As we hurtle towards the end of July, the post-Henley-blues start to transform into Olympic excitement. This year is one of the lucky few where there is even more rowing excitement to come after Henley Royal Regatta. With such a buzz in the rowing community, many return to the age old question – how can I be that good?
Of course, each athlete has their own story and their own journey but one route well-trodden by some of our sport’s most renowned ambassadors is that of the Performance Development Academies (PDA). British Rowing’s Olympic Pathway Programme splits off into a few sections, one of which is the PDA. The programme spots and trains those who are likely to be successful rowers; the only criteria to apply for testing is an age restriction and minimum height. The PDA has produced countless rowers with international achievements, including double Olympic gold medalist Helen Glover and Olympic silver medalist Vicky Thornley.
Many successful rowers come through more traditional routes though, including recruitment whilst at school or university, or perhaps they do not even enter the sport until they’re at the latter. This begs the question – how much value does the programme add if a tailor-made performance pathway is not always the leading provider of top-level athletes? In order to answer this question, I spoke to Dan Harris, the Head Coach of the PDA, and Becky Wilde, who learnt to row at the PDA Bath centre (formerly the ‘World Class Start Programme’), and who will be competing in the women’s openweight double sculls at this year’s Olympic Games.
“The PDA does not guarantee success, but certainly provides the opportunities for it” commented Becky, who qualified for Paris alongside Mathilda Hodgkins-Byrne at the Final Olympic Qualification Regatta in May. This is something which the programme has proved time and time again, with its structured training schedule and regular camps, as well as plenty of proficient coaches.
Dan made it clear that the programme still holds a huge value despite plenty of athletes reaching the Olympics via other routes. “British Rowing ultimately want the fastest athletes, meaning that whichever way a rower can get there is ideal” he explained. Although it may seem as though there is a gap in ability or potential of PDA and non-PDA rowers, Wilde explained that the “biggest difference between those who came through a path like [hers] to those who did not is the length of time [they] have been rowing.”
Although it may seem like there would be some division between PDA and non-PDA rowers, by the time they have reached such a high standard, the way in which they got there becomes irrelevant. “What remains constant throughout [the athletes] is [their] ability to work hard, commit fully to the process, and not let anything limit [them]” she said.
There is an interesting point to make about the way in which PDA training takes place, in that a lot of water sessions are in the single scull. Although this may seem counterproductive as obviously more rowers will end up in a crew boat than a single, Harris explained that the key reason for training in singles is that it is the best way to ‘monitor progress as an individual‘. However, coaches are also encouraged to have an ideal split of half singles and half doubles or quads when training, as well as a whole day of each training camp set aside for practicing in crews or seat racing. Although the PDA may appear to be isolated in its methods, they are, in fact, the perfect preparation for rowing at such a high level. Furthermore, the PDA is one of the most diverse rowing programmes in the country, especially in comparison to private school and university rowing, which helps to create the inclusive atmosphere and team-like mentality.
Like everything though, the PDA is not perfect. A few criticisms which often resurface are of the poor ratio of female to male coaches, and the drive for success resulting in individuals being overlooked. However, when speaking to Dan and Becky, it became clear that these issues are steadily being resolved. Although on training camps, the number of female coaches in comparison to male coaches is low – despite there being five female and four male coaches overall – both explained how the conversation around women’s health is open and honest. Harris described how both coaches and athletes on the PDA receive education from The Well HQ, an organisation which specialises in women’s health, and how there is a ‘natural and comfortable dialogue’ around female health. “We are also well aware of the issue of under-fueling and how this is usually more prevalent in female athletes,” he remarked. “Everyone at the PDA tries to be conscious of nutrition.” Similarly, Wilde noted that ‘female coaches are more supported than ever to make an impact’. This rebalance of gender is vital in creating a fair and empowering environment, and it is something which the PDA seems to be focused on achieving.
When asked if there was anything she could change about her experience with the PDA, Wilde said: “My time at Bath was incredible but the atmosphere really changed when centres came together for training camps. At times it felt like those with physical attributes were prioritised over those with the right work ethic.”
This is something that will inevitably happen when there is such a large number of athletes, however, the PDA is now working to stabilise that approach by being more focused and having slightly fewer rowers at any one time. Although there are a few areas of the PDA which are more easily condemned, the programme as a whole is undeniably successful, especially as these issues are constantly being actively investigated and resolved.
Overall, despite possessing a few areas which need more attention to detail, the PDA is an overwhelmingly positive environment for athletes and coaches alike, not to mention its obvious success rate. Although there are numerous ways to reach the Olympics, the PDA is a valuable one and it is important that there is a space carved out for it. By focusing on the athlete as an individual, as well as in a crew, the PDA manages to give rowers a sense of autonomy within the rigorous training programme.
The PDA is always looking to recruit new athletes, and you can find out more information about the criteria and process of applying here: https://www.britishrowing.org/gb-rowing-team/olympic-pathway/performance-development-academies/
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