Good afternoon!

Welcome to a bumper edition of Oar Talk!

In today's newsletter...

• Farewell Sarah Black
• Welcome Nick Wakeford
• Vale: Robert Hemery
• Coastal Rowing Come & Try Wrap Up
• NIF Resources
• Hayley Verbunt (Aussie Women's 8+ Coxswain) - FREE Hour of Power Presentation!
• RA ROTY Nominees
• RWA Now Hiring: School Development Officer
• UWABC Now Hiring: High Performance Coach
• The Oar Talk Podcast
• Southwest Talent Search
• State Blazer
• Perth Rowing Club's 90th Celebrations
• Swan River RC Open Day
• Trinity Bridges Regatta

Banner photo of the 2018 WA Youth Eight by Georgia Murrell

THANK YOU SARAH

Anyone who's read an Oar Talk in the last few months would know that our long-standing and endlessly patient GM Operations, Sarah Black, has left Rowing WA to head back to Tassie. Sarah has now officially wrapped up her tenure at RWA, and we would like to take this opportunity to say a huge thank you to her.

Since starting in 2021, Sarah gained a reputation as someone who works incredibly hard, is a fabulous person to be around, and simply knows how to get stuff done. She has been the first port of call for any questions about rowing and almost always has an answer.

Sarah was happy to spend her Friday nights processing last-minute New Member Requests from coaches, fine-tuning the draw for the next day, and on the phone to committee members who needed someone to vent to. Anyone who's received an email from Sarah on a Sunday afternoon can attest to her work ethic. She regularly worked massive hours in service of our sport and our community.

The 2023 ARC was a huge success, due in part to her herculean effort as Volunteer Coordinator (recruiting 400 vollies way ahead of schedule!!) and running much of the operational side of things here in WA in the lead-up. During local regattas, she could be relied upon to be the 'fixer' who was able to make cool, calm decisions in the midst of chaos and smile through it all.

We wish her all the best and are endlessly grateful for her devotion to the WA rowing community.

As we announced in the last Oar Talk, Nick Wakeford has been appointed to the position of General Manager of Operations here at Rowing WA!

"I'm delighted to take on the role of General Manager of Operations for RWA! Joining this dynamic and passionate rowing community is a genuine honour. I look forward to reconnecting with familiar faces and meeting new members of our sport. I am filled with enthusiasm about the future of rowing in Western Australia. With your ongoing support and collaboration, I am confident that we can achieve great things."

Nick has settled in to the role now after commencing last week, and is reachable at gmoperations@rowingwa.asn.au. 

It is with sadness that we acknowledge the passing of Robert Hemery on October 31, 2023. Bob, as he was affectionately known, dedicated his life to sports administration, leaving an enduring legacy in the world of rowing.

An energetic and innovative force, Bob commenced his illustrious career in sports administration right out of school. His most impactful contributions were made here in WA, his home state, where he served in a bevy of roles, including as President of ARAWA (now Rowing WA) from 1965 to 67 and in 1972. Bob was also the WA Councillor to Rowing Australia during this period. His influence extended to the formation of the ARAWA Regatta Control Panel in 1964 and the implementation of a long-range plan for the Western Australia rowing team.

Bob was heavily involved with rowing on the national stage. He was the rowing Technical Officer at the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games, where the rowing events were contested at Canning Bridge. He played a crucial role in the 1968 and 1972 Olympic Games as Rowing Section Manager, and from 1965 onwards, he was an Australian and then FISA Umpire. These experiences led to his success as CEO of Rowing Australia between 1992 and 1994. Bob’s dedication earned him life memberships, prestigious awards, and national recognition, including the Australian Sports Medal in 2000 and the Centenary Medal in 2001.

 In remembrance of Bob Hemery, we salute his visionary leadership, innovative spirit, and unwavering dedication to the sport. May his legacy inspire future generations in the world of rowing.

Photo: Bob Hemery with the 1972 Olympic Rowing Team (front row, third from the left)

It's time to pay attention - for the sake of our athletes

There's a new Netflix/ABC documentary you might have seen promo for - Harley & Katya. If you've watched it all the way through, you'll have been rocked by the tragic consequences of a lack of support for athletes & everyone invovled in sport. The issues brought to light by this doco were the catalyst for what is known as 'Katya's Law' - officially, the National Integrity Framework.

The National Integrity Framework is essentially a set of rules that all members of a sport need to follow when it comes to their behaviour and conduct in sport. It outlines a system to protect athletes and everyone else involved in sports that have signed up. It's world-leading and we are so proud that Rowing, as a sport, has signed up. 

So far, the NIF has flown a little under the radar while it has been in its early days. Now that they have really got their processes into shape, more sports have come on board, and it's time to pay attention. 

There have been a number of workshops & opportunities for clubs to learn what their obligations are, but not everyone has been able to get involved.

So - over the next few months we'll be sharing important pieces from the NIF, so everyone in our community has an opportunity to access the most critical info. You should do your best to stay informed - not because you have to, but because it's the right thing to do.

This week's NIF Resources - Spotlight on Improper Use of Drugs and Medicine Policy

"The improper use of drugs and medicine in sport, including the use of supplements and the provision by unqualified and unauthorised people are a risk to the health of athlete and the integrity of sport."

Not just relevant to high performance athletes - coaches, managers, parents, officials & medical personnel are relevant to this policy too!

Video - Drugs & Medicine in Sport (1:35)

Fact Sheet - Improper Use of Drugs and Medicine

Full Policy: Improper Use of Drugs and Medicine Policy

And we'll keep this here in case you didn't read it last edition:

3 Pages - The NIF Complaints Process: Step by Step

With the support of ANA, Mullaloo SLSC, and Ken Edwards (Edon Marine), Rowing WA hosted our second "come and try" day for coastal boats, which will be used in the newly-Olympic sport of Beach Sprints (a discipline of rowing now scheduled for the 2028 LA Olympics).

We had a fantastic turnout from the rowing community and Surf Lifesaving, featuring a selection of 8 coastal sculls and one double for people to try out, along with two surf boats. The enthusiasm was palpable, and as people got involved, we even had a few practice races. A heartfelt thank you to all those who came down and contributed to making it a fantastic day.

We plan to organise more of these events and are gearing up for a coastal beach sprint regatta next year. Stay tuned for more details.

UWA President Megan Bagworth shared her thoughts on the day, saying, "It was a fantastic opportunity to trial the coastal boats in the ocean. Having the chance to see what it's all about and play around using them was a lot of fun. It was great having rowers from different clubs, as well as from the surf club, all there to have a bit of fun and help each other. The day really made me excited about what coastal rowing has to offer in terms of participation and competition."

Photo: A glorious day at the marina! White boat closest to us is Stu Clarke's Surf Boat, the blue sculls in the middle are Ken's Edon Sculls, and the Wintech Coastal 2x is being carried down to the water.

Photo: Megan after coming to a little grief in search of some good waves in her Edon Scull!! Athlete unharmed!

UNMISSABLE HOUR OF POWER WITH THE AUSSIE WOMEN'S EIGHT COXSWAIN!

Do you want to go from the 2nd VIII or your club boat - to 1st VII, State Team & beyond? (Not that there's anything wrong with being a #clubbie)

Do not miss this FREE opportunity to learn from the woman on the strings of the Aussie Women's 8+ - Hayley Verbunt 

Hayley is here to shed light on the skills that separate the mid from the elite - topics like running sessions effectively, coaching from the cox seat, how to nominate for teams, goal setting & more.

REGISTRATION FREE BUT ESSENTIAL: https://www.rowingwa.asn.au/events/214300/

📆 Date: SUNDAY 10th December 2023

⏰ Time: 2pm - 3pm AWST

 📍 Location: Virtual Teams Meeting. The teams link will be sent out to all registrants before the presentation takes place. 

Congratulations to our WA Finalists!

The Rowing Australia Rower of the Year awards is being held tonight, 17th November - we're crossing our fingers for the WA-based finalists in their categories, & all our WA athletes and coaches who may be in the mix for the other awards!

Do you want to...

Develop pathways for kids to row in clubs after school

Create and embed school rowing programs in WA clubs

Support TID projects?

The School Development Officer will play a pivotal role in the delivery of programs to achieve strategic initiatives aimed at increasing participation in rowing across various school-focussed programs. 

This newly created role will be responsible for driving growth and engagement in the sport of rowing within schools (primarily secondary) across WA. They will work closely with affiliated clubs to identify and engage target schools, educate them about rowing opportunities, develop pathways for students to transition from schools to rowing clubs and establishing rowing programs in schools that have not traditionally had them. The key measure of success will be the number of new schools and additional rowers participating in RWA’s All Schools regattas!

The School Development Officer will also promote high performance rowing pathway opportunities through the school network, related to Talent Identification and other pathway programs. 

If you think or someone you know would be passionate about this job... 

Then head to Sportspeople to see our job ad for the brand new School Development Officer role!

The University of Western Australia Boat Club (UWABC) wishes to appoint an accomplished and experienced coach to improve the performance of the club's high-performance athletes. This will include but not limited to the following:

• Conduct up to 7 weekly on- and off-water training sessions (~2hrs each);
• Develop and implement high-performance programs tailored to athletes;
• Enhancing individual athlete prognostic performance over the season;
• Support athlete progression via FTEM criteria; and
• Attend/coach at Time Trials, State, and National Rowing Championships.

This role would be a mid-January commencement. 

Please visit their Sportspeople post for more information including the Job Description and how to apply.

FOLLOW THE POD!

THANK YOU for all your support of our new podcast!! 

LATEST EPISODE: The Aussie Rowing Pathway with Jason Lane (RA Head of Pathways)

NEXT UP: Johnson & Rossi's Season Recap 

If you want to know exactly when the next episode is released - FOLLOW THE POD on Apple Podcasts or on Spotify

Thank you to everyone who has given us a 5 Star review - it's a huge help, as it means the podcast will be suggested to more people, and all the great conversations will be heard by more people!!

As we gear up for the home Olympic Games in Brisbane 2032 we are looking for the next generation of Western Australian Athletes. If you are aged between the ages of 13 and 18 and live down South you are invited to test your potential to be successful in Rowing!
Testing will commence from 9am onwards at 51 Spencer Street, Bunbury.

REGISTER HERE!

Order yours now!

If you meet the eligibility requirements, it's time to get your order in for the official Rowing WA state blazer!

Rowing WA is coordinating the design, manufacture & delivery of these blazers. We'll have ordering windows annually and keep evberyone in the loop when those windows open so you can proudly show off your dedication to your sport. Imagine wandering around at Henley next year with your State Team blazer on!! 

In fact here it is in action at the 2023 Rower of the Year Awards...

The Rowing WA site has more info - click here to check it out and here to order.

Or - get in touch with us (Nick or Izzie) to purchase a Blazer Gift Voucher for the rower in your life (as long as they meet the eligibility requirements)

Happy birthday Perth Rowing Club!

Their 90th Anniversary is being celebrated with a fantastic exhibition being put on at the Canning Bridge Community Space - FREE to attend during opening hours (10am - 3pm Saturday, 10am - 1pm Sunday and Monday). The PRC crew have worked hard to put on a great historical display. 

The final regatta of the 2023 calendar year is taking place on Saturday 25th November - the PSA's Trinity Bridges Regatta!

Good luck to all crews racing - on the day you'll be able to find all the results here.

(And good luck to Nick Wakeford for what will be his first regatta in the RWA uniform)

Thank you everyone for a wonderful year of competition. Racing resumes in February with the PSA season continuing out at Champion Lakes.