Furnivall Sculling Club – Development Squad Coach (paid)

Furnivall Sculling Club is seeking to recruit a Coach to lead our very successful Development Squad in both sweep rowing and sculling from July 2024

Furnivall Sculling Club is seeking to recruit a Coach to lead our very successful Development Squad and continue our journey to rebuild our historic sculling and sweep rowing club to competitiveness over the next 3 – 5 years.

Furnivall is a vibrant club with over 125 years of history based in Hammersmith. As the oldest women’s rowing club in the country, Furnivall has a reputation for offering a competitive yet inclusive environment for our >180 members. Teaching adults to row competitively has been a key part of the Furnivall ethos since the club’s inception in 1896. We pride ourselves on being a diverse and inclusive club, enabling longevity and flexibility in our members’ rowing careers while supporting them in reaching their maximum potential.

Our Development Squad typically consists of 30 – 40 members drawn from our yearly Learn to Row courses as well as externally recruited rowers in the first 1 – 2 years of their rowing careers, typically fielding 1 – 2 men’s and women’s novice boats in the yearly head races. The past two years have been very successful, with the club’s novice women returning the fastest novice club time in WeHORR 2023 and Quintin Head 2024, success we aim to build on with our new Learn to Row graduates and returning Development Squad rowers from July 2024.

We are seeking a squad coach to lead and coach the Development Squad in both sweep rowing and sculling under the leadership of our Head Coach, John Hickling, from July 2024.

This is a role suited both to coaches in the early years of their coaching careers looking to take responsibility for a whole squad for perhaps the first time, as well as more experienced coaches that are passionate about enabling adults to take up the sport. Responsibilities include:

• Establishing the groundworks of excellence in our Development Squad rowers to prepare them for a successful rowing career in the Furnivall Racing Squads and beyond, specifically:
  – Embedding competitive spirit and accountability
  – Ensuring positive team behaviours and a supportive and enjoyable training environment
  – Teaching good technique in rowing and sculling
  – Laying the foundations for good navigation and steering
• Setting and adjusting the squad’s training plan together with the Head Coach
• Setting the squad’s racing programme together with the Head Coach and Club Captain
• Setting crews for training and racing
• Managing the involvement of the session and volunteer coaches assigned to the squad by the Head Coach and Club Captain and your own diary to cover the following coached sessions for the squad:
  – Water sessions Saturday & Sunday 12:30 – 15:00
  –  weekday evening ergo session (precise days and times TBC with Head Coach)
  – 1 weekday strength and conditioning session (precise day and time TBC with Head Coach)
• Together with the Head Coach and Racing Squad coaches, deciding which Development Squad rowers will “graduate” to the senior racing squads at set times of the season (historically immediately after Head Race Season in March/April and/or immediately after Regatta Season in June/July, to be decided with the Head Coach)
• Supporting the running of the Spring and Summer 2025 Learn to Row courses.

Remuneration will be provided at an hourly rate in line with experience, typically between £15 – £25 per hour. Preferred experience includes:

• 2 years coaching experience
• Experience of coaching novice rowers
• Experience of coaching both sweep rowing and sculling
• Good understanding of rowing, navigation, and safety on the Tideway
• Launch driving experience, ideally RYA Level 2 or equivalent (however, we can support you in acquiring this)
• British Rowing Level 2 Coaching certificate or equivalent (however, we can support you in acquiring this).

We are looking for a coach who shares our vision to help the club grow and support all squad members in reaching their maximum potential. If you have a passion for coaching and want to help us continue the development of the squad then please submit a CV / outline of your coaching experience and skills, with references, to Captain Evelyn Tichy at [email protected]. If you would like an informal chat about the role please contact Head Coach John Hickling on [email protected] to arrange a call.

Salary: Dependent on experience

Type: Part time, 8 - 12 hours per week

Application Dates: From Tuesday 28th May 2024 to Wednesday 31st July 2024