What to expect?
Reading RC has a large Junior Squad of keen and enthusiastic young people. They are immensely supportive of each other and enjoy both the rowing and the social side of the club. The squad includes young people of all ages from 13 – 18. The Club caters for a broad range of ability and experience. The most important aspect is for the Club to provide an environment which is safe and enables young people to enjoy the sport and have fun.
We try to bring new entrants into the squad once a year in September, subject to places becoming available. We endeavour to match up athletes in their own age group with similar abilities early on, we will also try different crew combinations for events and also to emphasise the social aspect of the sport. If you wish to join Reading Juniors, please go to the section below, “Joining the Junior Squad”
We take safety and safeguarding very seriously. Each junior member is required to successfully complete a swim and capsize test. We have a Club Welfare Officer who has a great deal of experience of working with young people. Coaches, Officers of the Club and parent helpers have attended the appropriate British Rowing safeguarding training.
Juniors are able to train in singles, doubles and quads and older members of the squad may be able to try rowing in pairs, fours and eights. The type of boat an vary from session to session, but will largely depend on age, experience and other Juniors at a similar stage. As Juniors gain experience they will be able to have the opportunity to take part in competitive events and race in Head races and Regattas.
The squad has had a great deal of success in recent years at both regional and national level. Medals have been won at the National Schools Regatta, Junior Sculling Regatta, Junior British Championships and crews have qualified for Henley Women’s Regatta and Henley Royal Regatta. Reading RC Juniors have gone on to represent Great Britain in the Coupe de Jeunesse and World Rowing Junior Championships.
Training
Training sessions throughout the year are a mixture of water and land based training. Weather permitting the weekend sessions are water based and sessions on weekdays will include ergo sessions and circuit training. The overall aim is to improve technique and fitness, flexibility and core strength. It is important that members of the squad are not over trained, particularly the younger less experienced members.
Those who show a particular inclination and aim to compete at a higher level, the training programme can be structured to suit. This is achieved with the support of coaches who have themselves achieved notable results. Such training is more rigorous and will involve some type of training most days.
Training Times
Monday - Thursday: 17:00 – 18:30
Saturday: 12:15 - 13:45 and 14:45 - 16:15
Sunday: 12:15 - 13:45
There are different weekend session times for members of the High Performance group
Coaching
We have an excellent team of volunteer coaches with a wide range of experience from those who have been coaching for many years to younger coaches who are still competitive athletes and closely relate to the Juniors. These include ex RRC Juniors and ex World Class Start athletes based in Reading. Our primary coaches are all qualified to British Rowing Level 2. The squad is divided into groups depending on ability and experience and training programmes are developed for each group. The coaches are all conversant with the different programmes and coach accordingly.
Welfare and safeguarding of children
Reading Rowing Club upholds a duty of care to all of our members. Our Club Welfare Officer ensures that Reading Rowing Club is compliant with British Rowing guidelines on welfare and safeguarding. The Welfare Officer manages the DBS/CRC checking process, and ensures that all adult volunteers, coaches and parent helpers are appropriately vetted and trained.
The Welfare Officer is available most weekends for anyone who would like to discuss any welfare matters. You can also contact by email here: welfare@readingrc.com. The British Rowing guidelines regarding junior athletes are accessible here.
Joining the Junior Squad
Reading Rowing Club have arranged courses for Juniors aged 13- 17 during the Summer Holidays in 2024.
For those with previous sculling experience
For those with no previous experience
A message from the junior vice captain
Steve Pratt, Junior Vice-Captain:
"I have been associated with Reading Rowing Club for the last 8 years when my son joined the Club as a J14 member of the Junior squad. He graduated from Exeter University in 2022 with a B.Sc (Hons) 1st Class in Exercise and Sports Sciences and is now the Junior Head coach at Reading. I became Vice-Captain in September 2016 and support the coaches as the main point of contact and deal with the administration of the squad. I became Captain of RRC in 2021, but continue also to run the Junior squad.
I am immensely proud to be associated with the Club and particularly the Juniors. It is strong and inclusive and there is an environment of mutual support and encouragement which has grown and developed in the last few years. I always aim to encourage the friendliness and spirit that is very much a part of the Junior squad of RRC."
