Liam Downs lives with his mother and step father locally in Hackney. He attends Mossbourne Academy where he is studying to gain 13 GCSE this summer. He is predicted very high grades for all subjects. He is a smart, hard working and an academic individual. However he was despondent with sport due to his not being the most coordinated person in the world! He was first introduced to rowing last year when the school attended a learn to row program (which is still going on to this day) and though his physical attributes made him an ideal candidate for the developing squad, his achievements during those session did not. He was weak and did not know how to apply the little power he had to the oars or the handle of an ergo. However a few of his friends convinced him to come down and try the club rowing on a Saturday morning where he progressed slowly.
He then asked if he was able to come along to the Fast Forward program that is held over February half term at the Lea RC. He has not looked back since the Monday of this 5 day course. He attended every day and it seemed that he had decided that he was going to become good at rowing even if it took him just as much or more effort as he put into his academia. He steadily improved in both his single and crew boats and with the aid of a growth spurt (making him now approximately 6”3’) he is now one of the most level headed and mature athletes in the Lea RC Junior Squad. So much so that even though he experienced the disappointment of missing out on the required time for the recent GB trials, his dedicated approach to training has not faltered and he has been invited to the J16/17 development weekend for potential GB athletes.
Liam also has helped out on many occasions with coaching anyone in the Junior section. Whether they be a recreational rower who pays more attention to the squirrels than to what a coach is saying or one of the individual that is paying to attend the learn to row course. I know that I am able to give Liam responsibility and it not to be shirked. Liam is a very high calibre individual who has worked hard and achieved academically. He has recently taken entrance exams from which he has been given a place in City Academy’s 6th Form, he is waiting on the news of a scholarship. Rowing has given Liam the ability to use his hard working approach to achieve in the sporting field and Ben, Jack and myself find it a pleasure to coach and watch this athlete develop mentally, technically and physically.
by Dan Cooper, Community Sports Coach for Lea RC
Steve Redgrave is a product of Marlow Comprehensive, the talent has always and still is in the comprehensives of England, like all sports it is about opportunity. Cricket has the same potential prospects in the comprehensive system.