The Junior Squad at Guildford Rowing Club is grouped by age and gender and trains within age groups with dedicated coaching staff.  The age groups are J13, J14, J15, J16 and J18 and there are approximately 10 juniors in each group giving a squad total of 100.  Each group has at least 2 adult coaches plus 2 assistant junior coaches.  Your age group is decided by your age on 1 September each year – if you are under 13 on that day you row as a “J13” from 1 September to 1 September the next year and so on for all ages.  When you compete at regattas you will do so against juniors within your age group.
The squad trains on the River Wey on Sunday mornings: J13s and J14s from 0900 until 1030 and J15s, J16s and J18s from 1030 until 1200.  In the winter months this water-based training is supplemented with indoor rowing machine sessions from 1930 until 2030 on Tuesday and Friday evenings at the Clubhouse.  In the summer, these evening sessions include water training depending on available light.

Junior Beginner courses are run each term on Sunday mornings from 0900 until 1030.  The course lasts a nominal 6 weeks and as soon as a junior has mastered the basic sculling skills he or she joins their age group for further training sessions.  The Club has a pair of training boats which are exceptionally stable and easy to use before progressing to the more technical racing boats.
J13s and J14s scull – using 2 oars – in singles, doubles and quads.  J15s and older juniors learn to row – with one oar – in pairs and fours but will continue to scull in a variety of boats.

The GRC Junior Squad is recognised as a best practice Club squad by the rowing governing body (the Amateur Rowing Association) and as a result has attracted considerable funding from Sport England under Project “Oarsome Xtra”.
The squad draws its members from all round Guildford and from a wide range of schools and sporting backgrounds.  The rowing is supplemented with junior social events, such as games evenings, and juniors and their families are welcome at all Club social events.

For further information please contact Danny Skillman, Junior Squad Coordinator by filling in our online form by clicking here

Sorry all the current beginners courses are full however if you email us by clicking the link above we shall add you to the waiting list and contact you in due course.