Meet the new Henley Stewards’ Charitable Trust coaches for 2019

British Rowing’s four Henley Stewards’ Charitable Trust (SCT) coaches have started work in their local communities

British Rowing’s four Henley Stewards’ Charitable Trust (SCT) coaches have begun their first year in the role helping to get more young people who would not typically have access to rowing involved in the sport.

Based in Bedford, East London, Slough and Sunderland, the coaches are working with groups of children and schools so that rowing can have a positive impact on their lives.

Here’s who the Henley Stewards Charitable Trust coaches are for 2019.

Ellie Sadler – Bedford

Course: MSc Forensic Psychology, University of Bedfordshire

Ellie is a keen rower and coach at Star Rowing Club in Bedford. After her Dad introduced her to the sport at the age of 14, rowing has been a passion of hers. After undertaking a bachelor degree at York St John University, Ellie wanted to take on the position of SCT coach to give back to the sport and make sure as many children as possible are given the same opportunities with such valuable life experiences.

She is already working with three schools in the local area offering taster sessions for children, and establishing a cohort from each school that rows regularly.

Claire Harrison – East London

Course: MSc Sport Business and Leadership, Loughborough University 

After having rowed as a junior and at university in Dublin, Claire travelled to Australia and New Zealand where she has been coaching for the last three years. She found her experience working with teenagers and young people extremely rewarding and decided to come home and pursue a course which would allow her to do this in the future.

Claire will be working with up to six schools in the local area to get young people to try rowing, either though indoor rowing or on the water.

Jessica Harris – Slough

Course: MSc Psychology (Conversion)

Jess rowed competitively as a junior at Durham ARC. Afterwards, she trained with Newcastle University while studying exercise biomedicine. After a long-term injury, she moved across to Tyne ARC to coach the junior squad, where she succeeded in improving performance and expanding participation.

She has a keen interest in offering rowing to those who may not be typically attracted to it. Jess believes that activity and sport can be used to benefit the lives of disadvantaged children, in addition to improving mental and physical health.

Jess is working with schools to deliver indoor and water rowing sessions to encourage more young people in the local area to be physically active.

Amy McCarthy – Sunderland

Course: MA by research at Durham University

Since becoming injured as a high-performance junior athlete, Amy has transitioned into the role of a rowing coach and is studying how to reduce injuries in adolescent rowers. She has run indoor competitions at regional-level in her local area.

From the North East herself, Amy’s ‘Tokyo 2020 mission’ is to increase community development and achieve higher participation rates across clubs and competitions by getting more schools involved in indoor rowing. To do this, she is going into schools to deliver six-week courses and is training school staff to take rowing sessions.

The Stewards’ Charitable Trust Coaching Scholarship Scheme is funded by the Henley Stewards’ Charitable Trust, Sport England and host clubs and supported by British Rowing. The project partnership has been running since September 2002, supporting coaches across the United Kingdom. Each SCT coach must undertake a two year, part-time postgraduate course in coaching, sports development or the health / social related benefits of sport, while undertaking to spend 20 hours per week coaching juniors in their assigned area.