The Rowing ACT Board has been confirmed for 2019, with Ben
James and Catherine Garrington joining as appointed directors. They join Ben
Page and Kent Peters as new directors and Alison Creagh as the new president,
taking over from David Bagnall, Vince McMahon, Bill Mason and Catherine Bowyer.

Capital Lakes’ Catherine Bowyer remains heavily involved with local rowing administration, accepting the position as chair of the Regatta Sub-Committee. This committee will be asked to meet on a more regular basis than in past years, allowing local clubs and schools greater input into events and regattas. Capital Lakes will nominate a new club member to represent their views at Regatta Sub-Committee meetings.

The new Board members come with great skills and backgrounds. Catherine Garrington has been involved with rowing for a number of years both as an athlete with ANU and as a Boat Race Official (BRO). She is a FISA umpire, allowing her to officiate at international events.

Ben James is a current rowing parent who has been associated with rowing since learning to row at Brisbane’s Church of England Grammar School (Churchie) in 1982. Ben stroked their 1^st VIII, was Captain of Rowing and rowed at the Queensland titles in 1986. He rowed at ADFA and was a member of the first ADFA crew to win the Disher Cup in 1989. Ben has spent many hours rowing on Lake Burley Griffin while training, competing in ACT Regattas or supporting from the sidelines and volunteering as a parent.

Ben Page is a Canberra man who has been rowing since his
school days at Marist College. A coach with both Marist and Canberra Grammar
School, Ben recently volunteered as the assistant team manager for the ADF
King’s Cup team at Henley earlier this year. Ben assists with ADFA Rowing Club
and is coordinating this year’s Disher Cup.

Kent Peters is another rowing parent, with his sons Ethan
and Jaedon transitioning from CGS to Canberra Rowing Club. Kent has volunteered
as a BRO in both Perth and Canberra, and will become the new Director of
Finance.

On behalf of Rowing ACT we would like to thank David, Vince,
and Bill for their service over many years. We would also like to thank
Catherine Bowyer for her time on the Board and congratulate her in her new role
as Chair of the Regatta Sub-Committee.

Rowing ACT would like to recognise and thank Tom Trobe for
his work chairing the Regatta Sub-Committee over the last two years and also
thank Alison Chinn for her significant work as Regatta Secretary over the last three
years.

The 2019 Rowing ACT Board is:
Alison Creagh (President, CRC/ADF Rowing), Alison Chinn (CRC), Ben James (CGS),
Ben Page (ADFA), Caroline Pijpers (CGGS), Catherine Garrington (BRO), Deb
Styman (LTRC), Kent Peters (CGS/BRO), Nick Hunter (ANUBC)

The 2019 Annual General Meeting will be held at the YMCA Sailing Club, Alexandrina Drive, Yarralumla at 6.00pm on Wednesday 18 September, 2019. The agenda for the meeting is included below.

Clubs are entitled to one vote, to be exercised by a person nominated by the club, on questions arising at the meeting. This vote may be made by a proxy appointed in accordance with Rule 38 of the Rules of Rowing ACT.

Clubs should make every effort to be represented to ensure a quorum for the meeting. It is also important for clubs to canvas nominations for the Board to ensure that the work of Rowing ACT is equitably shared and all positions are filled.

Nominations for Directors/President need to be made by 6.00pm Wednesday 11 September, 2019. They should be submitted to secretary@rowingact.org.au on the attached form and copied to the Executive Officer (eo@rowingact.org.au). If a hard copy is to be submitted, please contact the Executive Officer so arrangements can be made. When submitting any nomination, please ensure that either Director or President is struck out on the form.

Clubs are asked to forward this notice to their members as required by the Rules of Rowing ACT, although it will also be posted on the RACT website.

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF ROWING ACT INCORPORATED
YMCA SAILING CLUB, ALEXANDRINA DRIVE, YARRALUMLA
6.00pm on Wednesday 18 September 2019        

AGENDA

1. Confirm the Minutes of the 2018 Annual General Meeting.
2. Receive the Annual Report of Rowing ACT for 2018-2019.
3. Receive the audited statement of accounts for 2018-2019.
4. Election of Directors.

Applications are invited for the position of the ACT High Performance Head Coach. Applications should be submitted by Wednesday 11 September. Late applications will be considered at the discretion of the Panel.

The ACT High Performance Head Coach is part of a trilateral initiative between Rowing Australia, the ACT Academy of Sport and Rowing ACT. The Head Coach’s role is to lead and implement strategies within the ACT that contribute to sustainable success for Australian rowing internationally. The successful applicant will need to be a highly experienced and accredited coach and be able to demonstrate experience in planning, organising and implementing comprehensive high-performance coaching program for elite athletes including effective Talent Identification.  The full job description can be found here.

Base remuneration is a $85,000 package including superannuation. A higher salary may be paid where the Panel considers it justified taking into account the applicants qualifications and experience. A car is provided to assist in rowing activities.

Inquiries and applications should be directed to Alison Creagh at hprecruitment@rowingact.org.au. Documentation and process inquiries should be made to Katrina at hp@rowingact.org.au, phone 0478 622342.

Rowing ACT is holding Talent Identification Testing this weekend. While aimed at non-rowers, anyone aged 13-19 is invited to complete the testing. More information is below, or can be found on the Talent Identification page.

Date & Time:

10am-12pm, Sunday 28^th July

The testing will take up the majority of the 2 hour session,
so please arrive promptly at 10 am.  You will then be allocated a group to
complete the various activities.

If you are unavailable to complete testing on Sunday, but
would still like to be considered, please contact me to arrange an alternative
time.

Parents:

A parent/guardian will need to sign some paperwork before
the testing can be completed, however they do not need to stay for the whole
session.

Clothing/Equipment:

There will not be any on water component of the testing –
all testing is generic fitness and strength testing. Please wear suitable
sporting gear, including sneakers or similar shoes, as well as suitable warm
clothes for being outdoors in the Canberra winter. You should also bring a
drink bottle.

Location:

The Rowing ACT High Performance Shed is located at 14 Alexandrina Drive, Yarralumla, next to the water police. Parking is available along Alexandrina Drive, however please do not park directly in front of the Rowing Shed as this is reserved.

If you have any other questions, please email Katrina at hp@rowingact.org.au or call 0478 622 342

End Season Forum – 8 May 2019

The Board met last night and approved the May minutes which discussed the Open Forum – the Board did not meet in June.

The Board would like to thank all those who attended the end-of-the-season forum and contributed to the discussion.  Set out below are notes capturing the main issues raised and responses made on the night – they are not formal minutes.   Please see the minutes for decisions the Board has taken.

Concern: 

There have been multiple incidents of rowers being arrogant/abusive towards other lake users.

Comments:

Suggested we should approach the go boaters with a list of suggestions to give to the inexperienced boat drivers.

Pointed to the need to create opportunities for positive interaction with other lake users (possibly including inviting the Water Police to talk to clubs).

Argued that most rowers and coaches were courteous but bad behaviour was more likely to be reported.

Suggested creating flyers and posters to educate rowers about all the different types of lake users and how they work/their limitations (e.g. can’t turn quickly etc). 

Suggested creating a summary guide of watercraft to present to the NCA setting out their limitations/challenges for anyone wanting to use the lake.

RACT

Agreed to send out an all (registered) rower note on the issue of tolerance and courtesy.

Agreed to consider how known offenders might be approached. Noted that some approaches have been made already.

Concern: 

Visiting schools & general congestion in January holiday period.

Comments:

Concern was expressed around the safety issues of visiting rowers not observing Lake rules and protocols.

Suggested that such visiting clubs were important and perhaps local rowers need to provide welcome and guidance while on the Lake – Issue of registration of visiting clubs raised. 

Have an online induction, including tips such as “If you want to do a tech session, a good out of the way place is here”, “if you want to do a time trial, try and arrange it for this time” etc.

Need to be clear about whether RACT is then responsible for visitors not obeying the rules if there is an incident. – Possibly have RACT EO go and speak with all visiting clubs/schools – Possibly restrict rowers to one end of the lake during the balloon festival

RACT

Pointed to the guidance under Visitors on the website.  Provides a resource for hosting Clubs.  

Will continue to pursue the visitor club registration concept.

Concern: 

Multiple issues around regatta structuring (dates of regattas and then events on the day) were discussed

Comments:

Concern expressed that the Regatta sub-committee should meet at least 3 times a year as specified in the By-Laws.

Suggested more frequent meetings would help manage issues throughout the year.  This was important as some requests to the Board were referred to the regatta subcommittee.

The lack of minutes from the last regatta sub-committee was raised.

Suggested that a Regatta Subcommittee meeting be held soon, to review regattas on a whole (not to set dates for the regattas). This meeting would also set dates for a minimum of 3 subcommittee meetings throughout the year, more as required.

Suggested wide circulation of the agenda so that members of clubs could input their position to club executives 

Clearer system for clubs called for calling the regatta subcommittee.

Schools indicated that they generally favoured more short schools regattas, where they believed that parents would help, with separate masters regattas.  Schools also suggested having all quad regattas to shorten the schools’ regattas.

Suggestion was made that because of the criticality of the regatta secretary, and the advantages of having the regatta program finalised on Monday rather than Friday, that a paid regatta secretary position should be put in place.

Concerns were expressed over the impact on BROs of more frequent regattas. 

Question raised as to whether a BRO should sit on the sub-committee.    

RACT

Noted that there were no minutes from the last regatta sub-committee as there was no EO at the time and no volunteers to take them.  Regatta subcommittee minutes normally circulated

Noted that clubs could approach the Chair to ask for further meetings.

Expressed concern over the impact of more frequent regattas, even if they were smaller and if there was more help from school volunteers, as experienced BROs would still be required. BRO fatigue was regarded as a serious issue.

Indicated that it was looking at the possibility of moving the closing day from Friday to Sunday.

Noted that it had in the past had a paid an entries secretary position but it did not allow the entry time to be extended, as it still required consultation with the Chief BRO and refinement.

Noted that the sub-committee already provided for a BRO member and at least one participant was a senior BRO.

Emphasised that it was critical that clubs actively engage in the regatta subcommittee to achieve optimal outcomes.

Concern: 

Regatta Grade score system.

Comments:

Concern that objectively derived scores can be overridden.

Concern at the score implications for school rowers where they aren’t able to race longer distances in Canberra who then face the longer distance in Penrith. 

RACT

Noted that where a score is changed it is done for reasons, which are available on request.

Other issues:

Suggestion was made that RACT should arrange a coffee van in the light of the length of coffee queues and the poor coffee quality. 

Clarification was sought over club access to Rowing Manager.

The late timing of the ACT Championships.  Suggested that it gave school students a chance to transition to clubs and race as club members and suggestion that some regatta option after Nationals was maintained.

Suggested that some BROs were very curt with new rowers and coxswains which could dent their confidence. 

Concern that there were not publicly available standards/channels for students to consider trialling for the program.