User:MozzazzoM/SGHS Rowing Club

Sydney Girls High School Rowing Club (SGHS Rowing Club) began in 1985 with SGHS crews rowing in schoolgirl rowing regattas out of the Leichhardt Rowing Club. SGHS Rowing Club made an impact in 1991 when a squad of 12 trained for the inaugural Schoolgirl Head of the River Regatta, which took place in October of that year in Middle Harbour Creek at Davidson Park, Roseville. At the inaugural Schoolgirl Head of the River regatta in 1991, the SGHS Rowing Club was dominant, winning the prestigious eights race as well as the four, the coxless quad scull, the coxless pair and the novice four. It also came second in the single scull and third in the double scull.

SGHS Rowing Club history
In 1985 Sydney Girls High School crews rowed out of the Leichhardt Rowing Club, with the SGHS crews, coached by Mick Lowrey, achieving some successes. Since 1987, the SGHS Rowing Club has been rowing from the UNSW Rowing Club shed. Rowing expanded from about 6 or 8 girls and a junior group of rowers was formed. These juniors rowed out of the Sydney Boys High School shed for a number of years due to space constraints.

The successes of crews in the 1991/92 season resulted in club membership expanding to 42 girls.

Racing history
Tamsin Angus-Leppan rowed for SGHS from 1983 to 1985 and later became a National Rowing Champion in Lightweight Scull events.

In 1985/86 Rachel Knevitt, Wendy Salkeld, Jane Cordin and Cathy Smith rowed as a SGHS crew as student members of the Leichhardt Rowing Club. In 1986/87, Sarah Jinga, Linda Jensen, Georgia Jacklyn and Quyen Maiviet also rowed as a SGHS crew as student members of the Leichhardt Rowing Club.

SGHS rowers later became members of the 1989 NSW Women's Interstate Youth Four Championship crew: Sarah Jinga (bow), Linda Jensen (two), Katrina Knevitt (three), Rachel Knevitt (stroke), coached by Murray Clarke.

At the inaugural Schoolgirl Head of the River Regatta in 1991 the SGHS successes included the races for the eight and the coxed fours; with the Senior 1st IV comprising, Alison McDonald (bow), Clair Bennett (two), Bronwen Greenaway (three), Katrina Black (stroke) and Rachel Ely (cox). The eight also won the 1991 Head of the Parramatta. Richard Silverton, then a 23 year old law student at the University of New South Wales, coached the squad. The SGHS eight won the Schoolgirl Head of the River in 1992 and 1994, when it was held at Iron Cove.

In 2006 the Senior 1st IV, (Edwina Paul (bow), Madeline Collings-Begg (two), Yvette Salmon (three), Bryony Cole (stroke) and Briony Young (cox), coached by Tim Hughes, won the Schoolgirl Head of the River Open Four race in 7:40.49, beating all other boats in their race by at least 19 seconds. In 2006, Yvette Salmon and Bryony Cole received the Gabrielle Pritchard Memorial Trophy at the NSW Combined High Schools (CHS) regatta for being the most outstanding female competitors of the championship - each won three gold medals at the CHS championships. They were also awarded blues for rowing for the school.

Rowing at Sydney Girls High School
Rowing is a extra-curricular activity and part of the sport and leadership programme led by the school Principal, Andrea Connell.

The SGHS Rowing Club is overseen by the rowing coordinator, Con Zamagias (a teacher at Sydney Girls High School) and a team of enthusiastic and committed coaches. Parents help through the Rowing Support Group, which assists with the day-to-day management and organisation of the club. The Parents raise funds for the club, and for other SGHS extra-curricular activities, by organising car parking in the school grounds when there are events at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) and Sydney Football Stadium (SFS).

John Pretty was the first teacher coordinator; he was succeeded by John Brennan in 1992; Con Zamagias become the teacher coordinator in 1994.

The first parent convenor of the SGHS Rowing Support Group was Tas Murray and the current convenor is Paul San Miguel.

The coaching team for the 2011/2012 season is Paul Coates (head coach), Matt Villani, Nell Duly, Alex Bentley and John Adams.

The Captain of Boats for the 2011/2012 season is Megan San Miguel.

Members of the SGHS Rowing Club train and compete as rowers or coxswain. The junior crews row in quad sculls. The senior crews row in quad sculls, coxed fours and an eight. Senior rowers may also compete in events for double sculls. The club has acquired boats through the efforts of parents in the SGHS Rowing Supporters Group. Boats have been named after coaches, notable SGHS old-girls and other supporters of the club. In 2010 the club acquired a new boat which was named the 'Tim Hughes' after a longtime head coach. Two further boats were acquired in 2011, which the girls named 'High Calibre' and 'High Voltage' - to acknowledge the 'High' in Sydney Girls High School.

Margaret Varady Rowing Facility
Since 1987 the SGHS Rowing Club has shared space with the UNSW Rowing Club and operated its rowing activities using the UNSW boatshed at Tarban Creek, near the Tarban Creek Bridge, Gladesville at Huntleys Point, New South Wales. Her Excellency, Professor Marie Bashir AC, CVO, Governor of NSW formally opened the new boatshed on 28 June 2009.

The SGHS section of the boatshed was named the ‘Margaret Varady Rowing Facility’ in honour of the contribution made by the former principal, Dr Margaret Varady AO, towards schoolgirl rowing. Dr Varady and Murray Clarke of the UNSW Rowing Club were instrumental in securing the land and funding to build the boatshed.

Regattas
Since 2010 SGHS Rowing Club has hosted a regatta for schoolgirls. The SGHS regatta is held in Iron Cove, Rodd Point. The 2012 SGHS Rowing Club regatta will be held on 25 February 2012.

SGHS Rowing Club crews compete in regattas in Sydney and Penrith including the Riverview Gold Cup, to be held on the Lane Cove River on 3 December 2011; and the NSW Combined High Schools (CHS) Championship regatta - to be held on the Nepean River near Penrith on 17 and 18 March 2012.

In 2012 SGHS Rowing Club will be a host of the CHS regatta which will be held on the Nepean River on 17 and 18 March 2012. In 2013 the CHS regatta will be held at Grafton in northern New South Wales.

SGHS Rowing Club crews also compete in NSW Schoolgirl Head of the River, which is the culmination of the Schoolgirls rowing season and is usually held at the Sydney International Regatta Centre (SIRC), Penrith The 2011/12 NSW Schoolgirl Head of the River regatta will be held on Saturday 24 March 2012.

Gallery
Category:Rowing Category:Rowing clubs in Australia