Club Committee

2007-2008 Manifestos

Harriet Booker for Women's Captain

I noviced with FaT and have rowed with the 2nd Lent and May VIIIs every year since. I was a WLBC in 2005-6 and KSS this year. Next year I will be studying Part III Chemistry.

I am standing for the position of Women's Captain as next year is going to be tough and I think that my attitude and commitment can maintain the current spirit within the club. There will be many gaps in the upper boats, but the strength of the entire squad means that we can adapt to the changes as long as we are prepared to work together. I have committee experience, both this year when the club has been on a high, and last year when the Lents Dinner fiasco happened.

The main aims for the club next year would be:

1. Attitude - FaT Ladies are going to be a presence on the Cam next year, whatever some people's opinion seems to be.
2. Fitness - I would like people to feel encouraged to keep their fitness level up over the summer, and the beginning of Michaelmas would be focused on this, via longer ergs, circuits etc rather than lots of unproductive water time.
3. Rowing together - I would hope to have crews selected early enough each term to allow people to feel secure in their seat so that crews can work on things together, rather than as individuals.
4. Success at all levels - The Women's Boat Club is not just the 1st VIII. Any boat that improves is an indication of the strength of the club as a whole.

To achieve these, I hope to be able to work closely with certain people next year, whose help will be invaluable. Firstly, Iain, who I hope will continue in his role as Head Coach and will write the training plan for all the boats so that each term will have a real focus. Secondly, the secretary, to keep me organised. Thirdly, the Men's Captain, to ensure that the club is working as a whole rather than fighting against itself. Lastly and most importantly, the whole women's squad, to keep that untouchable feeling we have at the moment. It's fun when you know you're the best!

Lower Boats

Just because a boat is lower commitment does not make it a lower priority. I would support the WLBCs in novice recruitment during Michaelmas, and aim to make people at all levels feel included and that they have an important contribution to make. The 3rd Lent VIII will get on again, and the 3rd May VIII will go up.

Upper Boats - Training

With Iain as head coach for W1, I would hope to appoint a head coach for W2 for at least each term (hopefully longer) to provide some consistency. I would like to make use of guest coaches, following the training plan, to keep people on their toes and give everyone new things to concentrate on. Land training would consist of at least one compulsory session a week, and I would hope to see as many people as possible doing much more without it feeling like a chore.

Upper Boats - Racing

There is a lot to live up to - Uni IVs and Lents Headship spring instantly to mind. The first part of Michaelmas would be spent in IVs, giving people a chance for more technical focus and more attention from coaches. However, I think that Lents is 'the big one'. I would like to maintain a level of consistency between Michaelmas and Lent term, with as few crew changes as possible over the two terms, and everyone being focused on a long term view. I would like to see subbing between W1 and W2 going both ways so that, if there were to be any swaps, the crews would adapt quickly.

Despite this, there needs to be a chance for ex-novices to integrate with the senior rowers. This will be the focus of the pre-Lent training camp, but once term has started I would like to see the 1st VIII beginning training together fairly quickly, while the 2nd/3rd/4th VIII rowers can have another week or so rowing in mixed crews before crew selection.

Proposed: Erica Thompson
Seconded: Dami Dauda