Happy New Year!
A Happy New Year to all of our coaches, officials and athletes. This upcoming year may be considered by some to be a transition year for the Alberta Rowing Association as we look to build a foundation in preparation for the 2017 Canada Summer Games. However, we at the ARA are hoping to to build upon our successes within our club and university programs this coming year and foresee 2014 as our best year yet
ARA Coaching Conference
The Alberta Rowing Association in association with the Calgary and University of Calgary Rowing Clubs are pleased to announce that it will host its fifth annual coaching conference on February 7 and 8th in Calgary, Alberta. For the first time in three years, this year’s conference will feature a guest speaker from within the sport of rowing – Peter Shakespear – Director of National Talent I.D and Development Programs. Peter has played playing a major role in developing Talent I.D programs around the world. He has worked with the Australia Institute of Sport, the British Rowing Federation and is now in looking to create a Canadian made development program in Canada.
The Conference is open to all – athletes, coaches, officials and even parents who wish to not only gain insight into our sport but perhaps even see themselves sitting in the coach boat in the future. Those interested in attending can register by emailing albertarowing@gmail.com. The cost to attend this event is $20.
Recruit, Recruit, Recruit
As we sit alone on the erg in the lonely dark days of January our minds have a tendency to wander towards the summer, pondering potential crews for the upcoming season. Are you one of those athletes worrying that the single might be the only viable option for you this summer? Do you sit up at night hoping that someone athletic might walk through your club doors filling that last seat in your potential Henley winning quad? We at the ARA encourage you to do something about it. Don’t be afraid to approach someone at your school / job who has the right physiological characteristics for our sport and encourage them to give our sport a try. Alternatively, if you know someone who would be right for our sport email me at albertarowing@gmail.com. I will be happy to sit down with them and direct them in the right direction.
Long and short of it, if we want to have multiple Henley Medal Winning Crews in 2014 we will have to attract some new faces into our sport this winter. Everyone try to bring 1 new athlete into the sport of rowing this winter!
As an added motivation to everyone out there; should 115+ athletes register for the ARA Erg Championships the Provincial Technical Director will race a 2k in the open men’s category. Bring it!
Erg Standards
The Bronze, Silver and Gold erg standards that everyone has been accustomed to will be changing once again in 2014. Please visit the ARA website later this month and familiarize yourself with the updated standards that will be in effect for this coming year.
Upcoming Events
- ARA Coaches Conference – Calgary, Alberta Feb 7-8, 2014