The October half term training camp was held in Devon at the Dart-Totnes RC (Dan Cooper writes). Sixteen junior athletes and two coaches from four different clubs attended the camp, which was a great success. After a long journey, picking up athletes from East and West London, the minibus Dart-Totnes RC at lunchtime, just in time for the safety briefing. The trailer reached us a little later, due to “an ignition issue”.
The training camp revolved around two to three sessions a day working in 4-, 4x, 2x and 1x. The mixed ability programme allowed the more experienced rowers time to coach and assist others but also get in their racing boats to develop their own skills. The camp was very “front end of the stroke” dominated with all working on their last part of the recovery, the catch and connecting through the footplate. A few injuries flared up whilst on camp but the casualties recuperated while videoing crews and coaching from the launches.
The accommodation was fantastic. Both YHA centres were clean and comfortable, with constant hot water. A substantial breakfast and three course dinner was served and a packed lunch was provided meaning that the juniors snacking was greatly reduced. But enough from me – a report from one of the juniors really says it all.
“I found training camp over half term great for a number of different reasons. Firstly the large amount of single work allowed for embedding of new technique in different parts of the stroke without sessions being separated and the focus lost from one session to the next. Also, it was great to meet new people from other LYR clubs but to see again friends we already know and have the chance to work in crew boats, which isn’t normally an option. I thought that the location and river was really good given the flat water we had every day and it was a welcome change to being on the Thames. I thought that the camp was both fun but also helpful for me both on and off the water. I found Dan’s ergo “Masterclass” really good and hopefully I can now use that in the boat along with the new technical aspects I worked on camp.”