Lea Rowing Club - Rowing at the Lea

TBC: Club Head Coach
The Lea Rowing Club is currently working with a number of organisations over new sources of funding. The aim of this funding is to employ a full time Head Coach to oversee the club’s rowing development.

Ben Cox: Junior Head Coach
Ben began rowing at Leeds University and after completing his degree he continued to coach the university squads for 18 months. In 2004 Ben took up a combined teaching and coaching post at King’s School Rochester which lasted for three and a half years. Ben left King’s in July 2007 to join London Youth Rowing as the Lea RC Junior Head Coach. During this time the Lea RC junior section has expanded steadily and is now producing results at a national standard e.g. 3 Silver Medals at National Championships 2008.

Dan Cooper: Community Sports Coach
Dan started rowing at Swansea University. During this time he stroked the light weight Men’s 4+, the 2nd Men’s 4+ and also sat in the bow seat of the Lightweight men’s 2-. In Dan’s third year he was elected Men’s Captain and in his fourth year Swansea University RC Coach. Dan concentrated his time on improving a weak dry side training program and convincing rowers that there was more to training than Sunday morning rows, especially if they wanted to win races.
Now working at the Lea RC with Ben Cox he is once again concentrating on the junior development in the gym and on the rowing machines. Making sure the juniors have correct lifting technique and are working as hard out of the boat as they are in the boat.
Qualifications:

Orhan Kephalas:
Orhan has been a member of the Lea from 1976 when he joined as a junior from Hackney Downs School through the ILEA programme. He originally rowed for Springhill RC and then City Orient RC one of the former clubs on the Lea site before the amalgamation in 1980. Orhan was Captain of the Lea for 2 years from October 1997 until October 1999. During his Captaincy a number of Lea crews reached the semi finals of Henley Royal Regatta. He has now moved into the field of coaching (currently holds UKCC level 2 Rowing Coaching Award) and from May 2007 has been the main coach of the senior/elite men. This has led to a number of successes over the 2007-2008 season. In his own words he is an ‘all round good egg and defender of the faith’.

Richard Metcalf:
Richard has been at the Lea from a junior and is currently the Club Chairman after two stints as Club Captain. During this time he has represented Great Britain as a Junior and Senior (Lightweight) winning a World Championship Silver Medal and a Henley Medal in 1995 (Wyfold Challenge Cup). He has been coaching predominantly the men’s senior squad since his retirement from active rowing in the late 90s. During this time he has helped the senior men at all levels (Novice to Elite) and has specifically guided crews to the semi finals of Henley Royal Regatta.

Fred Johnson:
Fred has been a member of the Lea since it originated in 1980. Before this he was a member and previous Captain (1968 – 75) of Crowland Rowing Club one of the former rowing clubs on the Lea site. He has been extremely successful as a rower and coach. During the 1950s he rowed for Great Britain at the World Fair Games in Belgium. In 1968 he and Orey Berriman coached the first ever crew from the Lea site to win at Henley. They won the Henley Prize later to be called The Britannia Cup, this crew was also National Champions and won in Ireland for England. Fred has also been a successful coach for the Lea, previously he has had pennant wins in the fours head with senior crews. He currently looks after our promising junior male athletes predominantly coaching them in sculling boats (he can keep up with these!!!).

Jim Peacock:
Jim learnt to row at the Lea as a senior through our novice and senior rowing program. After a short while away from rowing Jim came back to assist Bridget Snaith with the Senior Women and Development Squad. Jim has now moved on to coaching the Veteran Women’s Squad with successes in the World Masters and the Veteran Fours Head.

Adrian Chew:
Adrian began rowing at the Lea as a junior and has represented the club at Henley Royal Regatta and the National Championships on a number of occasions. He is currently working with the novice women’s squad.

Simon Claridge:
Simon began rowing at the Lea through our novice and senior programme. After a short while away from rowing Simon has now returned to coach the novice women’s squad.

Other volunteer coaches;
The following coaches help out the club throughout the seasons doing short periods of coaching or specific technical/physiological sessions.

Andrew Johnson (2 x Henley winner), Paul Carter (Henley winner), Steve Simpole (3 x World Champion and Henley winner) and Peter Brett (3 x Henley winner).

If you would like more information about the coaching team please (Francis Bray).