2021 RMB National Squad Coaches Conference

RMB National Squad hosted a conference for all coaches and rowers in the community.

This was the first coaches conference in many years and enabled coaches, service providers and rowers to share information in the spirit of collaboration and a common vision across so many different levels of our sport from Olympic athletes to grass roots clubs.

Grant Dodds, RMB National Squad Coach shares the success of the conference with us.

There were approximately 60 delegates in attendance in person and another 60 online via Youtube from schools, clubs and universities. The World Rowing Head of Coaching, Gianni Postiglioni was also in attendance online and former RMB National Squad Head Coach, Roger Barrow, joined us for the morning in person.

RowSA president Sean Kerr, opened the conference with insights into the community members roles and responsibilities as well as to remind us of the achievements of our community within these difficult times of the pandemic. We are so thankful to all our volunteers, supporters and partners who have given so much to South African rowing.

The foundation of the RMB National Squad are the rowing participants in schools, clubs and universities. The main objective of the 2021 RMB National Squad Coaches Conference was to educate coaches and to unify the rowing community. A strong message that the presenters achieved was to make the community aware of the vision of the RMB National Squad.

We were overwhelmed at the success of the coaches conference and this was due to the high calibre of presenters, a passionate organising committee and more importantly an audience that thrived from the knowledge that was shared.

What we didn’t expect was the unity that was so early achieved by the conference and a sense of camaraderie within different spectrums of the community. The communication channels have been opened and the bi-lateral communication between the RMB National Squad and the rowing community will hopefully manifest in future successes on the water and in our community.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank Marco Galeone for all his efforts that he put into the task of organising this event and Gaynor Du Toit for all her assistance from the RowSA office on the day.

A special acknowledgment should be made of St Benedict’s College for their generous hospitality and providing world class facilities to host the conference and making the streaming possible through their IT department.

As well as a special thank you to Rand Merchant Bank for the beautifully written book, Warrior by Danielle Brittain, that was gifted to every participant that attended the 2021 RMB National Squad Coaches Conference.

We look forward to continue hosting the RMB National Squad Coaches Conference annually, and making it an event for the Rowing Community to look forward to.