‘All Star Awards’ recognise more than just winning, at Active Row Competition

On 8th February 2018, Tideway funded Active Row Schools raced at their own indoor rowing competition at the Queen Mother Sports Centre, Westminster.

Active Row’s ethos is to ‘get inactive young people active.’ Active Row aims to engage 8,000 young people over 4 years by creating the best experiences to enjoy being active through rowing. Our Community Coaches help young people to achieve personal and team challenges with a focus on greater inclusion, resilience, teamwork and communication.

Dionne Henry, Tideway Volunteer said:

'I think events like Tideway Active Row Indoors are really important to young people as they encourage them to be more active, show how much fun you can have, teach the importance of team work and build confidence.

By recognising achievements beside simply winning young people learn about the difference that attitude makes and they understand the importance of resilience with real life examples being provided by Gold medal winning athletes!'

Above: Relay teams and supporters from Ellen Wilkinson School for Girls

Competitions are a great way to increase participation and encourage regular activity; they’re fun, and social and winning can act as a powerful motivational tool. However, it’s highly recognised that winning doesn’t necessarily motivate all groups of people, for example young women and girls.

Active Row All Stars Awards, celebrates different success outside of purely winning races, to continue to motivate and empower all our participants.

For the first time, we awarded prizes to two young people per school, based on consistently representing our Active Row values, for example supporting other students to get involved and expanding the Active Row Club with new sessions at lunchtime. Prizes were awarded for communication, team work, resilience and inclusion.

The Awards went to all schools that took part:

Ark Putney Academy, Wandsworth, Ark Walworth Academy, Southwark, Stepney Green Maths, Computing & Science College, Tower Hamlets, Ellen Wilkinson School for Girls, Ealing and Dunraven School, Lambeth

Above: Triple Olympic Champion Andrew Triggs-Hodge and World Silver medallist Graeme Thomas with Award Recipients

The awards were presented by Andrew Triggs-Hodge and Graeme Thomas, who reflected on how important resilience and teamwork have been in their sporting careers.

Andrew Triggs-Hodge said:

'I took a whole year off rowing due to a virus to ensure my body could recover before Rio 2016. I had to come back with the self-belief and huge support around me to have any chance of making the 2016 Olympic Games. It was such a big team effort, to help get me on that start line.'

Graeme Thomas said:

'It was a 7 year journey for me to get to Rio, then I got a virus a few days before and didn’t take part. It was everything I had worked towards since I took up rowing. A year later I subbed for another teammate, when my luck changed and we won Silver at the World Championships (last year).

'I hope I can inspire you all to take up a sport, any sport you enjoy and work hard, as things don’t happen quickly. Sport can teach you so much, especially resilience and teamwork.

In partnership with London Youth Rowing, Tideway support 14 schools in Boroughs along the Thames as part of the Active Row Programme. Tideway confirmed in the Summer, there will be an opportunity for schools to win a boat trip on the Thames to see the sights of London and hear all about the Tideway project, followed by lunch at the Tideway HQ. This will be based on the best contribution to the Active Row hubs and on-water programme.

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