LYR building junior GB trialling culture

It is rare for any rowing club to produce one junior athlete that sets themselves the target of being on the junior Great Britain team. It’s more rare still to find a club that has six.

London Youth Rowing (LYR) support Globe Rowing Club by providing a junior rowing section, including coaching staff and equipment. Last summer after a year of trialling, Callum Sullivan was selected to row for the junior Great Britain rowing team at the Coupe de la Jeunesse Regatta. He came away with two gold medals.

And so, the bar was set.

This year, six brilliant young people at Globe Rowing Club have taken on the challenge of trialling for the Junior Great Britain Rowing Team; Jake, Dominic, James, Siobhan, Sam and Callum.

Having started the trialling process in September 2016, so far they have ticked every box and last competed at the February assessment held in Boston, UK. They are waiting on finding out the invite list for further trialling, set to be held after Easter.

Trialling for team selection is a long and arduous process that challenges junior athletes both physically and mentally. LYR have been supporting them on their rowing journey from the very beginning; most having started through learn-to-row courses and taster sessions hosted by LYR.

Like many, it sounds like they have all been victim of catching the ‘rowing bug’!

Dominic said he thinks rowing is addictive, that you want to keep bettering yourself, working towards the next goal and seeing your results. While James knows the reason he keeps rowing is because you’re also doing it for your teammates. Knowing you have other people’s dreams and goals resting in your hands is a big responsibility.

Sam attests to the fact that rowing has brought his family together and enriched his school’s sporting curriculum too. His parents and grandparents love coming to see him row. Supporting him and watching him race, has turned into a weekend activity. While, he has also started his own indoor rowing club at school that won a silver medal at the National Junior Indoor Rowing Championships this year.

Siobhan’s mum has even started rowing herself since seeing her daughter get involved!

Although she feels girls still have to prove themselves more, since it’s not necessarily a traditionally ‘feminine’ activity for women, for Siobhan rowing is one of the best sports for equality between the sexes. The boys and girls squads at Globe RC do the exact same training, and as a result she feels this builds a mutual respect amongst between teammates.

Rowing also helped break the ice during her move between schools. She felt more confident making new friends and finding common ground with people, after having to do this in a boat and with new teammates on multiple occasions.