It’s that time of year again when Freshers, filled with eager enthusiasm, decide to take up a sport that they have never attempted before. As a Committee member of the Boat Club, this is an interesting time. Rowing is a sport which many people sign up to having never done before. We call these people novices and we are always taking note of those who turn up to the taster sessions, show interest in learning and are quick to understand the new techniques which we throw at them.
As an old hand in watching these new freshers pass through the Boat Club doors, I am going to give a few pointers which should help you become a fondly loved new member of whatever sports club you are planning on joining.
UoNBC Freshers test the water!
Show your face!
When novices ask me what the coaches will look for when it comes to making the cut, I always start by saying that 80% is just turning up. This can be said for most sports clubs. We want someone reliable and who won’t let the team down after a heavy night on the Coco Tang cocktails. If you are in my boat, or my team, I want to know that if I wake up at 4.45am to go out in a boat which requires eight people to row, that you won’t be the person who sleeps through his/her alarm – meaning that the seven of us left have to go for an hour run at 5.30 in the morning. So, most importantly, be dependable.
Use your ears – and ability
Coaches will also be looking at your ability to learn. Rowing is a very technical sport, and to begin with, it doesn’t matter how fit you are; if you don’t understand the technique, you won’t make a boat go fast. The same goes for hockey, netball, football, or lacrosse; if the University plays the sport slightly differently, or uses different techniques, you need to catch onto these quickly. So point two is, simply, listen.
Persistence
In any physical sport fitness is always going to be important. Many freshers will have had a summer of drinking, partying and waking up at dinner time, so fitness is often not at its peak. Generally, this won’t matter. What we are looking for is whether you have the mental strength to push yourself to your limits wherever they may be. If you finish last in circuits, still congratulate yourself on finishing. Don’t give up and show that you have the capacity to improve, give yourself small goals and once you’ve reached them push on even more.
Joining a new club is always going to be nerve-wracking. Talk to as many people as you can, try to remember names and just enjoy yourself. Finally, you came to University to do a degree, so if you think your sport is holding you back, take a step back and your coach will understand.