Volunteering - NSW Championships - 15 & 16 February
Timing at the 500m hut has its benefits. You get to watch the elites row past on their way to the start, which is very educational. You see them hurtling towards you then past you, which is very impressive. And you experience the thrill and panic of having to push a button with precision, knowing your handy work will be appearing to the waiting spectators at the finish. Each hut comes with a different pressure and outlook. Charlotte, Andrew and Doug spent the Friday afternoon doing their bit for NSW Rowing at the 1500m hut. Doug backed up for the whole day - his birthday - with Rowena on the Saturday in the 1500m and 500m huts. AND, Katie Kershaw, who regularly represents our club as a volunteer, was out each day managing the boat numbers.
|
Mike G's Day Job!
Mike Gough's day job!! Somewhere between Mackay and Brisbane. And working aloft on the Young endeavour.
What fab photos!
What fab photos!
Farewell Mr Hayes - Retirement after 40 MLC years
After 40 years at MLC School, Mike has finally stepped away from the enduring pinstriped navy serge box pleats of all those light walking daughters* and into a new dawn of semi-retirement. Although he was never a fresh-faced newbie science teacher in 1978 due to his fuzzy black beard, he did adopt the classic geek look of the times when he arrived at MLC - myopic photochromatic steel rimmed square specs, short sleeved shirt with pens in the pocket, men’s “walk” shorts with a crisp central pleat completed by long white socks and brown comfy shoes. However Mr Hayes proved to be a multipotential organism - physics, chem, bio, multi strand and general science teaching, IB Theory of Knowledge guru, backstage boy at Opera House concerts, Duke of Edinburgh at MLC founder who lead innumerable cycling and walking tours as well as enthusiastic freebie traveller - Broken Hill, Thailand, Fiji sojourns plus multiple Art and Design Tours to Europe and NYC - from Bunsen burner to Bacon, Berlin bars and the Brooklyn Bridge - a true renaissance man!
|
Add to that list multiple other “educational” conferences - gotta love that International of the International Baccalaureate! Pity he didn’t make the gig to Cuba. Aside from skipping school as much as possible, Mr Hayes was also the starting pistol King of the Carnivals - “Step Away from The Gun - It’s Mine All Mine”, anchor swimmer in the students vs teachers swimming and running races, regatta helper, timetabler extraordinaire, statistician, Director of Studies, parent-teacher night stalwart, chief staff cruciverbalist and general all around Good Guy.
Mike’s MLC tenure is only just beaten by my MLC student/parent association. I started pig tailed and talkative in 1977. In ‘79/‘80 I did cycling D of E trips with Mr H and we were joined by chaperoning Mrs H and the little H boys at multiple night campsites - what a wife!! His motto “we love hills” was not endorsed by his posse of 14 and 15 year old girls battling up inclines on heavy 10 speed bikes laden with panniers and tents. I also had Mr H as my year 10 class mentor. He just let us talk in our weekly sessions - discipline was not his strong suit. Finally Mr H taught me Physics in years 11 and 12 - a period in which he inflicted uncharacteristic severe relentless psychological and social trauma upon me. During the first Year 11 Physics class he (unjustly according to the source) moved me from the back row where I was studiously sitting silently with my friends, to the middle of the front row. Why? Allegedly because I was talking and had a history of distracting others! As if! Despite frequent pleas for clemency there I was forced to remain in social isolation for the next 2 years, surrounded by the silent serious bespectacled spotty spocs and reduced to survival based on note passing and tossing of Thirst Lifesavers to the Free Burghers of The Back Row when Mr H was lost in a cloud of chalk and sliding blackboards. However I did greatly benefit from Mr H’s teaching. I still remember the first time I thought physics could possibly be interesting which followed countless nights of crying at home to my parents begging to be able to drop hateful boring physics which I couldn’t do. To no avail mind you - my father was a physics teacher. Anyway The Moment occurred when Mr H explained the Doppler Effect of the ambulance siren on the blackboard (tho the ambulance he drew was crap). Then once we got into astronomy including Galileo being tortured by the Spanish Inquisition (Mr H was holistic in his teaching), light and Einstein I was hooked. Everytime I see waves rippling out from oar puddles or intersecting wave patterns from ferries and tinnies, I fondly remember playing with the wave tank on the bench by the window. And despite my initial intense hatred, application of physics is now integral to every day of my working life as well as my hobbies of tennis and rowing.
Fortunately for Mr H my daughters Alexandra and Elizabeth were much better behaved when he taught them IB Theory of Knowledge in his last few years at the school. Mrs H and I had forbad him from retiring until he had seen Elizabeth through Year 12. She is now awaiting her results on Jan 4. One constant for all 3 of us was the fabulous quality and good-humoured, in depth passionate teaching of his subjects and his warm friendship.
Anyhoo, this photo was taken after Mr Hayes’ last MLC Speech Night at The State Theatre. He was lauded and lumbered with flowers and accolades followed by a rousing heartfelt affectionate standing ovation from his teaching colleagues, girls, parents and friends. His fuzzy now grey beard belies his age - MH was no less passionate and committed to excellence in girls’ education at the end of 40 years as he was at the beginning. He is just better dressed now though. It’s hard to imagine MLC without him. We all remember the formative teachers in our lives - Mr Hayes was one of them for me.
* MLC School motto : Walk as Daughters of the Light
Fortunately for Mr H my daughters Alexandra and Elizabeth were much better behaved when he taught them IB Theory of Knowledge in his last few years at the school. Mrs H and I had forbad him from retiring until he had seen Elizabeth through Year 12. She is now awaiting her results on Jan 4. One constant for all 3 of us was the fabulous quality and good-humoured, in depth passionate teaching of his subjects and his warm friendship.
Anyhoo, this photo was taken after Mr Hayes’ last MLC Speech Night at The State Theatre. He was lauded and lumbered with flowers and accolades followed by a rousing heartfelt affectionate standing ovation from his teaching colleagues, girls, parents and friends. His fuzzy now grey beard belies his age - MH was no less passionate and committed to excellence in girls’ education at the end of 40 years as he was at the beginning. He is just better dressed now though. It’s hard to imagine MLC without him. We all remember the formative teachers in our lives - Mr Hayes was one of them for me.
* MLC School motto : Walk as Daughters of the Light
Corporate Rowing Success - 28th May
The first place dais at SIRC has a good view of the stadium and all who come to watch. Colleen's corporate crew of MLC mums won the C final at the annual Great Autumn Regatta and thoroughly enjoyed the dizzying heights of the Gold winners podium. As stroke of this illustrious 8, we can all shout.... "Well done Colleen!"
Colleen (fourth from the right) and her crew in celebration mode.
|
A very social Sunday - 21 May 2017
7am. Ramp. Pitt Street!
With the first of the social singles clinics and a number of social rowers teaming up for a quad and double, plus some comp rowers squeezing in the queue, the ramp was a hive of activity. But the morning was warm and everyone managed to get out onto the flat water with relative ease. Coach Isaac followed Jodie, Colleen, Mike and Sally in their singles offering timely advice and was very happy with their progress for clinic #1 and all remained dry. Clinic #2 is on again at the same time next Sunday as it is an extension of the Sunday social scene for our social rowers interested in mastering the single. Jodie, Stuart, Anna, Mike and Sally will head out next week in Kim L-J, Lorna, Wide Load, Margaret W and O'Neil. The second Learn to Row for the off-season headed out after the last of the social armada had pushed away from the shore. Our Alba and her flat mate Chiara put in a good session and had the boat moving nicely through the water. Well done girls! The third session resumes next Saturday 8am. Steve's coffee habit has moved beyond the closest coffee house to the shed and he is now giving the royal-coffee-aficionado's-thumbs-up to Carmel's . (Something the social rowers have known for ages.) (RS) |
LTR a Single - 21st & 22nd January 2017
Saturday: Enthusiasm, strong determination, good humour and a big dollop of dread emanated from our seven newest single scullers as they gathered at the ramp. The first morning demonstrated how keen and willing these guys are. Keeping to the water in front of the shed, all rowers exceeded the tinny support staff's expectations. Only one person managed to become a member of the Battersea Swimming Club. Welcome, Stuart! And one was really, really trying to become a member but was foiled by Doug's swift hands. Bad luck Damien (...next time!). Belinda, Anna and Bruce navigated the boats beautifully. Colleen and Michael's good sense of balance got them through some pretty big washes! A very impressive start to singles rowing!
Sunday: There was a sudden surge in Battersea Swimming Club memberships with Damien finally being accepted and Mike's entry taking a while but was eventually given the rubber stamp go-ahead. Stuart had forgotten he was a member and reapplied - twice! All seven scullers showed great improvement on their previous days rowing. Well done, guys! (RS) |
|