Information on how to nominate your choice.
ARA Coach of the Year Awards 2008
Each year we celebrate the successes of our rowers on both the home and international stages. Those successes come in many guises, from getting into a sculling boat unaided, to competing in a first race, to winning an event locally, nationally or internationally. Most who participate in rowing have received coaching at some point in time. From our local boat sheds and riverbanks to the World Cup and World Championship regattas, coaches are the lifeblood of our sport.
The majority of our coaches are volunteers whilst a minority, albeit an increasing minority are professionally employed on a part or full-time basis, many showing a commitment beyond the call of duty. Most are modest and ask for nothing in return. Their reward is seeing others achieve what they did not think was possible.
The ARA Coach of the Year Awards provides an opportunity for all of us to acknowledge and celebrate the contribution that coaches make to the success of our sport. It provides rowers of all standards with the chance to say thank you.
In light of the fact that the sport has in recent years been developing in new directions, a review of the award categories has been held and some changes recommended. We have for example taken the decision to drop the adaptive coach of the year award in support of the drive to fully integrate all adaptive activities into our sport. Anyone coaching an adaptive athlete or a group can be entered into any of the categories.
The process for selecting the 2008 Award winners, starts with an individual, a crew, a squad, a relative, anyone who wishes to thank those individuals and teams who have coached them, submitting a nomination to their Regional Coach of the Year Event. Each club and region has a different approach to awards, so if you can think of someone deserving, now is your chance to nominate them.
The Regional winners are then submitted to the National Awards Judging Panel. Occasionally the decision maybe taken as in 2007 to make a special award, this is entirely dependent on nominations received.
So take a moment to reflect on your year and consider if there is anyone you know who you feel you would like to nominate for any of the five awards.
The Awards: The ARA will make National Awards in each of the following categories:-
Development Programme Coach of the Year: The coach who in the opinion of the region has made the most significant impact on their local community in providing new opportunities for new groups of people to become involved in the sport of rowing. We are particularly looking for programmes that have utilised good coaching practices and have drawn on the resources available to them such as the Learn to Row programmes. In addition, we are looking for evidence that the programme has led to a sustainable increase in membership at local clubs. This award is open to both an individual or a team. Examples of such programmes:-
- A young persons programme introducing kids who would normally never have the opportunity to row.
- An adaptive programme.
- A row to health programme.
- A recreational programme.
- A corporate rowing programme.
Young Coach of the Year: This award recognises the important work carried out by young coaches and provides an opportunity to highlight up-and-coming young coaches through recognition of their coaching achievements so far. Nominees must be aged 25 years or under on
Junior Coach of the Year: The coach who in the opinion of the region has made the most significant impact on the performance or development of their School or Junior Club crew or crews during 2008.
Senior Coach of the Year: The coach who in the opinion of the region has made the most significant impact on the performance or development of their Senior Club crew or crews during 2008.
The Coaching Team of the Year: The Coaching Team that in the opinion of the region has made the most significant impact on the performance and/or development of a group of participants. The judging panel with be looking for an outstanding ethos in their approach that has been role modelled.
The judging panel will be chaired by Chairman of the National Coaching Committee, joined by the Chairman of the ARA (or nominated deputy), National Development Team Manager , the Technical Co-ordinator. The panel’s decision will be final and no correspondence will be entered into regarding their decision. The ARA will contact the winners by
Further details including nomination forms will be available from 1 September, 2008