2016 Schools rowing

[Liam Robertson]

It is very very difficult to give out rowing scholarships! Where would GPS schools import from. Maybe Kinross but unlikely or the only other place is other GPS schools most likely Shore.

I'll have to disagree with you on that one. State and National Regatta's are very popular amongst all rowing clubs and schools, and I don't see what's to stop coaches or directors of rowing from going up to that certain club or school and be interested in a particular rower. I mean if you look at the winners of A finals for singles sculls or pairs or even fours, most of them hail from clubs or schools outside the GPS. Not saying we should do it, just saying if schools wanted to do this, it would have already been occurring.

Cheers,
LR

 

[LuvToRo]

I'll have to disagree with you on that one. State and National Regatta's are very popular amongst all rowing clubs and schools, and I don't see what's to stop coaches or directors of rowing from going up to that certain club or school and be interested in a particular rower. I mean if you look at the winners of A finals for singles sculls or pairs or even fours, most of them hail from clubs or schools outside the GPS. Not saying we should do it, just saying if schools wanted to do this, it would have already been occurring.

Cheers,
LR

Absolutely agree that we shouldn't do it Liam Robertson but!! you would have to import at least 3 or 4 rowers and the people that you could or would pick up from state and national regatta's are not of the same caliber of the GPS school rowers. This will also be at massive expense to schools (not saying they don't have the money) and finally to finish my rant (sorry) if the imported oarsman gets injured its a disaster.
Just my opinion

 

[bow seat]

Absolutely agree that we shouldn't do it Liam Robertson but!! you would have to import at least 3 or 4 rowers and the people that you could or would pick up from state and national regatta's are not of the same caliber of the GPS school rowers. This will also be at massive expense to schools (not saying they don't have the money) and finally to finish my rant (sorry) if the imported oarsman gets injured its a disaster.
Just my opinion

I think before schools start importing rowers, maybe they should look within their own ranks. I'm sure I speak for every school here when I say that there are athletes at each school who could be good rowers purely off of their athletic ability, but don't want to row. Maybe if schools spent more time on trying to recruit their schools best athletes they would have more success. Just my opinion

 

[LBA]

Really - is that what you have interpreted from my comments.

I was simply asking - what does "Being backed by a Billionaire" actually mean?

Making grand statements and predictions are all well and good but sometimes you need to back it up with some evidence.

This is forum should be light and a bit of fun.

Nobody is reinventing the wheel.

We all love rowing that is a given - why else would we tap away at a keyboard??

Maybe somebody with barnacles on them like me - would understand the point I am actually trying to make.

 

[behindtheshed]

 

[SBrow]

Really - is that what you have interpreted from my comments.

I was simply asking - what does "Being backed by a Billionaire" actually mean?

Making grand statements and predictions are all well and good but sometimes you need to back it up with some evidence.

This is forum should be light and a bit of fun.

Nobody is reinventing the wheel.

We all love rowing that is a given - why else would we tap away at a keyboard??

Maybe somebody with barnacles on them like me - would understand the point I am actually trying to make.

Backed by a billionaire means the Riverview shed had a substantial amount of money left to it by a very wealthy man, hence the upgrade in the shed, and equipment. Rowing imports don't exist in the GPS, rowing isn't that sort of sport, you would need to import at least 3 or 4 boys to make a difference, which all schools will see as unfair toward the boys who have been rowing since year 8 quads at the school. In addition to this, having witnessed GPS vs club-only rowers, the difference is quite stark, the GPS is a tough competition

 

[behindtheshed]

"Backed by a billionaire means the Riverview shed had a substantial amount of money left to it"

Hardly a "billionaire" but yes, a very wealthy Old Ignatian who left one third of his estate to the school, specifically for bursaries and improving college facilities. It's the largest one-off bequest the school has ever received; however it was not left "to the Riverview shed."[/QUOTE]

 

[SBrow]

"Backed by a billionaire means the Riverview shed had a substantial amount of money left to it"

Hardly a "billionaire" but yes, a very wealthy Old Ignatian who left one third of his estate to the school, specifically for bursaries and improving college facilities. It's the largest one-off bequest the school has ever received; however it was not left "to the Riverview shed."

[/quote]


I used the term 'billionaire' as it was just the word being thrown around. I was told the money was just to the shed, with his son being so heavily involved, but you sound like you are more in the know than me ;-)

 

[behindtheshed]

Well, it's public information out there for all to read - not hard to find in a school publication - but yes, I did happen to hear a bit about it. You never know who's standing next to you at close quarters on the jetty at Bayview Park or in the coffee queue at SIRC.......

 

[fpiglet]

I think he was indeed a billionaire. His healthcare group was enormous. Dont think he had a son. Think he was one of those benefactors you get once in a lifetime!
Ignatius will improve a lot this year with Doyle. He managed to turn a 7th, 6th, 6th run at Joeys to a 2nd, 2nd before moving on. Anyone who thinks Joeys just won out of the blue is mistaken. The culture was turned around ( with Shirlaw's input). The same will probably happen at Newington and is already happening at Scots.

There are close personal and working connections between the coaches at Scots (KT and Doyle) , Newington, Joeys (Morgan & Shirlaw) Shore and Riverview (Doyle & Shirlaw). I think the competition will really be between these guys for bragging rights!

 

[LBA]

SBrow "witnessed GPS vs club-only rowers, the difference is quite stark, the GPS is a tough competition" - what pontoon do you stand on?

Are you kidding me ! I have seen GPS rowers get flogged by Club rowers and just recently. Which pontoon are you standing on?

I am not saying that GPS competition is not fierce - but you cannot make blanket statements like that SBrow. And back to my previous comments a lot of GPS Rowers give up after they leave school.

Rowing is a life long sport - GPS - CDRA - CHHS and healthy competition should be encouraged.

 

[SBrow]

SBrow "witnessed GPS vs club-only rowers, the difference is quite stark, the GPS is a tough competition" - what pontoon do you stand on?

Are you kidding me ! I have seen GPS rowers get flogged by Club rowers and just recently. Which pontoon are you standing on?

I am not saying that GPS competition is not fierce - but you cannot make blanket statements like that SBrow. And back to my previous comments a lot of GPS Rowers give up after they leave school.

Rowing is a life long sport - GPS - CDRA - CHHS and healthy competition should be encouraged.

My apologies, my statement was a bit of a blanket statement, there are some exceptional rowers coming out of clubs, and did not go to GPS schools, Tom Schramko, Sean Murphy, some other boys out of Mosman, boys out of kinross.
there are exceptions, but for the most part, the GPS rowers are just used to the fierce competition that is expected in high level rowing, if you look at some of the top performing national team athletes, Rob Black, Alex Purnell, Nick Purnell, Kit-Cunningham Read, Matt Ryan, Sam Loch, Cam Girdlestone, James Chapman, all from GPS schools, I'm not saying there aren't others, but if you look at national team athletes from sydney/nsw, there are certainly quite a few from GPS schools.

 

[LBA]

Hargreaves, Mc Donald, Kamp are competing in a big pond - just off the top of my head and I feel confident their backgrounds are GPS based. Patterson and Courts who competed at Royal Henley also GPS back ground.

What about interstate SBrow - Adam Bakker ? Not from GPS but secured a place on the podium on an international level.

GPS is just a small part of a much bigger pond - I guess that is my point and I have been going over and over it since last year - perhaps when you are bored you should read a bit of history.

There will always be a bigger fish in the pond and a bigger pond to compete in - I don't really know that much about GPS Rowing hence my visit to this forum again in the history.

I don't think that anybody parading around making bold and unfounded statements is good no matter what sport you may be referring to. Put the runs on the board be humble in victory and defeat.

It is all about how you play the game or row the boat - that is all I am really interested in. Again be supportive of any young adult male or female who has a go - it is not an easy sport to perfect. "E" for excellent effort regardless of what crew - like Behind the Shed said - there are some young men and I am sure young woman as well - who just love to row and have to work their butt off to make the rowing squad. To them I applaud !!

It cannot be all podium wins and champagne and roses - it is the early mornings the blood sweat and tears that each crew puts in that makes it such a wonderful sport.

To the coaches who know the rules of racing and the differences between open water racing and racing at SIRC - who take the time to actively encourage and support each member of the crew.

Walking the walk and talking the talk are two very different things. Again to the God of Rowing I pray. Water like glass, coxes that steer straight like an arrow, healthy competition between crews, Happy jail wardens.

That still cracks me up - I am planning to watch more GPS racing in the coming season.

 

[behindtheshed]

What about interstate SBrow - Adam Bakker ? Not from GPS but secured a place on the podium on an international level.

Think you'll find that Adam Bakker is in Year 12 at St.Joseph's Nudgee, a GPS school of 96 years' standing.

 

[SBrow]

Beat me to it behindtheshed, I was also going to point out that I was talking about athletes from NSW, and how the majority came from the GPS, it would obviously be a very unintelligent thing to do to say all the best rowers in the country are from the GPS, the Melbourne APS, Queensland GPS, as well as the WA and SA systems are of just as high of a level.

You seem to be very passionate about rowing, and eager to learn about the GPS, LBA, let me tell you, there is no competition quite like this one where 15,000 boys will gather to cheer a sport most of them dont give a toss about 364 days of the year.

 

[LBA]

My bad - Thank you so much for correcting me - SBrow and Behind the Shed.

I guess I need clarification of GPS - Greater Public Schools and the GPS schools in Sydney compete in the AAGPS Regatta season.

Is there any interstate GPS regatta's?

 

[SBrow]

NSW GPS is a separate entity to it's QLD counterpart, but it would be nice to see them race their GPS 1st eight's against each other

 

[Johnny come lately]

Like at the national champs, where nudgee came from no where and won it?

 

[Disco3]

NSW GPS is a separate entity to it's QLD counterpart, but it would be nice to see them race their GPS 1st eight's against each other

some of them do race at the Head of the Clarence in Dec. Qld GPS 1st and 2nd (Nudgee/southport). scots and kings competed. scots won 2nd Viii from Southport.

 

[behindtheshed]

I think he was indeed a billionaire. His healthcare group was enormous. Dont think he had a son. Think he was one of those benefactors you get once in a lifetime!
Ignatius will improve a lot this year with Doyle. He managed to turn a 7th, 6th, 6th run at Joeys to a 2nd, 2nd before moving on. Anyone who thinks Joeys just won out of the blue is mistaken. The culture was turned around ( with Shirlaw's input). The same will probably happen at Newington and is already happening at Scots.

There are close personal and working connections between the coaches at Scots (KT and Doyle) , Newington, Joeys (Morgan & Shirlaw) Shore and Riverview (Doyle & Shirlaw). I think the competition will really be between these guys for bragging rights!

We may be thinking of two different men and two different bequests. I am speaking about the largest single bequest the school has ever received.

This may clear things up and I don't fell I'm violating any privacy rules because as I said, it's a publicly available document.