News

Posted: 21 October 2024

Scottish Rowing is pleased to introduce the Board of Directors for the year ahead following the recent AGM held on Sunday 6^th October.

Mike Martin (President) and Fiona Rennie (Ordinary Director) both join the Board after being appointed by the membership at the AGM whilst Fiona Armitt takes up a new role of Safeguarding Director following an open recruitment process.

Fiona Rennie – Ordinary Director

Fiona has been an active member of the rowing community for many years despite not rowing herself. She has been involved with rowing mostly through the BUCS Rowing Group, working with students and coaches to set out and support the annual calendar of competitions and events. She has also sat on multiple organising committees for both British and Scottish Rowing assisting in many events including JIRR, BRIC, British Rowing Club Championships, Scottish Rowing Championships and Spring Regatta, Scottish Rowing Beach Championships and Schools Indoor League.

Outside of rowing, Fiona sits on the Board of her local charitable trust – Killearn Community Futures Company and is involved in the day-to-day operations of a busy Killearn Village Hall - also a local community councillor. She has also previously worked with NHS Scotland and NHS England on projects including COVID-19, long term planning and the 100,000 Genomes Project.

Fiona is generally enthusiastic, optimistic, committed and curious, and has already been a huge asset to Scottish Rowing, we are very excited to welcome her to our Board.

Fiona Armit – Safeguarding Director

Fiona holds a postgraduate certificate in child protection and has worked in this area for over 10 years. Currently working as a Wellbeing and Protection Education Officer for the Scottish FA, Fiona leads on the learning and development for staff and volunteers working with children and young people in Scottish Football. Fiona is also the Wellbeing and Protection Officer for Netball Scotland on a consultancy basis.

Fiona is committed to ensuring that children’s rights, wellbeing, and protection is embedded across Scottish Rowing to ensure that rowing is a safe, fun and inclusive environment for everyone involved. 

Fiona is passionate about the positive impact sport can have on the wellbeing of children, adults and communities alike and hopes to use her knowledge and experience to support the development of Scottish Rowing to ensure everyone can enjoy its benefits.

Mike Martin - President

Mike Martin is a well-known face within rowing across the UK, having been involved in many projects across the years. He is most notably known as the National Schools’ Regatta Chairman and the Scottish Rowing Junior Co-Ordinator. As our new President, we caught up with Mike for a Q&A session.

What are you looking to achieve as Scottish Rowing’s President over the next 3 years?

What do I want to see for Rowing in Scotland?

• Healthy clubs, brimming with members. 
• A variety of competitive opportunities for rowers to find an appropriate level of challenge that will help them develop as athletes, and people, as they pursue their rowing ambitions
• A network of coaches, volunteers, supporters who help to guide, mentor and run programmes and events that benefit the Scottish rowing community.
• A happy vibrant community of rowers throughout Scotland. 

What do you do in your role as Junior Co-Ordinator?

Working alongside Lee Boucher, then as performance lead for Scottish Rowing, we created opportunities for ambitious junior rowers from across Scotland to train together, learn together, have access to specialist coaching (both physical preparation and mental preparation), offer advice on training, technique nutrition and insights into pathway development.

By forming crews for national events - including WEHoRR, HoRR, HWR, BRJC and HIR - these rowers had the chance to race competitively at these top-level events.  This was all done in conjunction with the club and school coaches.  It is great to see the success that Scottish juniors have seen over the past 5 years, and the future is bright. 

Now working with Tom Young and his team, I aim to continue to support the clubs, schools and young athletes to develop their rowing – and grow their ambition. 

When did you first get involved with rowing?

Rowing as a sport has been important to me since the time I was persuaded by school friends to sit in a boat on the River Nith at the start of the 80s (they needed one more to make up a crew – I don’t know how many people turned them down before it was my turn).  I am most certainly grateful that they put up with me.  I began rowing at school, Dumfries Academy in the (very) early 80s and continued it at St Andrew Boat Club in Edinburgh.  My involvement has been continuous since then - rowing, coaching, volunteering and supporting. 

What do you enjoy most about the rowing community?

It really is a special community, the rowing family – amateur in the very best sense of the word. Run by good people, for good people, for fun.  Yes, it is competitive but the rewards, for most of us, are emotional rather than financial.  Winning is nice, being competitive is great but taking part and trying to improve and help others is the most satisfying and the real pleasure.  Camaraderie, shared experiences, teamwork and whether that comes in the form of coaching, putting on an event, fund-raising, training, racing or simply being a part of a good active, healthy community, rowing has it. 

Why have you continued to volunteer and support rowing for so long?

Rowing is a wonderful sport and pastime, combining the very best aspects of health and well-being, both mental and physical.  It will exercise all muscle groups and requires concentration, dedication and practise, practise to ‘master’ the skills to move a boat freely and swiftly through water - whether smooth or not so smooth.  Drive, determination and motivation are needed as you strive for that little bit of extra speed.  All this in harmony with the boat, and with your crewmates. Synchronicity – grace combined with power!  What is not to like!

A few words on your new role as President?

I am delighted to have the opportunity to work alongside the other Directors as we play a part in guiding the development of rowing in Scotland. Supporting Lee, as CEO, and the team under his leadership and guidance as they produce and deliver the strategy that will enable Scottish Rowing to lead the way in supporting rowers and rowing in Scotland to thrive and be successful.

Thank you for your support in granting me the privilege of serving as your President. 

For full Board bios check out our People page on the website – https://www.scottish-rowing.org.uk/about-scottish-rowing/people