Club Committee

2010-2011 Manifestos

Julia Robson - Women’s and Overall Captain

I am currently in my third year studying mathematics and next year I am planning to complete Part III maths. I started rowing in my first term at Trinity in NW1, progressing to the senior squad, I rowed with W1 and this past year I have been rowing with the university women’s lightweights but have very much missed First and Third.

Women’s Captain

As women’s captain my aims would be:

• To continue the domination of the Cam by First and Third.
• To continue to expand the size and abilities of the Women’s side of the club.
• To have fun (and help everyone else have fun too)

To achieve this I would:

Use pre-term training camps to operate a squad system and make sure we start term in the best form possible and are able to set crews that can then learn to row well together in time for the main events of each term. This will be particularly important in Lent term when I hope to be integrating lots of good novices into the senior squad. When selecting crews, I shall do it based solely on ability (as judged by coaches) and commitment and not how good people think they are (so people wouldn’t put themselves forward for a particular crew just how much commitment they want to give).

How much training and how many events the different crews enter would not be fixed but open to discussion by the crew and would take into account availability and ability. At a minimum: in Michaelamas I would expect to enter several strong crews into Uni IVs, but the focus of the term would be on Fairbairn’s (which I want to win because I’m jealous of everyone who got a Fairbairn’s medal this year); Lent term the focus would obviously be on bumps to retain the headship and use other races as training for that but I would hope to also have at least one crew wanting to row WeHoRR; I would then hope to have good retention for May term to help produce crews capable of continuing progress up in bumps and enjoying successes at off-Cam regattas if the crews want to try.

To ensure I get the best possible from the rowers and coxes on the women’s side of the club, I would aim to organise good coaches for them and work with the coaches to set a training programs which best improves their weaknesses in the time available. I would plan in advance to have guest coaches for several weekends each term. Michaelmas and Lent terms when because of hours of darkness forcing outings to be during Ian’s working day, I would aim to use him as head coach at least for W1. However, the times he is willing to coach do not fit well with people’s work in May Term so I would look to find some other main coach for that term.

I believe my year with the lightweights has taught me a lot about rowing and how to train effectively but don’t worry I understand not everyone wants to train that hard and will tailor training programs to the different crews and individuals accordingly.

I am very organised a skill that I learnt as a Cadet Warrant Officer in the Air Training Corps where I also learnt a lot about leadership and how to motivate a team. I put my organisational skills to practical use this year to help fit my work around all the training I was doing with the lightweights. I am also already used to being in charge of university societies as I have already been chairman of the university gliding club for a year.

Overall Captain

This year the women’s side of the club has proved it is as much as a force to be reckoned with as the men’s side and I think as such it would be right that someone from the women’s side of the club should be its main representative again.

If elected overall captain I would aim to:

• Maintain good relations with Ian, the First and Third Association and Black Prince, all of whom can be a very good and generous source of help.
• Support other committee member to complete their jobs properly and ensure the long term success of the club.
• Represent the best interest of the club at CUCBC meetings and dealings with other organisations.

I believe I could be successful in this as my previous positions of responsibility mean I have learnt how to maintain an overview of everything that is going on in an organisation. I am also to having to liaise with influential people as I was involved in setting up a new initiative for young glider pilots which involved talking to people at the British Gliding Association and in charge of air cadet flying for the whole of the UK.

Proposed by: Rachel Croft
Seconded by: Charlotte Squires-Parkin