In 1960, the first Paralympic Games were held in Rome. In 2008, rowing was part of the Paralympic Games for the first time in Beijing. 13 years later, less than 10% of rowing clubs in the UK can accommodate adaptive rowers. Why is this such a small number, even with British Rowing working with clubs to make rowing a more accessible sport for everyone?
Previous initiatives to diversify our sport to make it more economically accessible have made a significant impact, and whilst there is always more to do it is clear that rowing no longer fits the stereotype of being only for the rich. Along similar lines, the number of men versus women in the sport in the UK is almost 50/50, so from this respect rowing is also a very inclusive sport. What we need to turn to now is making our sport easier for people with both physical and learning disabilities.
Starting from the top, the International Paralympic Committee have a classification system for para-rowing that ranges from specialisation for people with vision impairment and limited lower body function, to those who only use their arms and shoulders to propel the boat. British Rowing follow a parallel system, with further indication of an adaptive classification to accommodate rowers who do not fit a para class, or those with learning impairments. To go alongside this, British Rowing also provide a comprehensive explanation of the extra equipment needed to support adaptive and para-rowers, with various specifications for the individual classifications.
Why then with all this guidance is it still so uncommon to find adaptive and para-rowing club facilities? It is feasible that cost is an issue, as unlike other athletes these rowers need a lot of extra specialised equipment. At a Paralympic level this is less of a barrier than at a novice level, with the National Lottery providing over £3.5million between 2017-20- though this is still significantly less than the Olympic fund that came in at just over £24.5million. Whilst on a smaller scale, the funding available at club level is still boosted by various grants available from British Rowing, which should support the introduction of adaptive rowing to a smaller local rowing club.
What seems to be a more critical issue is the advertising and ‘approachability’ of rowing clubs to people with disabilities. Perhaps it is because as a water sport rowing seems to pose a bigger risk than other adaptive sports, and so less disabled people get involved with rowing. Perhaps it is because from the outside, it looks like it might be difficult to create a situation where individuals with limited mobility could be almost entirely independent in a rowing boat. Perhaps it’s neither of these things and people who could be adaptive and para-rowers simply don’t want to be. However if it’s not the latter, then clubs up an down the country have a responsibility to adapt the way they recruit new athletes and to think about adding some para-boats to their fleets in order to go further in making rowing a more accessible sport for everyone.
One club that is already striding towards this goal is Stratford-upon-Avon Boat Club, named Parasport Club of the Year by Parasport UK in 2020. Formed as a squad in 2015, the club now supports more than 10 athletes with a whole range of aspirations. But despite having several athletes targeting the Paralympics, performance isn’t what keeps the squad running. Instead, Head Coach Mark Dewdney truly believes it’s their willingness to learn from and support each other in all of their exploits that is the key to their success- which should be the primary target for any club looking to nurture an adaptive squad. From the outside, these athletes give an impression of dedication and friendship that is stronger than those of the other squads, and this is partly what makes them so inspiring.
Not only do they encourage this environment within their own squad, but the opportunities they offer in terms of coaching and volunteering for other member of Stratford BC are also highly valuable. By including other junior rowers, these athletes can develop their coaching skills, challenging themselves in new ways.
It is clear that it is entirely possible to accommodate para-rowers at a local and national level, and so what we need to do is enable this part of our community to thrive. Whether by broadening coaching skills, investing in new equipment or just playing the National Lottery to support our Paralympic rowers, we can all get involved in making our sport even more inclusive.
More information about the British Rowing Classification system can be found at: https://www.britishrowing.org/go-rowing/learn-to-row/adaptive-rowing/classification/
Information about different equipment needed for adaptive and para-rowing can be found at: https://www.britishrowing.org/go-rowing/learn-to-row/adaptive-rowing/adaptive-rowing-equipment/
Information about grants for expanding your club to include adaptive rowing equipment can be found at: https://www.britishrowing.org/knowledge/old-club-support/developing-your-club/funding-sources/
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