Senior Coaches

Echoes records that there have been at least 26 open boys’ coaches and three open girls’ coaches over the years. The first boys’ coach was Mr C J Searle, a member of the Derwent Rowing Club.

There have been several coaches who provided long service to the students and the sport.

Alan Pitt, an old scholar who was stroke of the 1907 crew, coached in 1914 and from 1920 – 1925. Mr P Waters coached in 1926 and from 1929 until 1935 when the June Echoes records, “We regretfully said farewell to Mr Waters, who has coached our crews with marked success for many years. Unfortunately, his son is a St Virgils’ boy, and prevailed upon his father to change his camp.”

Mr Charles Collis was next long serving coach. He commenced his association with the open boys’ crews in 1941 and continued in this role until his death in March 1952. The 1952 Echoes records his contribution, “The School lost a real friend in the death of Charles Collis in March this year. He became rowing coach in 1941 and since then has been untiring in training Head of the River crews. His skill as a rowing coach met with success, for Friends’ crews won several southern titles during the war years and, when Island competitions were later resumed, the Head of the River title in 1949 and 1950. He set a fine example of service given ungrudgingly. A subscription list has been opened to buy a memorial boat to be known as The Charles Collis”.

Another long coaching association began in 1956 when Mr John Verney became coach. He continued in that role until 1963, was involved in weight training in 1966, assisted Alan Hay with coaching in 1967 and coached again in 1980.

The 1961 Echoes records the contribution he had made to rowing up to that point in time as follows: “Of particular note is the unbroken period of success of rowing crews…over the past four years. To mark the Head of the River victory and the outstanding coaching of Mr John Verney, a “telenock” campaign was launched for a School Eight, to be named the “John Verney.” Within a week the response by rowing supporters of the School was such that the £800 required for the boat was in hand, and we are glad to report that the boat, made by Sargent and Burton of Sydney has arrived and will be christened shortly on the site, we hope, of the new Friends’ School Rowing Shed on Lallaby Road reserve.”

The name Hay first became associated with coaching in 1967 when John Verney and Alan Hay took on coaching responsibilities as the then coach, Mr Gourlay, was transferred to Canberra. Alan Hay continued his coaching association with the open boys until 1971, when commitments to the Tasmanian Rowing Council meant that he was not able to continue. The coaching commitment has continued in the Hay family.

One of the club’s current coaches, Glenn Hay, started coaching responsibilities with open boys in 1976 and the open girls in 1986. His continued association with Friends’ rowing followed a successful rowing career as a student, being coxswain of the Eight in 1964 and “Stroking” the Head of the River crew to a win in 1968.

Over the years Echoes records the many old scholars from all eras who have returned to the school to assist in the coaching programme, starting with Alan Pitt in 1914. In 1979, six of the nine coaches were old scholars and a high point was noted in 1981 when eight of the nine coaches were old scholars.

Committed teachers, parents and rowing enthusiasts have given generously of their time over the years to support school rowing. The on water activities would not have been possible without this off-water assistance. The benefits derived from the use of a motor vehicle were extolled in the July 1920 Echoes: “Our hearty thanks are due to Mr Frank Wells for the loan of his car during the training season. By means of this convenience, the crew was conveyed to and from the shed at Cornelian Bay. We believe that the good health of the crew throughout was due to Mr Wells’ kindness, for the use of his car prevented those chills and colds which, in other years, would have marred our training.”

For over a decade, the mid-thirties to the mid-forties, Dr Elliott acted as honorary medical advisor and in 1949 the senior crew paid: “a tributed to Mrs Von for producing one of the heaviest crews seen on the River for some years.”

Work on boats and around the boat shed was ever an ongoing task and Mr R W (Bob) Fowler assisted the Boat Club in this regard for a decade. A note in the 1977 Echoes is typical of the benefit derived from the work of Mr Fowler’s predecessors and successors in these tasks.
“I would also like to thank Mr Bob Fowler for the unlimited time and effort he has put into rowing this year, ensuring that all equipment was in good order at all times. Repair work would have cost a fortune if we had not had Bob Fowler.”

School support for the rowing programme has been critical to success of the sport and the benefits derived by hundreds of students since 1905. With the advent of two crews in the early 1930’s the organizational requirements increased and have continued to increase over the years.

Co-ordination of training, equipment, transport and competitions has been the lot of successive dedicated school staff who contributed their time and energy in addition to their normal school workload.

The Head of the River note in the June 1934 Echoes was prepared by E K (Cracker) Morris and his association with school rowing continued until 1945. It was during this time that House Rowing commenced and the number of boys involved in rowing grew.

The 1958 Echoes notes that the School’s new racing four was used for the first time in the Head of the River for that year. After the event, won by Friends’ for the first time since 1950, the boat was christened the “E K Morris” by E K Morris himself.”

Staff members who have supported rowing in more recent years are Mark Curtis and Lloyd Mulcahy. In the early 1980’s Andrew Stewart worked with great commitment on the water, in the boat shed and with the Boat Club to generate support for rowing and in the late ‘80’s and early ‘90’s present staff members Ray Trousselot and Helen Manson both gave service to rowing activities in the position of Co-ordinator of Rowing.

Two other great stalwarts of the School rowing community are Greg Hill and Mark Nicholson. Together they worked tirelessly to see the club move into the new century with management and coordination skills that have seen the Boat Club win back to back Head of the Rivers in 2001 and 2002.