Rowing Victoria is decreasing the accessibility of its own sport
cross-posted on facebook.
Due to something the marine authority have done (we haven't actually been told what), Rowing Victoria have declared that ALL coxswains must hold an accreditation by 1st October of this year. All coxswains means that even social, non-competing coxswains must as well. So what will the punishment be? You can disqualify a competing crew, but you can't disqualify a social crew from the river. Will it be a fine?
The accreditation course costs $44, however coxswains with more than two years experience can receive recognition of prior learning (RPL) for $22.
Nice work on the money-grab RV.
For me to obtain RPL I need to complete an online test, plus send them in my coxing experience detailed like a resume. I've been coxing for 10 years. How much do they want me to write? Shall I send them in a rubbing of my gold medal from the state championships? How about testimonies from back in the day when the club didn't have enough coxswains so I would be on the water from the first race of the day to the last race of the day without a break?
And that's another issue; coxswain numbers.
There has always been problems with finding enough coxswains. This will make it even worse! No coxswain is even going to want to start if they have to sit a course and pay $44! "Hi, welcome to the sport! But before you can even start to find out if you like it, you have to sit a test."
And there is no way I'm the only established coxswain pissed off about $22!
Oh, but the club or school will pay! Well that's fucking great if you go to Scotch College or Mercantile Rowing Club, but Kardinia wouldn't lift a finger for us back in the day, and like Barwon can afford that amount for everyone!
RV are going to see 1 male and 1 female coxswain registered per club who are then listed as coxing every single race from then on.
And then what about coxless boats? What about the responsibility there? Not to mention WHO has it? Is it bow who is supposed to keep watch, or is it stroke who steers with their toe? And the single scullers!
Mum and I sat the online test without submitting it. She's the joint Coach of the Year at Barwon and I've got over 10 years experience and we only passed by 3 points. How? Well there were questions (yes, there were more than one!) with NO correct answer and NO option to say "non of the above".
Not to mention that sitting a test does NOT make you a good coxswain. The only thing that makes you a good coxswain is coxing. And doing lots of it.
Rowing Victoria: go get fucked. So the marine authority made you introduce this? They certainly didn't make you charge the money for it.
Oh, and while I'm bitching, I may as well mentioned that they're now allowing racing boats into beginner-level races. Sure, you'll still be allowed to race in a tub boat, but a racing boat will beat the pants of a tub anyway.
And yes, I know that someone who knows how to handle a tub will beat a person who doesn't know how to handle a racer, but that's irrelevant when it means that the competition will now aim to compete in racers, gradually pushing out all tub racing. This then means that scullers can't compete til they're competent in racers, which means a even longer period of time until they can compete - not exactly encouraging! Alternatively, you can cut corners to get into a racer sooner which doesn't promote proper technique and leads to a lesser level of rowing.
Rowing Victoria is culling the numbers of much-needed coxswains, reducing the quality of Victorian rowing and moving away from the grass-roots levels of the sport and therefore accessibility. Nice move.
Due to something the marine authority have done (we haven't actually been told what), Rowing Victoria have declared that ALL coxswains must hold an accreditation by 1st October of this year. All coxswains means that even social, non-competing coxswains must as well. So what will the punishment be? You can disqualify a competing crew, but you can't disqualify a social crew from the river. Will it be a fine?
The accreditation course costs $44, however coxswains with more than two years experience can receive recognition of prior learning (RPL) for $22.
Nice work on the money-grab RV.
For me to obtain RPL I need to complete an online test, plus send them in my coxing experience detailed like a resume. I've been coxing for 10 years. How much do they want me to write? Shall I send them in a rubbing of my gold medal from the state championships? How about testimonies from back in the day when the club didn't have enough coxswains so I would be on the water from the first race of the day to the last race of the day without a break?
And that's another issue; coxswain numbers.
There has always been problems with finding enough coxswains. This will make it even worse! No coxswain is even going to want to start if they have to sit a course and pay $44! "Hi, welcome to the sport! But before you can even start to find out if you like it, you have to sit a test."
And there is no way I'm the only established coxswain pissed off about $22!
Oh, but the club or school will pay! Well that's fucking great if you go to Scotch College or Mercantile Rowing Club, but Kardinia wouldn't lift a finger for us back in the day, and like Barwon can afford that amount for everyone!
RV are going to see 1 male and 1 female coxswain registered per club who are then listed as coxing every single race from then on.
And then what about coxless boats? What about the responsibility there? Not to mention WHO has it? Is it bow who is supposed to keep watch, or is it stroke who steers with their toe? And the single scullers!
Mum and I sat the online test without submitting it. She's the joint Coach of the Year at Barwon and I've got over 10 years experience and we only passed by 3 points. How? Well there were questions (yes, there were more than one!) with NO correct answer and NO option to say "non of the above".
Not to mention that sitting a test does NOT make you a good coxswain. The only thing that makes you a good coxswain is coxing. And doing lots of it.
Rowing Victoria: go get fucked. So the marine authority made you introduce this? They certainly didn't make you charge the money for it.
Oh, and while I'm bitching, I may as well mentioned that they're now allowing racing boats into beginner-level races. Sure, you'll still be allowed to race in a tub boat, but a racing boat will beat the pants of a tub anyway.
And yes, I know that someone who knows how to handle a tub will beat a person who doesn't know how to handle a racer, but that's irrelevant when it means that the competition will now aim to compete in racers, gradually pushing out all tub racing. This then means that scullers can't compete til they're competent in racers, which means a even longer period of time until they can compete - not exactly encouraging! Alternatively, you can cut corners to get into a racer sooner which doesn't promote proper technique and leads to a lesser level of rowing.
Rowing Victoria is culling the numbers of much-needed coxswains, reducing the quality of Victorian rowing and moving away from the grass-roots levels of the sport and therefore accessibility. Nice move.