Image credit: Brentford Boat Club / Team Keane Sculling School
Situated in West London, Brentford Boat Club formed in 2023 and carries on a long-lasting legacy created by Team Keane, initially founded in 2013. It is one of a few junior-only rowing programmes that specialises in bringing juniors into the sport of rowing and setting them up to get into the more competitive end of the domestic and international racing world.
In its initial form as Team Keane, the Club served as a rowing provider for schools in the West London area, then turned into a rowing club with junior and senior racing, as well as recreational squads. Last year, the junior racing squad was spun out of Team Keane to allow greater resources to be allocated towards the squad, and to cement its identity as a high performance accelerator programme for juniors.
Founded by Paul and Miranda Keane, the Club has gone through several iterations and has settled on a piece of land in the heart of the Brentford Marina. The part of the Tideway that they reside on is perfect for beginners and advanced rowers alike, due to low boat traffic and easy navigational rules. Brentford Boat Club also benefits from having access to an indoor gym less than a five-minute walk away.
The Current Head Coach is Paul Keane, who has a wealth of experience as a rower and coach, and took the club to new heights for the 23/24 season, bringing the club to the largest amount of A/B Finals in the 2024 Scullery, the National School’s Regatta, and British Junior Championships.
Brentford Boat Club facilitates juniors wanting to sweep or scull but specialises in sculling. The Club’s strength comes from its openness to new members; from those who have never stepped in a boat before, to those who have been rowing for years. In addition, each squad is very tight-knit and supportive, and pushes each other to improve. Athletes typically have experience competing at a national level, before going on to collegiate programmes in the US or even representing GB.
The Club has an incredibly strong sense of community. Volunteers and coaches alike have contributed a huge amount to keeping both Team Keane and Brentford Boat Club running over the past decade, especially during COVID-19 where clubs across the country struggled to keep the lights on, and most shut down. This is where Brentford Boat Club shines. Brentford sets up its rowers for a very successful career later down the road.
What to find out more? Visit: https://brentfordboatclub.com/
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