Boat Club: Novice Men's Captain

The main reason why I want to be in charge of the novice squad next year is because I believe that UCLBC can compete at the very top level amongst the novices and I would dedicate all my time and effort to ensure that this comes true. Here is the list of things I will do in order to ensure that UCLBC novice programme achieves 

- Host training sessions 

- Create a cooperative environment in which everyone would be able to have a voice 

- Offer flexible land training sessions (weights, circuits, yoga). Offer new ways of increasing endurance by inroducing swimming sessions

- Build a strong team which would be able to compete at the the top novice level at BUCS

- Put together crews with matching skill levels as well as allow them to scull and sweep in the smaller boats

- Educate novices about boat maintaince and importance of taking care of it by hosting workshops

- Make them love rowing as much as I do and have fun

Having joined the boat club this year, I will be entering this role with the novice experience - namely broken gates and Woody’s shouting - fresh in my mind. As a result, I have a keen understanding of what can be done to improve the experience and ability of the novice men, including:

- A comprehensive and holistic introduction to rowing, such as teaching the basics of the tideway or simple boat maintenance early on;

- Squad socials in term one, giving novices a chance to get to know each other on a more personal level and make friends within crews;

- Set crews based on matched strengths and weaknesses, allowing for a more effective learning experience and quicker technical improvement;

- Rower-specific feedback, and getting more experienced rowers out in the launch in training sessions.

I hope to provide the novices with strong leadership, all-round support, and a successful start in the first year of their rowing career.

I would love to lead next year's novice men's crew through their first year of rowing, having enjoyed great leadership from our captain this year. I believe my good organisational skills, flexibility and management will amount to strong leadership. I will:

1. Provide consistent land training and group erg sessions.
2. Ensure no novice rowers in bow fall out of the boat.
3. Be at the boathouse for every men's novice training session possible.
4. Always be approachable both in person and online to answer questions.
5. Organise crews in good time before sessions.
6. Include novice men members in team activities e.g. outings like Dorney. 

I also have experience:

1. Managing groups in internships over the past 2 years.
2. Managing a team at the pub I previously worked at.
3. Communicating with the public whilst vaccinating for covid-19.
4. Crucially, making spreadsheets in computer science.

It would be great to have the opportunity to manage and guide next year’s novice team in their introduction to the boat club and representing UCL in races.