Rowing Canada Aviron (RCA) today announced two new coaching positions to help the Canadian National Rowing Team reach its potential in 2008 and beyond.
With the support of Sport Canada and the Canadian Olympic Committee's financial contribution to Rowing Canada Aviron through the "Excellence Fund", RCA is pleased to announce that an Assistant National Team Coach Lightweight Men will be added to the Victoria Training centre, and a National Coach Development Women will be based at RCA's London Training Centre.
Al Morrow, who has coached crews to many world and Olympic medals, has accepted the position of National Coach Development Women. In this new role, Morrow will be responsible for the annual training/competition program for Canada's Development Women's athletes based in London, and he will work with RCA's Development Coach in the management of a talent identification and tracking program for elite development athletes. As well, he will work as a mentor to identified Canadian club/regional and national level coaches.
"The London Training Centre remains a vital centre for the National Team, and Al Morrow assumes an important role to build our women's team for Beijing, starting today," said Rowing Canada's VP High Performance Phil Monckton. "Although his responsibilities may vary somewhat over the next few years, I expect Al to be in Beijing with crews that will be challenging for medals."
Morrow will remain actively involved with the Women's Senior program, will link with RCA's National Development Coach (Terry Paul) and will play an integral role in the further refinement of the overall women's program.
"This is an exciting new development for RCA's High Performance Centre in London. The new approach is exactly what Canadian rowing needs at this time, and it will enable those charged with the running of the London centre to more effectively assist our athletes in their quest to reach the podium," said the centre's management committee chair Michael Murphy, a past president of Rowing Canada.
RCA will advertise for a National Coach Senior Women, with the intent that this position would be staffed in early 2006, increasing the coaching presence at the London centre.
The position of Assistant National Team Coach Lightweight Men will be advertised immediately. This coach will complement Victoria-based Mike Spracklen, Canada's very successful men's coach, and Laryssa Biesenthal, whose lightweight women's quad won a gold medal at the 2005 World Championships in Japan.
"One of the greatest services a national association can offer its athletes is excellent coaching, and the new appointments will continue Rowing Canada's commitment in this vital area," said Rowing Canada's High Performance Director Alan Roaf. "With increased coaching strength in both of our National Training Centres, we will be able to prepare even more effectively for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing."
Job postings can be found at http://www.rowingcanada.org/en/organization/jobs.html