Issue 100 - Centenary July 1997

Highs, Lows & Hopes

Highs

• Introduction and acceptance of Water Safety Code.
• Co-ordinated development strategies at national and regional level to improve development and effectively position the sport for future benefits.
• Increase in Grant Aid to assist with security of tenure and sports development.
• Appointment of the first and second group of ARA regional coaching development officers.
• Reshaping of ARA working parties.
• Increasing interest in participation gained through the successes at international levels.
• Membership increases in targeted groups.
• Increase in activities for people with disabilities and a platform for greater awareness.
• Introduction of rowing, recreational rowing and touring rowing.
• Progress on long-term projects including new multi lane still water sites, eg London Docklands, Pennington, Eton, Bedford, Cotswolds Water Park, Cambridge, Tees Barrage.
• Development of lower maintenance, user friendly racing and recreational boats.
• Club premises rating survey helped to generate a projected annual saving of £355,000 in rates payment.

Lows

• Difficulty of relaying information to participants, and influence of inaccuracies. Lack of correct handover documentation.
• Inability to retain interest of juniors in clubs, schools and universities to senior level.

Hopes

• More Water Safety.
• Further improvement in administration, communication and information.
• More media profiles.
• Production and ownership of achievable plans in parallel at all levels of rowing.
• Maximise momentum from coaching development schemes (participation and performance pathways).
• Improved regional and club management.
• Advances in landrowing for competition and fun.
• Wider range of awards and competition levels and leagues for structured progression from base level.
• Increase in sustained membership in all categories.
• Stronger links with other associations and agencies.

© Copyright J. Buchan & A. Meegan, 1997.