New adult members make a big impact at the Union
Masters & Seniors 2024/25 report for the website
Before the 2024-2025 season, there was a small and experienced selection of adult members in the club – some acting as coaches to the 100 juniors in the club, and a small group of masters women (masters means 27+ years old) being coached by John Kenyon. Meanwhile, on the banks of various regattas, some of the parents were starting to be inspired by their kids and the many juniors in the club. Just before summer 2024, a poll went out to parents. 30 were interested! And soon after, the club put on a taster day (see photo below), followed by a learn to row course. Suddenly the Masters Women Sculling group quadrupled in size and became the Masters & Seniors group, involving a few men too, training four times a week. The group now includes all ages and abilities, including people fresh out of uni to 50+ years old, from fit athletes to people that are exercising for the first time in decades.
Over the next few months, aside from competing at Nottingham Autumn Head, the original experienced masters group sacrificed their weekend water training time to build this new group up to become at least capable of taking a coxless quad out by themselves. This took until early spring 2025. The huge generosity of their time and patience was reflected quickly by the sense of community that developed in the group. Over the course of the year, this began to attract more adult members to the club, including ex-uni rowers. The adult section grew to a size where the NURC bar was reopened for regular use.
April saw the adult section run an easter training camp (see photo below), at home on our waters, with some joining other local clubs to take part in the Nottingam-to-Newark Good Friday row, covering 37km. Regatta season was on the horizon. The experienced crew began training again to race at Nottingham Masters & Club Regatta, Burton Regatta, Bewdley Regatta, and Peterborough Summer, with a win in the final at Burton and other race wins along the way.
The question for coach John Kenyon was whether any of the novices would want to try their first amateur races. The first and bravest competed in a coxed quad at Burton Sprint and at Bewdley, and in their first four-lane lake race in a coxless quad at Peterborough Summer. They were joined by more people in doubles and singles at Peterborough Summer, with 11 of the adult section competing proudly in club colours (see photo below).
The next batch have just joined from the most recent learn to row, adding 8 new novice rowers to the group. The 2025-26 season begins soon with head races at Burton, Nottingham, and Bedford in our sights.