Ryde Rowing Club.

Development Plan.

2002 to 2007.

Ryde Rowing Club - a Brief History.

Ryde Rowing Club was founded in 1877 and is the only Isle of Wight based Rowing Club that has been in continuous existence ever since. It is believed to be one of the oldest sporting Clubs in Ryde.  The Club's original Clubhouse was on Ryde Pier from where it carried out its Social and competitive rowing activities until 1968 when the then landlords, British Rail, evicted the Club on the grounds that the pillars on which the Clubhouse was built were in a dangerous condition and beyond economic repair.

Thanks to the old Ryde Borough Council the Club was re-housed in temporary accommodation in Appley Park which consisted of a Boathouse only with no changing or social facilities. In spite of this the Club experienced some of its most successful seasons on the water and laid down the foundations for the even more successful years that were to follow. Thanks to further support from the local authority, Sports Council grant aid and a major fundraising effort by the members a new Clubhouse was opened in 1975, still in Appley Park, Ryde which provided changing and social facilities in addition to a boathouse.

With a new Clubhouse the Club experienced a period of growth and a significant improvement in performance with a number of Hants & Dorset and South Coast Championships won and qualification for Henley on two occasions. In the mid 1990's a further problem developed with the Clubhouse suffering from major subsidence, as a result of the construction of a sewage treatment works behind the building, for which the Club was not insured. As a result a successful application was made to the Sports Aid Foundation and the National Lottery Sports fund which has enabled the Club to re-build a new two story Clubhouse, with much improved facilities, which was opened in 1998.

The Club has staged a Hants & Dorset Championship Regatta annually since 1977, which is granted a permit by the Hants and Dorset Amateur Rowing Association and forms part of their Championship program. The Club also stages a number of smaller races for local Clubs, plays a major part in organizing the Rowing events at Ryde Town Regatta and Sandown Bay Regatta - and stages a Sailing Race, annually from their Appley Park Clubhouse, which has one of the longest continuous sport sponsorship, from the Merrydown Cider Company, who have supported the event for over forty years. The Clubhouse is used by a number of other local organizations for social, business and training applications - notably Ryde Inshore Rescue, Ryde High School, Wight Leisure, IW Junior Ice Hockey Club and others.

Notable achievements of the Club –

South Coast Champions.

Men’s Senior Fours - 1985, 1986, and 1987.

Men’s Junior Senior Fours - 1979, 1999.

Men’s Junior Fours - 1995, 2000.

Ladies Senior Fours - 1978, 1979, 1986. 1987.

Hants & Dorset Championships.

Men’s Senior Fours - 1985, 1986, and 1987.

Men’s Junior Senior Fours - 1979, 1984.

Men’s Novice Fours - 1962, 1975, 1993, and 1996.

Ladies Senior Fours - 1978, 1986, 1987, 1989.

Ladies Novice Fours - 1986, 1990, 1995, 1996.

Men’s Junior Pairs - 1965.

Men’s Junior Sculls - 1983, 1986, and 1992.

Background to Development Plan.

Ryde Rowing Club was founded in 1877 and is the only rowing club on the Island to operate continuously since its foundation. During its history it has incorporated other Clubs, notably those founded by Cowes shipyards and is now the largest of the three IW rowing Clubs.

However RRC has no ambitions to expand into competition for membership with the two other IW Clubs (Newport and Sandown Shanklin R. C.). Indeed RRC actively fosters co-operation with these Clubs, transporting their boats to mainland regattas on occasions, running coaching courses and participating in joint functions. RRC wishes to promote a future for IW rowing in which all three clubs share some facilities while maintaining separate identities.

RRC is affiliated to the governing body of the sport, the Amateur Rowing Association (ARA), as well as the Hants & Dorset ARA (H&DARA), the Wessex Regional Rowing Council (WRRC) and the Isle of Wight Sports Council. It has members actively involved in all these bodies: e.g. H&DARA Association Secretary and Racing Officials, the Wessex Regional Rowing Council Safety Advisor. Coaches from RRC actively support the Wessex Region.

In recent years RRC has continued to promote youth rowing to the extent that junior (18 and under) members still constitute more than 60% of active rowers. However the number of women members, both rowers and coaches has dropped slightly and now represent around 25% of the active rowers although significantly around 80% of these are under eighteen years of age.

RRC has been able to expand its base from coastal competition to include more river regattas, in particular junior events like the Schools Head of the River Race where Club members have rowed under Ryde colours and represented the WRRC.  The Club continues to play a full part in the Hants & Dorset ARA Championship Regatta programme and in the last few years has been the only Island Club to attend all these Regattas on a regular basis. The Clubs commitment to Junior rowing was recognized by its governing body, the ARA in 2000 when it was accredited to run the National Junior Rowing programme.

RRC is run constitutionally by elected officers and a committee of eight plus a non-voting cadet representative, whose members provide a broad base of expertise and experience. The Clubs rules have been amended in recent years to make provision for the appropriate safety and child protection procedures and disposal of assets if the club is wound up. 

The committee recognizes that the increase in rowing membership, and the changes in demographic profile, requires an on-going re-evaluation of resources and regular updating of the Clubs development plan to continue to move the Club forward effectively.

The Clubs first development plan was originated in November 1995 as part of the requirement for a successful application for lottery funding and this plan was updated in September, 1996.

This new development plan originated in 2002 in anticipation of an application for Project Oarsome and was amended in 2003 following the Clubs decision not to proceed and as part of the Clubs application for Sport England "Clubmark". The Club has a separate Junior Development Plan (Ryde R. C. Junior Development Plan  - 2003 to 2008) which concentrates on the development of Junior Rowing in the Club - developed when Project Oarsome was an objective and since amended.  The plans cover some common ground and our linked and should be read in conjunction with each over for a full picture of the Clubs development plans.

Digest/success of 1995 plan.

Ryde Rowing Club Development plan - 1995 to 2001.

Progress on action plan -

Development of Facilities.

Grant aid was received from the Lottery Sorts Fund and the Foundation for Sports and the Arts which allowed the Club to demolish and rebuild its Clubhouse in Appley Park. A two story building was completed in August, 1998 with much improved facilities including access for the disabled.

In spite of extensive enquiries and lobbying we have been unable to find alternative boat storage either at East Cowes or further down the River. No progress has been made on an Isle of Wight Rowing Centre on the River Medina. The Club still makes extensive use of the boathouse at East Cowes where some improvements have been made - notably the lighting and boat/blade racking.

Boats.

A new Coastal Coxed four and blades was purchased in 1997.

By the end of 1998 the Club had purchased two double sculls, coxless pairs, two Aylings Training single sculls, a Mondego Single Scull  and a training double/pair

The Club has not been able to purchase a new River Four but have purchased an additional second hand River Coxed Quad/Four although this is only suitable for Ladies/Juniors.

The Club has not been able to purchase a second Safety/Coaching launch and trailer although the existing Coaching launch has been refurbished and a new engine purchased. The Club also has access to a privately owed second Coaching/Safety launch and trailer when required.

The Club was able to purchase one new River Single Scull and two second-hand Coastal Sculling Boats with suitable blades.

Other Equipment.

The Club has not proceeded with the purchase of Heart rate monitors - which, after a review were not considered to be appropriate for Club ownership but individual ownership has been encouraged where appropriate.

Some second hand Safety mats have been acquired and the weight storage facilities improved.

Four new Concept II Rowing Ergometers have been purchased.

A second had individual multi-gym has been added to the weight training facilities.

Further modifications and improvements have been made to the existing Boat Trailer.

The condition of the Minibus has been assessed. It passed its MOT in 2001 with no major problems and is considered to be serviceable for several more years.

Training and Coaching.

By the end of 1998 the Club had purchased two double sculls, coxless pairs, two Aylings Training single sculls, a Mondego Single Scull  and a training double/pair

While the Club has been able to retain its existing boathouse facility and East Cowes and have been able to extend the use of this facility into the main boathouse during the summer months we have been unable to secure any additional storage on the River Medina in spite of approaches being made to a number of companies with space available and via the Sports Development Officer the local authority.

Our failure to secure any additional facilities has also prevented any progress on a Rowing Center on the River Medina.

Women.

With the completion of the new Clubhouse the women’s changing area has been extended and improved.

Coaching.

Development of Coxswains - the first Isle of Wight Rowing Clubs Coxswain Course was completed in 1999 run jointly by the Senior Coaches at Ryde and Shanklin Rowing Clubs and involving all Island Clubs. A second course is planned for Winter 2001.

The ARA has replaced the Watermanship and Endurance Awards with the "Go Row Award Scheme. The Club has gained full accreditation from the ARA to run the "Go Row" scheme as part of the National Junior Development Program and a number of Juniors are participating and have received awards since its introduction in October 2000.

A classroom facility, including audio visual facilities has been established in the new Clubhouse.

A number of coaching seminars have been held although a monthly seminar has not been established and is now seen as too ambitious. Coaches from other Island Clubs have been involved.

A number of the Clubs experienced rowers have taken up a coaching commitment including two who have passed their ARA Instructors Award. A number of the Clubs qualified coaches who had stopped active coaching have been encouraged to take up coaching activity again.

Although one of our Coaches has upgraded to Silver Award neither they nor our other Silver Award Coach have been able to commit the time necessary to become an NVQ Assessor.

Instructors Award Courses, hosted by Ryde R. C. and run by the Wessex Regional Rowing Council have resumed with the first being completed in November, 2000.

One existing Instructor - Liz Van Wyk - upgraded to Bronze Award and has now upgraded again to Silver Award. In addition two Bronze Award coaches have returned to active coaching.

A bi-annual review of coaching qualifications has been undertaken with a Coach development matrix published and additional training in First Aid and RYA2 Power Boat racing certificate offered with six members gaining the first aid certificate and seven coaches passing the RYA2 Power Boat users course.

An Instructors Award Course was hosted by Ryde R. C. in October 2000 - with the Wessex Regional Rowing Council committing to holding a regular IA course at Ryde, for all Island Clubs if demand justified it.

Development and promotion of sport and Ryde R. C.

Publicity.

IW Radio and now contacted on a regular basis during the season, by telephone, from the Regatta's with a report on the performance of Island crews given and broadcast, usually during the sports round-ups.

Information on unusual events have been submitted to Regatta Magazine on several occasions although editorial policy has meant that they are not always published.

Local TV (TV12) has featured the Club - notably the Club Regatta in 1999 and 2001.

Recruitment.

The "Rowshow Ergometer challenge" has continued in a number of schools - notably Mayfield Middle and Newchurch Primary Schools. The "Go-Row" National Junior Rowing program has been introduced with a link to Mayfield Middle School,

Four new Concept II Rowing Ergometers have been purchased.

By the end of 1998 the Club had purchased two double sculls, coxless pairs, two Aylings Training single sculls, a Mondego Single Scull  and a training double/pair .

The Club was able to purchase one new River Single Scull and two second-hand Coastal Sculling Boats with suitable blades.

Membership.

The Club has been able to persuade several former members who had gained Coaching awards to return to a more active coaching role.

The Club has not been able to appoint a recreational rowing officer as no volunteer has been forthcoming although a level of recreational rowing, including outings in a traditional fixed seat Solent galley have been maintained.

Digest of Development Plan - 1995 to 2001.

Of the 40 "Actions" identified in the Clubs development plan it could be argued that the Club had fully met 28 of these and has met in part a further 3. The most signification failure was being unable to additional boat storage space on the River Medina or to move forward with any plans for a Rowing Centre on the River Medina.

DEVELOPMENT PLAN. 2002 - 2007.

A) Current facilities.

RRC's main base is its Clubhouse in Appley Park which was re-built in 2000 with funding from Sport England Lottery Fund and the Foundation for Sport and the Arts. This new facility provides a clubroom and bar, committee/meeting room, men’s and women’s changing rooms with showers, a boat storage area and small weight training area. The Clubhouse has facilities for the disabled including ramp access, disabled toilets upstairs and down stairs and a chair lift. The Club house has some Conference/meeting facilities - overhead projector and screen, TV and Video, Flip Chart and their are limited catering facilities available in the Clubhouse. The Club rents a second boathouse at Appley from the local authority which is used for boat and equipment storage.

The Club has the use of another boathouse at East Cowes which allows it to train throughout the year and at all states of the tide. This boathouse has no changing, shower or toilet facilities and no security of tenure the club having use of the facility thanks to the generosity of the owner Ian Lallow.

The Club owns six coastal fours, three of them to a competitive standard and one on permanent "loan" to the Bournemouth University Boat Club. The Club also has two coxless pairs, three coxed river fours - although one is very old and of limited use, and one river coxless four. Two of the River fours, including the old one and the coxless four "double up" as quadruple sculls. This flexibility is useful since sculling is the recommended discipline for young rowers as opposed to sweep oared rowing to which they move on to later. The Club also has two River Coxless Pairs which can be rigged as double sculls and owns two river sculls and two coastal sculls. Some members own their own sculling boats most of which are stored at Appley. The Club also owns a very old, but still serviceable eight although lack of space means this is in storage at a local farm. Most of the older Club boats were built by Club Members who also carry out maintenance. The Club has two training sculls built by Aylings and a coxed training double/pair also built by Aylings

RRC owns a Minibus (new in 1994) and a boat trailer refurbished in 1995 which can carry up to six boats. The Clubs owns five Concept2 Ergos, one of which is nearly worn out and a fully equipped Coaching/Safety launch with road /launching trailer. This trailer is no longer suitable for road use.

The Club has access to Ryde Canoe Lake during the winter months for training purposes but this facility while useful is limited.

Strengths.

•          New Clubhouse completed in 1998 with much improved facilities including facilities for the disabled and conferences facilities.

•          Use of Ryde Canoe Lake for training purposes for beginners.

•          Boathouse only facility at Cowes allowing training at all states of the tide and in all boat the most severe weather conditions for experienced crews.

•          Large fleet of Coastal and River Boats of various types allowing a fairly high degree of flexibility in training and racing.

•          Only Minibus/Boat Trailer combination available on the Island.

Weaknesses.

•          Failure to prevent, following objection and appeal, the building of a two-story beachside Cafe/restaurant that has restricted access to and view from new Clubhouse which has safety implications.

•          Unable to find alternative boat storage and boating facility at East Cowes or further down the River Medina.

•          Boathouse only facility at Cowes - no changing facilities, showers etc..

•          Boating at Cowes from Public slipway into busy river and at certain states of tide dangerous currents make facility inappropriate for young and inexperienced crews.

•          No progress has been made on an I.W. Rowing Centre on the River Medina.

•          Limited number of boats suitable for training Juniors/Beginners.

•          Lack of Safety/Coaching launch at Ryde Clubhouse.

•          Ability to build and maintain boats now "plastic" is the predominant construction material.

Opportunities.

•          Single Regeneration Budget (SRB) funding available in Ryde for Specific Projects.

•          Potential new sponsor for equipment identified with Sports match opportunity.

•          New owners of Cowes Boathouse may give opportunity to extend and formalize lease of facility.

Threats.

•          Aging fleet of Coastal & River Boats - urgent need for at least one new Coastal Four and one new River Coxed Four/Quad as well as major refurbishment (re-skin) of old River Boats to extend life.

•          RIB launch/road trailer now to dangerous to use on road limiting use of safety/coaching launch - urgent replacement required.

•          Aging Coaching/Safety launch in need of extensive refurbishment or replacement.

•          No Security of tenure on Cowes boathouse. Note - ownership of building transferred to L. Borer from Club friendly previous owner Ian Lallow in 2003.

•          Aging main boat trailer will require replacement within three years.

Objectives.

•          By the Spring of 2002 purchase new road/launch trailer for RIB. Agency: Awards for All

•          By the Spring of 2002 purchase Virus training scull and aim to purchase one per year through to 2005 giving four in total. Agency: Awards for All/Club funds.

•          By the summer of 2002 purchase new Coastal Coxed Four and new New River Coxed Four/Quad. Agency: Sports matched sponsorship.

•          By the summer of 2002 purchase additional Concep2 Ergo. Agency: Awards for All.

•          From the spring of 2003 initiate a rolling programme of refurbishment of river boats with the aim completing work on three fours and two doubles by the Summer of 2005 extending life of boat by ten years. Agency; Club funds.

•          By the summmer of 2003 secure extended lease of Cowes Boathouse. Agency: By negotiation with new owners & Club funding.

•          Short term - by summer of 2003 refurbishment of Coaching/Safety boat to extend life for 3 to 5 years with a view to replacement in 2007. Agency: Club funds/Awards for All.

•          By the summer of 2003 reorganize weight training area to provide more space and greater safety and purchase additional free weights. Agency: Club Funds.

•          By the summer of 2004 purchase 2nd, smaller Safety/Coaching launch with outboard to be based at Ryde Clubhouse; Agency: Club funds/grant aid.

•          By the Summer of 2005 replace existing boat trailer. Agency: Awards for All/Club funds

•          By the summer of 2005 purchase additional Coastal Coxed Four with consideration to be given to center seat configuration that can be used as a Coastal Quad.  Longer term aim - 2007 - for purchase of second Coastal four. Agency: Sports matched Sponsorship & Club funds.

•          By end of 2005/early 2006 assess condition of Club Minibus with a view to replacement. Agency: Grant aid/Club funds/Sponsorship.

•          By 2007 replacement of oldest River four with new boat. Agency: Grant aid/Club funds/Sponsorship.

•          Continue to pursue all and any opportunity to establish additional boat storage facilities on the River Medina with the aim of establishing an all IW Rowing Centre with changing, storage and launching facilities and an indoor rowing tank. Agency: IW Council, Private land owners, Grant funding agencies, Newport and Shanklin Rowing Clubs.

B) Training and Coaching

RRC encourages rowing at all levels from Junior (under 18) to Veteran (40+) and for both sexes. The Club has an open membership policy. Beginners at RRC are grouped with others of similar physical development. These adult men are grouped together but adult women and juniors of both sexes may practice together. Beginners, of all ages  usually start with dry-rowing in the Clubhouse and then move onto Ryde Canoe Lake or on the sea off Appley in training sculls before moving on to sweep oar or further sculling in the coastal and river boats at Ryde or on the River Medina at Cowes from the Cowes boathouse.

The procedures and staged progression techniques of the Amateur Rowing Association's "Go Row" scheme are employed and the Club was accredited to run the ARA's National Junior Rowing Programme (NJRP) in 2000. Junior members are taken through the ARA NJRP dry start and wet start programmes with certificates awarded one the appropriate skill level has been obtained.

As skills develop rowers are formed squads or crews in numbers are limited and thereafter tend to practice in single sex groups, although not necessarily exclusively. Squads are developed in line with Coastal (Hants & Dorset ARA) and ARA statuses and where possible each status squad will have a coach allocated to it who will be responsible for the training programme, crew selection and race strategy. On occasions coaches will be involved with more than one squad and some squads have more than one coach. The Clubs coaches form a Rowing Sub Committee chaired by the Rowing captain and reporting into the Clubs General Committee for all rowing related matters.

The ARA has four levels of coaching award - Instructor, Bronze, Silver and Gold - of which the first two are specifically designed for school, college and club rowing while the third qualifies the coach to regional level and the fourth to National level. Ryde R. C. has a good level of active qualified coaches - one silver, two bronze and five instructors Some of these coaches have RYA2 Powerboat users certificates, First Aid certificates and are self-certificated (appendix 4) under the ARA's Child Protection procedures.

Strengths.

•          Accredited by the ARA to run the National Junior Rowing Programme.

•          Play full part in Hants & Dorset Championship Regatta Programme and compete on the river on occasions.

•          60% of active rowers under eighteen.

•          80% of active female members under eighteen.

•          Dedicated group of active ARA qualified coaches - 2 @ Silver, 2 @ Bronze, 4 with IA.

•          Center for Island based, Wessex Regional Rowing Council run, ARA Coaching courses.

•          Good relationship with Ryde Inshore Rescue and Wight Leisure/Local authority allowing subsidized use of swimming pool and safety expertise for training.

Weaknesses.

•          Fall in the number of active female members.

•          Hants & Dorset Championship regatta programme has few opportunities for Junior rowing - competition for juniors is therefore limited.

•          Number of and retention of qualified volunteer coaches.

Opportunities.

•          Community Sports Coach scheme may give opportunity for some part time professional coaching at the Club.

Threats.

•          Commitment and availability of active coaches. Some qualified coaches still active in sport reducing time available for coaching.

•          Fall in number of active female members.

Objectives.

•          By the Spring of 2004 - part-time professional coach in place in support of School links.  Agency: Community Sport Coach Scheme.

•          By the Summer of 2004 arrange for appropriate refresher/update to latest training techniques for existing qualified coaches and develop plans to maintain this. Agency: Rowing Sub Committee, Wessex Regional Rowing Council. Club funds and individual contribution.

•          By 2005 have own ARA qualified Tutors and Assessors in place so we can be self-sufficient in running ARA Instructors award Courses. Agency: ARA and Wessex Regional Rowing Council.

•          Encourage Club ARA Instructors to take Bronze Award - with the aim of promoting at last one Instructor to Bronze every other year. Agency: Club Funds/Local authority/Wessex Regional Rowing Council.

•          Encourage Club ARA Bronze Award holders to take Silver Award with the aim on a Bronze Award Holder being promoted to Silver award at least once every three years. Agency: Club Funds/Local authority/Wessex Regional Rowing Council.

•          Encourage active members to take up Coaching by taking ARA Instructors Award with the aim of getting two new Instructors qualified annually. Agency: Club Funds/Local authority/Wessex Regional Rowing Council.

•          Host Wessex Regional Rowing Council Instructors Award for I.W. Rowing Clubs on a bi-annual basis. Agency: Wessex Regional Rowing Council.

•          Arrange on a regular basis (annual) coach development for existing coaches with the aim of all qualified coaches having RYA2 Power Boat user’s certificate and First Aid Certificate. Agency: Rowing Sub Committee - Club funds with individuals making some contribution.

Promotion of Club and Sport of Rowing.

RRC publicizes its successes and activities regularly through the local newspaper and occasionally through "Regatta" magazine and IW Radio. Approaches have been made to local television stations but little interest has been shown as far. The Club dose not have a press officer one or other of the Coaches normally fulfilling this role on a volunteer basis.

Wightlink IW Ferries (formally Sealink) have sponsored the Club since 1987 through their free pass system for the RRC Minibus & Trailer. Currently Wightlink gives twenty-five free passes per annum - but the sponsorship is reviewed annually and there is no guarantee of the passes being given from one year to the next. In return RRC promotes Wightlink whenever possible, through the local and rowing press, logos on boats, minibus & trailer and other activities including an annual charity "Ergo" row on a Car Ferry. RRC and Wightlink sign a formal sponsorship contract each year.

Most recruitment is still through word of mouth with exiting rowers bringing along friends. The Club has informal arrangements with Ryde High School and Mayfield Middle School where most of our junior members attend school. "Come and try sessions" are held on a fairly regular basis. Drop out rates in the early stages tend to be quite high - 50 to 60% as not everyone enjoys the sport. Further drop-out takes place when students move of the Island to further their education and when the sport becomes more difficult after they have moved through Novice status.

RRC has actively promoted a Junior (J16 to J18) section since 1992 and this has borne fruit with a number of successes at Junior (J16 to J18) level and at Senior level as they reach eighteen. More recently we have tried to drive the beginner age downwards and start Juniors at an earlier age (J14 and upwards) with some success although this requires a greater commitment from our small group of coaches and this can be a problem along with the lack of specialized equipment and facilities and the need to have all the proper procedures (Child protection etc.. ) in place.

Strengths.

•          Club is recognized as "forward thinking" and ambitious by governing body - Amateur Rowing Association and has led the way with Junior Rowing in Wessex Region & Hants & Dorset ARA.

•          Respected position in local community as one of Ryde and the Islands oldest and most successful amateur sports clubs.

•          Strong and supportive social membership of Club.

•          Wightlink Sponsorship.

•          Established Adaptive rowing section with strong link to local authority Social Services Family Planning unit.

•          Close links with other two Island Clubs should allow promotion of joint activities reducing cost and sharing manpower.

Weaknesses.

•          Some misunderstanding & friction within Club between Active and Social Membership.

•          Resistance on Island to realistic subscription rates & fees limits income.

•          Separation from Mainland adds cost, time and logistic problems to all activities.

•          While some coaches have completed self declaration (appendix 4) in line with ARA Child Protection procedures none have full disclosure (CRB}.

•          No Child Welfare Officer in place - role currently held by Junior Coach which is inappropriate.

•          Lack of support from ARA - located in only region (Wessex) without full time ARA CDO to support coach development, junior training etc..

•          Perceived reluctance on part of Shanklin and Newport Rowing Clubs to joint activities due to suspicion that Ryde will try to "poach" members via their better facilities and equipment.

Opportunities.

•          Opportunity to influence Hants & Dorset ARA policy via member who is Association Secretary and membership of Hants & Dorset Forum.

•          Opportunity to influence and steer direction of Wessex Regional Rowing Council via attendance at Wessex Meetings.

•          Opportunity to apply for Sport of England Club Mark

•          Interest shown by two middle schools (Bishop Lovett and Mayfield) in formal school/club link.

•          Opportunity to save cost and reduce logistical problems via shared use of facilities and equipment with other Island Clubs and by jointly promoting and running "come and try" sessions, training/coaching days and coach development courses.

Threats.

•          Cost of travel to mainland plus time and organization involved.

•          Resistance to realistic subscriptions and fees.

•          Availability and cost of appropriate personal injury insurance is delaying progress on potential formal school links.

•          Availability of suitable volunteers.

Objectives.

•          By the Autumn of 2003 investigate possible personal injury insurance schemes for Juniors and submit proposal to prospective schools interested in a forma link. Agency: Club Insurance Broker, Club Committee and ARA.

•          By the end of 2003 discussed with other Island Clubs joint activities that could be of benefit to all Island Clubs and try to establish a programme of events. Agency: Rowing Sub Committees, contacts at Shanklin and Newport, Wessex Region CDO.

•          By the beginning of 2004 all Junior Coaches to have full CRB disclosure in place in accordance with ARA Child Protection procedures.

•          By the Spring of 2004 identify, train and appoint a suitable member as Club Welfare Officer - to include full CRB disclosure for identified person.

•          By the Spring of 2004 achieve Sport England Club Mark. Agency: Rowing Sub Committee, Club Committee, ARA RCDO.

•          Identify members reaching the end of their active rowing careers, and/or parents/guardians of junior members who may be prepared to take on an active coaching/helping role combined with opportunities for increased recreational rowing. Provide support and training as appropriate. Agency: Rowing Sub Committee, Main Committee. Existing Coaches, Wessex Regional Rowing Council.

 Steve Bull,

Committee Member & Trustee.

January, 2003.

Copyright © 2003 Ryde Rowing Club - Last modified: February 03, 2010