If you’re after a well-deserved break from studying and a fun year of rowing and travelling, I would highly recommend considering a gap year. Gap years form the perfect bridge between junior and university level rowing; there are so many options available, however, that deciding what you want to do on your gap year can be a little daunting. Do you want to travel? Do you want to row? Do you want to work? All of the above?! These are some of the endless questions you could be asking yourself. Whether you choose to stay close to home or move across the world, I’ve put together a list of things you may want to consider when planning your gap year.
What do you want to do?
Whether you’ve got years or just a few weeks to plan your gap year, it’s essential to establish exactly what you want to do. If you’re wanting to keep rowing as a priority during your gap year, you may be considering moving clubs or even countries. In both cases, the best thing to do is reach out to athletes already there. I would recommend having one club (either in your home country or abroad) that is your top choice and then one or two more that can be referred to as ‘backups’. One of your backups should be in your home country, just in case an issue arises later on that prevents you from travelling! Contact coaches in your prefered club and get a conversation going; most coaches are willing to answer any questions you might have about how the club works etc., so take full advantage of that! When considering clubs, you might like to reflect on the kind of environment you want to be training in. Do you want something extraordinarily competitive or a little more laid back? Do you want something similar to or different from your junior rowing experience? Every club has a different training atmosphere, and a great way to find out more about it is to talk to existing athletes or even go and train with them for a trial day. If you want to move overseas, a trial day would be a little harder to organise, so my advice would be to speak to athletes who have been on gap years there in the past (the more recent, the better).
Accommodation
Accommodation is crucial to the ease and enjoyment of your gap year. If you plan on rowing during your gap year, here are a few things to consider: how will you get to the rowing club? How long will it take you to get there? And, who will you be living with? Although long-distance journeys to and from rowing are possible, it’s important to remember the time of day you will be travelling. Many rowing clubs begin senior training early in the morning at around 6/7 am to allow those with jobs to train and then head straight to work, so you will have to be prepared to wake up earlier to factor in time for travel. When it comes to deciding who you’ll be living with, you can go about several ways. If you’re keen to be living with other rowers, the best thing to do is to speak to coaches at the club you will be joining; more often than not, there will be a couple of other athletes considering a gap year at the same place, and the coach will be able to put you in contact with them. If you’re planning on moving to another country for your gap year, I would suggest reaching out to any friends or family you may have there, and if not, don’t worry! Gap years are all about meeting new people. The best way to find accommodation is by first contacting the coach (there may be some existing athletes in need of an extra flatmate) and then looking on either house sharing or estate agent websites for something that suits your budget. If you’re moving abroad, I would suggest starting to look for accommodation a few months ahead of your moving date. Don’t forget your visa either; this should also be done a few months before moving to safeguard against delays. If you’re worried about your accommodation’s location, especially if it’s overseas, once again, speak to the coaches and athletes. They have lots of experience with new incoming athletes, and chances are they will know the areas surrounding the club well, so they may suggest the best places to relocate.
Budgeting
If you’re funding your gap year yourself, it’s a good idea to start saving as soon as possible. Once you’ve put together accommodation, travel, club fees and living costs, the bills can all seem to stack up, so it’s a good idea to have some money put aside and to be prepared. If you’re keen on taking a gap year and still have a couple of years left at school, I would recommend looking for summer and weekend jobs. If you’re in your final year of school, the combination of rowing and A-Levels can often be a lot to cope with and having a job on top of your workload may prove more hassle then it’s worth! Once you’ve left school, start looking for a part-time job on your gap year, and if you want to stick to something rowing related, lots of clubs and schools need coaches. Similarly, many holiday camps run over the school holidays, so reach out to some of those and see if they’re looking for coaches too! If you’re planning on doing an internship or work experience (both of which can be significant assets on university applications and cv’s), let your coaches know as soon as you have decided, just in case you have to miss any training or racing for it.
Moving away from home for the first time and planning a whole gap year can seem scary at first, but once you settle into a new routine and meet new people, you might just find it’s one of the best years of your life! The step-up between junior and university rowing is a big one, but taking a gap year works as a solid stepping stone between the two. Training and racing with older athletes is a fantastic way to build confidence and to learn from more experienced athletes who are often more than willing to share their tips and experiences with you.
That’s all for now. If you’re hungry for more, check out any of our other pieces from The Catch, listen to the latest podcast episode, or flick through our race previews.
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