SOMETHING ABOUT ROWING

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 9, Issue 39, 15 January 1946, Page 5

SOMETHING ABOUT ROWING

A WORD FOR BEGINNERS

(By “Wbippitin”) No. 11

This is addressed mainly to the beginner or to the chap who stands on the bank and wonders what it feels like in the boat. And my first words should be of interest to t\ie parents (and there are quite a few) who are not quite sure if it is wise to allow their sons to tackle such a strenuous sport.

So wc ; ll face right away, the rather common idea that rowing strains the heart. Of course it can. just as running or digging the garden may do if you are not fit enough! Rowing does call for more care than

the two activities -mentioned and consequently the natural thing to do is to train regularly and concentrate on gaining the correst style and fitness. Competitive rowing should be left alone for a while until such time as the coaches are satisfied that sufficient progress has been made to justify starting in a race. Pay just ordinary attention to training, and you will run no more risk of straining your heart than you will of “stroking” the New Zealand Champion Eights in your first season! (Incidentally, R. B. (“Bob”) Smith Avon the New Zealand. Sculling Championship in. his first sculling race. From memory this Avas at Hamilton in the 1931/32 season. The excitement of his elubmates Avas so great that two of them fell into the Waikato River with their best clothes on, one losing a super Avris-t watch into the bargain !

Here is an outline of Avbat may happen when' yon decide to try yourself out. One of the coaches will have a chat to you—to show 3’ou something of the boats and oars; explain boat''-discipline and the “setup” of a crew and other details; he may sit on the iloor with an oar in his hands and show you the correct grip and the position and car-< riage of * the body; he’ll probably ask you to sit down and try it out for yourself. There are lots of things you’ll learn and then will come your big moment —your first row !

The coach will put you in a “Four” and the other three members will be experienced oarsmen who remember their own difficulties when learning. You’ll probably “catch a crab” or several, the sliding seat may v worry you a bit; you may get splashed slightly, but you’ll step out of the boat later feeling quite thrilled and with a new mission in life —to come down to the shed every night and earn proficiency in a real man’s game.

Now to round off the story, we’ll have a little quotation which l is very apt.

“A happy crew is a good crew, for only by toleration and co-opera-tion both in and out of the boat, can they hope to achieve that thrill and satisfaction of a hard race, well rowed —and won.” Present members please read and digest! (Next week: Regatta Rowing).