Club makes room in hull for newbies

The 1st XI hockey girls swapped hockey sticks for oars to learn the basics of rowing.

Bay Coast Rowing (BCR) is open to extending opportunities to students, sports teams, and companies for team bonding, and discovering a new sport.

As a club BCR provides opportunities to “give it a go” and “learn to row”. “Give it a go” is a three-week opportunity to get the basics, and “learn to row” is building on those skills to see whether students want to go further with the sport over seven weeks. These will be offered again in term four this year.

The Katikati College 1st XI girls’ hockey team recently enjoyed an afternoon with coach Ted, Gerry, and club committee member Wendy. The students’ enjoyment of the afternoon was evident. The girls found it a fantastic opportunity to create some bonds within the new 1st XI team. The girls got to learn some basic strokes on the ergs, how to carry an “eight” down to the water, how to fix the oars, get in without falling in and how to row.

There were a lot of laughs and new skills learned. Thanks to Ted, Gerry and Wendy of Bay Coast Rowing as well as the club’s senior rower, Te-Ata-a-Rua Hansen Cribb — Katikati’s current solo rower who attended as part of the expert crew.

The club is open to all age groups — intermediate to high school through to master’s age groups.

Their master rowers had a successful weekend at Legion Nielson Kellerman (NZ) master’s regatta with a singles gold, and a women’s-pair gold and masters (H 70+ grade) quad gold.

To find out more about “give it a go” and “learn to row”, email Gerry — pekinduk@gmail.com

Katikati News Article, May 2021