AUSTRALIAN ROWING

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 222, 19 September 1936, Page 4

AUSTRALIAN ROWING

ARE COACHES UP TO WORLD STANDARD WRITER’S EMPHATIC ANSWER ! SUCCESSFUL COACHES TRAINED As a result of Australia's performance in the Olympic Games, there is a lot of controversy regarding the advisability of importing coaches for t lie various branches of sport, comments a writer in the Sydney Referee. While it may be necessary in regard to some sports, I am of the opinion that our rowing coaches are, and have always been, quite capable ot including the finer points, and given similar material and conditions of training, they would turn out crews equal to the world's best. There has been very little alteration in the style of rowing during the past forty years. It has always been based more or less on the methods as laid down by the English authority Woodgate, and, although each coach. has a slightly different interpretation, the basic principles are similar. Steve Fairbairn, who is a Victorian, and coached and rowed in the in-ter-State contests, claims to have introduced a new method, but old hands consider that it is only a reintroduction of the old method as coached by George Upward over thirty years ago, when he had those wonderful Victorian crews who were unbeatable in their day, winning the inter-State contests with monotonous regularity. Australia's outlook on sport is similar to England's, it being taken purely as a pastime, and, although Great Britain seems to have lost prestige in some sports, the fact of having finished within five seconds of the winners in the final of the Olympic eights with a preparation of four weeks as against four years of other countries, shows she is no back number in rowing. England, however, has always been recognised as the home of rowing, practically every country emulating their ideas. Notwithstanding this, it is, noteworthy that on the occasion of Australia's winning the Grand Challenge, a great tribute was paid the coach. Mr. W. J. Middleton, for having as the English critic said, given them a lesson in recovery of arms, clean shoulder lift, clean finish, and

better length of swing. Australian Coaches Mr. Middleton is not doing any active coaching now. but among many others, there is Mr. Keary, who has been coaching crews for over thirty years with considerable success. He is most enthusiastic and exacting, and any professional coach could certainly not devote more energy to his work. His 1933 King's Cup crew holds the three miles record of 14.30. Mr. George Mackenzie, coach of the I police crew at Berlin has had experience in several States. He represented Victoria in inter-State contests at the time when that State was at its zenith, and although he admits a partiality to Fairbairn, he also considers that it is similar to what he rowed forty years ago in Victoria. Mr. Sid Raper, coach ot the last King's Cup crew, is one of the younger generation, but shows gi<at promise, his crew reaching a very high standard. 1 have only mentioned coaches who have been successful in recent King s Cup contests, but there are numerous others, both in this and other States, including some of the G.P.S. coaches. Foremost, perhaps, among these is Mr. Robson, of the Sydney Church of England Grammar School. He has produced excellent crews, posessing all the finer points, and altogether wonderful combinations. Mr. Bernie < Williams, coach of St. Joseph's Col- ' lege, has also shown great ability in i his coaching, and has also had con- ' siderable success outside the schools. Our coaches are up to standard, and we have the material, but it must he an Australian representation, and . if some means could be devised J whereby it were possible to be represented by the best available, Austra- • lia would do well. . Every effort should be made to , compete in Japan in 1940, as the ex-j, penses will be comparatively light, i and less time needed for the trip. The Sydney rowing season will be |, opened on October 3 by the Mosman I, Club, their regatta being held on the Riverview course, Lane Cove. This i function has always been most popu- : lar, and as all the clubs have crews in training it looks as if there will be i big entries in all events. The principal race will be the 1 Boone Cup for senior eights. There : are four crews already in training: i Sydney, Mosman. North Shore and [l Police. Most of the men are new toil