Schools with thriving boat clubs offer pupils a unique opportunity, writes Charles Moody-Stuart

The school rowing season stretches from September until early July, making it one of the most demanding of all the school sports.
The backbone of its training regime is comprised of icy mornings waking at 5am to row on the river before rushing to school, gruelling gym sessions spent hunched over a rowing machine, followed by a late afternoon return to the water.

Training season

While the main events ? Schools? Head of the River, National Schools Regatta and Henley ? take place between March and July, don?t be deceived. It?s an unrelenting training season, in which coaches yell their mantra through megaphones from the water?s edge: ?Medals are won in the winter, collected in the summer!?
Tristan Mayglothling, head of rowing at Dulwich College, believes the sport teaches extraordinary endurance. ?Our kids learn about resilience because rowing doesn?t reward you immediately, you really have to work at it. And many times you?re going to race and lose, but you?ll learn a lot about yourself in those races.?

Dream team

Rowing also creates a culture of teamwork and inclusivity. ?In other sports, you can demonstrate how good you are. You can say ?look, he scored? or ?look, he saved a penalty? even though the side lost, whereas in rowing, it doesn?t matter if you?re the best in the boat, or the worst in the boat, you get the same result.? It?s a confidence booster too, as ro...