Aims
Tideway Scullers School is a great place for juniors to learn and enjoy sculling and to develop into competitive athletes. The club is a centre of excellence in sculling with a qualified coaching team tasked with developing juniors into the top scullers and rowers in the UK.
Training
If you join us we expect you to be committed to training regularly. You will be taught to scull safely and competently in single sculls and crew boats, plus you will also train in the gym and on rowing machines to develop your technique, strength and fitness. As you will see below, as you get older and more ambitious the more you will need to train. At TSS we believe that everyone should learn to scull before starting sweep rowing, as it develops balance and technical skills more acutely. However, when you get older there will be opportunities to row in sweep boats too.
Groups
The group you will be invited to join will depend on your age and experience. The training schedules apply to school term time. In the holidays the groups may continue, there may be short intensive courses or you may take a break, depending on your racing commitments.
- Younger Beginners - age 10 to 14 - train from 2pm to 4pm on Saturdays and Sundays. When you first start you will be expected to attend once a week, either on Saturday or Sunday. As you progress you will be asked to attend on both days, unless you are doing another sport on one of the days. When you have made good progress, and if you want to race, you can transfer to the J13-J14 Young Racers group. If you don't want to race, once you are 14 you can transfer to the Intermediates group.
- Older Beginners - age 15 to 18 - train from noon to 2om on Saturdays and Sundays. You will be expected to attend most Saturdays and Sundays, unless you are doing another sport on one of the days. After six months (or sooner), depending on your development, ambition and level of future commitment you will transfer to the Junior Men, Junior Women or the Intermediates groups.
- Intermediates - age 14 to 18 - train from 2pm to 4pm on Saturdays and Sundays. You are expected to attend at least once a week to maintain your fitness and skills. If you consistently fail to turn up you will be asked if you wish to terminate your membership in order to make way for new junior members (we have a waiting list).
- J13-J14 Young Racers - age 13 to 14 - start training at 11.45am on Saturdays and Sundays. You are expected to attend on both days at the weekend and the J14s also train once mid-week. When ready, you will be entered for regattas and ergo championships.
- Junior Men - age J15 to J18 - start training at 8.30am on Saturdays and 10am on Sundays, and also train twice mid-week. To enter this group you must be prepared to train in order to compete successfully in top national events, or show the dedication to progress towards this level.
- Junior Women - age J15 to J18 - start training at 8.30am on Saturdays and 10am on Sundays, and also train twice mid-week. To enter this group you must be prepared to train in order to compete successfully in top national events, or show dedication to progress towards this level.
Joining
If you would like to apply to join the club please ask a parent or guardian to e-mail juniors@tidewayscullers.com, giving your name, address, telephone number, date of birth, height and weight (we are always very keen to hear from people who are tall and strong).
It is important that you are a very good swimmer because, especially when you first start, you are likely to fall in the river and rowers and scullers do not wear lifejackets.
To find out more about the safety rules, conditions of membership, parental consent and current membership fees please look at the documents below (click to open).
Application for Membership form
Parental Consent Form for Juniors
Standing Order Form (to pay membership monthly)