By Miss Harris (Head Rowing Coach)
As we approach the Christmas Holidays, it is a great time to reflect on the last few months of training and racing. The rowing season is well underway and the squads are starting to see their efforts paying off in increased boat speed, more crew cohesion and increased technical ability. The Year 11s have had their first term as part of the senior squad (Years 11 – Upper Sixth) and begun to experience the camaraderie that a larger squad can provide. Monday night battle-paddling is a highlight for both the seniors and the coaches, especially as this year we are consistently running three eights.
St Neots Head and Bedford Head in the first half of the Autumn Term provided all returning rowers with an opportunity to blow off their racing cobwebs at a couple of friendly, low-pressure events. Everyone was entered into small boats, including singles which we know put a few out of their comfort zone!
Competing is, of course, one of the highlights of any sport, so for Fours Head, Star Head and Wallingford Head to be cancelled due to river levels and weather conditions in the second half of the Autumn Term, it could have really impacted the momentum of the season. Fortunately, the enthusiasm that the squads bring to training and the support they give each other both on and off the water has kept the energy going. As a coaching team we are both impressed by and proud of how all involved have faced these challenges.
The Year 9s have come a long way from completing their swim test in September and have worked hard with their coaches to develop their sculling skills to a standard that they are all race ready. This is a really great place to be at this stage of the season, they should be really proud of themselves. Unfortunately, with Star Head being cancelled they are still waiting for their first race experience.
Looking ahead, we will keep working hard until Christmas, with some holiday sessions running Monday 18th - Thursday 21st December. In this time, we hope to introduce the Year 10s to sweep and run some internal races for all. The Friends of Bedford Girls' School Rowing Club have a busy month with one of the biggest fundraisers of the year (Just Giving Page) - the 24 hour ergo on 1st and 2nd December - as well as a social morning at the boathouse during Saturday training on 9th December, which everybody in the BGS Rowing community is welcome to join.
Thank you to everybody who has supported Rowing at BGS this term, and we look forward to seeing you all on the riverbanks soon.
