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Get Going, Get Rowing Inspiring County Durham

The second Get Going, Get Rowing County Final took place on Thursday 8th December at Maiden Castle, Durham University where around 200 competitors from 16 different schools across County Durham, all of whom had progressed from their local finals, took part in this prestigious Tony Blair Sports Foundation event organised in partnership with British Rowing, Team Durham and Concept2. A fantastic set of races saw another 48 individuals and 6 school teams all guarantee their place and will represent County Durham at the Get Going, Get Rowing Regional Final on 1st March, 2012 at Queen’s Campus, Stockton. A special mention must go to the following who all achieved very impressive scores that exceeded the 100% Gold Medal Times for their age group:

Year 7 – Bobbi Forster (Park View) 100.20%

Year 11- Luke Mullen (St. Leonard’s) 102.73%

Year 11 - Ellenya Smith (Durham School) 100.32%

Year 12 & 13 – Finn Scherzer (Durham School) 100.24%

Durham University Boat Club provided valuable assistance with the event following their successful hosting of a BUCS event the day before. New TBSF member Alex Atkinson, fresh from undertaking her Indoor Rowing for Young People qualification (IR4YP) on Tuesday and 17 TBSF trained volunteers from Framwellgate School, Durham also turned up in force to help with the running of the day. All these Year 13 students contribute back collectively at least 10 hours a week in local schools in the area, coaching both rowing and tennis.

Lori-Ann was one of the volunteers from Framwellgate on the day and she tells us about her experience as a TBSF volunteer.

“I feel like there are a lot of pressures these days to go to university to get a good job at the end of it. I just feel like university isn’t the right track for me. I want to get straight into coaching and helping people. Through speaking to my school teacher I was put in touch with Steph Eadon who works with the Tony Blair Sports Foundation and I asked her about her experiences at the Foundation. She got her level 1 and level 2 coaching certificates in tennis and eventually got an apprenticeship in sport coaching. Steph put me in touch with Clare Harding, the Competitions and Events Manager at TBSF and we discussed my options working with the Foundation.

I want to give something back and by working with the Tony Blair Sports Foundation I can help people close to home and in the North East.”

Lori-Ann volunteers at Newton Hall Infants and Durham Trinity School and Sports College, a school for pupils with a range of special needs, every week as well as at her local football club and at other numerous events like today’s County Final. Lori-Ann is a great example of how TBSF is helping people in local communities to boost sporting legacy in their area.

If you want to get involved at the Foundation to help us ‘Inspire the North East’ like Lori-Ann then please get in touch with us to find our more at info@tonyblairsportsfoundation.org or call the office on 0191 276 0640.