a good day! No doubt the forum will run hot with every little detail.
Oh just a quick question - what is the minimal rowing coaching level to coach at GPS rowing sheds?

 

[BOAT]

Afternoon guys, can anybody clarify for me about scots in the Loreto Normanhurst Regatta coming up, why they have entered 5 4s, did they put some 2nd8 in a 4 or is it just some of the reserves/ 3rd8 ?

 

[ColonelM]

In light of recent discussion on the future of High rowing, here are my thoughts:

It is certainly possible for any school to be successful in the GPS competition. History has shown that every school has had their time in the spotlight: High in the '20s, Newington in the '90s, Kings in the '80s, Shore in the '00s, Grammar around 1920, the list goes on. Every boatshed comes in and out of form, for reasons such as staff impact and the rowing culture within the school. These eras take years to build up, can last for years but have the potential to be lost quickly. It is not uncommon for schools to go through long periods of time unsuccessfully, as all schools have experienced at some point in GPS competition. At the moment, some sheds are thriving while others are struggling to gain traction, as it has been throughout the history of the competition. This seems to be the reality of GPS rowing.

On the other hand, however, are the unexpected successes, the ones which tend to be talked about and remembered more. Grammar won their first Rennie in over 30 years in 2011, and this win was largely not foreshadowed by their results in the years before. These are the exciting wins, the underdogs, the dark horses.

So to wrap up, while High and certain other sheds may not be thriving as much as others are at the moment, there is still the chance that any crew pulls it off on the day. Whether they make it happen this season, next season or if it takes decades to change the rowing culture at their school, history has shown that every shed has their time. We may not see that from High in the near future, but I'm sure we will eventually.

I'd love other opinions on these ideas, so don't hold back if you see things differently!! Do you think a shed's success goes in cycles over the years??

-M

 

[LBA]

Secret KT business is my only thought Boat.

 

[LuvToRo]

Secret KT business is my only thought Boat.

Yes i agree. I looked at the full crew list on RNSW and it seems as though that the stroke of each four is out of the scots eights from last year. I know that these lists are not always correct but i thought that was an interesting point.

 

[LBA]

ColonelM I do agree with you things change in GPS boatsheds and I am huge fan of the underdog winning or the dark horse stretching its nose to cross the line and a photo finish. Who will ever forget that Nudgee cox jumping into the arms of the stroke.

As with life there are seasons and changes that happen over time. But it is what goes on behind the scenes that I find interesting. I have asked this before - just because you are an Olympic rower yourself - will you automatically make a good coach? Are good coaches the ones that yell and scream or the ones that make a connection with the boys know each of them and work with them to improve their technique. Can you take boys who can row and with training of the mind and body turn them into winning crew. It was mentioned before you have to have the ticker and I agree. It is the stuff that a huge rowing budget cannot buy that can turn young men into a winning combination. Tall boys with long leavers and the will to win - or shorter boys with short arms but with big hearts. So many variables. Race plans I think would a be a critical factor - know your enemy.
All I would like for every young male or female rower is for them to enjoy the sport - to continue to improve and to have a little fun when they can.
Life is short just like the GPS Rowing season - for some boys this will be their last season - I hope they will continue to row long after Yr12. I am paranoid now about reading and checking my spelling and grammar now. Do not want to be a hypocrite.

 

[rowerforlife]

Just checking the Rowing NSW site, it says that there is a Junior Head of the Parramatta. What is this race? There do not seem to be many entries.

 

[LBA]

I just checked on the Rowing NSW website the draw is not up for the Junior HOTR Parra? It should go up soon I would imagine.
In my humble opinion - not Gospel. The events on offer are for the Junior boys to compete in. The course is only 3,000m, it would be the first time the Yr8 quads experience a rolling start. A mini or junior version of the HOTR Parra - when the draw is up I will have a look at the entries but I think you will find some of the GPS schools will enter maybe Redlands.
It is a great opportunity for the young members of the rowing sheds to have a hit out and get the feel of rolling starts a longer course - I think they only race 1,000 metres at GPS Regatta's. For the Yr10 boys it is their first race in sweep boats. All very exciting. I hope I answered your question. Will try and look when the draw goes up.

 

[rowbuddy]

Shore 1st VIII scratched the Normanhurst Regatta. Very low competition across the boys races.

 

[oarsome]

Whilst I'm disappointed that I'm going to have to wait another week to see the fierce competition in the Schoolboy 8's (no GPS 1st 8's racing this weekend at the Normanhurst Regatta), Im actually pleased that most coaches have recognised that their crews may need another week or so to ensure they are technically and mentally prepared to line up against the other schools.

There is nothing worse than being on the start line with a sense of doubt, and/or putting together a poor race performance that hinders confidence for future weeks and races. A good start to the season can mean a lot..

 

[LBA]

I must say - I am really tired of reading about good erg scores. Where is the Regatta draw that indicates erg scores ? Who is anybody to make blanket statements about the determination of one particular school ! Unless you have an all access pass to every GPS Boat shed you will never know all the erg scores. I am confident that every coach and rower would be doing their best to prepare to race at the 1st GPS Regatta. Sometimes if you try to hard you make stupid mistakes - over confidence can be a weakness.
Who is to say that the hardware collected by St Joseph's is not going to provide tremendous determination and motivation. They have it and don't want to let go - they will not just roll over and hand it over. Those young men might "want it the most".
The Shore supporters on this forum are not backward in coming forward. I have said it before and I will say it again - I am a fan of the quiet achievers and the humble doing well. Newington might have a drum they bang on but Shore supporters bang on about rowing. A little humility would be refreshing and a touch of good sportsmanship.
How do you know Kings have kept the crew exactly the same since 2014?

 

[Johnny come lately]

Going ham: another one post wonder boy.

Half the posts on this thread are by one posters flying the navy and white flag. Zero cred fellas.

 

[LBA]

The one post wonders might be posting in between pulling great ergs!