Project Oarsome

In 2003 the Club successfully applied to take part in the ‘Project Oarsome’ initiative. This is aimed at young people, especially those who may never have contemplated rowing as a sport. The initiative is continuous for a fixed period of seven years.
Project Oarsome is headed by the Amateur Rowing Association (ARA), the sport’s governing body, which demands stringent criteria for participating Clubs.
The rowing club has had to demonstrate that it is soundly constituted, has an active junior section and adequate training and changing facilities.
Targets for an increase in qualified coaches must be met as part of the project. and the Club now has 15 qualified coaches

Training Methods that led to Olympic success
Consistent best-practice across the UK is gained by following the training and coaching plans of our successful Olympic team. Each Club must produce and follow a Junior Development Plan, specific to the Club and approved by the ARA. Progress in the Club is based on participation and commitment, not on simple athletic prowess.

Commitment of local schools
The Club is targeted for success over a seven-year period and an essential ingredient is an agreement with two local schools - Helsby High School and Frodsham School (Science and Technology College) - committing both to the development of the project. This has resulted in teachers at the schools taking coaching qualifications and making grant support applications for further equipment. Club Juniors also attend St Chads School Runcorn, the Heath School Runcorn, the Grange School Runcorn, the Grange School Hartford and King’s School Chester.

Generous support ensured the Club’s vision became reality.
To take part the Club had to find 25% of the costs (£14,000) from local sources. A generous donation from neighbouring Rocksavage Power and a full grant of £5,000 from the National Lottery’s ‘Awards for All’ programme led the way, with other donations coming from Halton BC, Vale Royal BC, Helsby and Longden, Frodsham and Helsby Rotary and fundraising events held by the Club. This money then triggered the massive 75% funding provided via the Amateur Rowing Association and Henley Stewards’ Charitable Trust.

Official launch of Project Oarsome
Naomi Ashcroft who won a gold medal at the 2002 world championships in Spain, and is an ex-Runcorn club rower, was the star guest at the launch in which bubbly flowed as the new boats were unveiled in front of invited guests from sporting bodies, club sponsors and local authorities.
Earlier in the day a presentation by the ARA to pupils from the two participating schools explained how Great Britain became the second most successful rowing nation. Naomi took along the gold medal she won in Seville and gave a talk about setting and achieving goals. An indoor ‘race’ was held between ARA representatives, Naomi, pupils and a PE teacher from each school, then Kris Hinde - Silver medallist at the National Junior championships - was introduced to the schools and answered questions about rowing.

Project Oarsome now

The following years have seen pupils from Project Oarsome take part in the National Schools Championships and the UK National Junior Championships. In 2004 the Club was the most successful club in the Northwest for junior wins and the sixth most successful in the country.