St Paul’s rowing coach well travelled
18-year-old Rory Wells has travelled across the world to coach within the St Paul’s Collegiate rowing club.
For one coach this year’s Maadi Regatta at Karapiro is a first – he is on a gap year from England.
Rory Wells, 18, arrived in New Zealand in July 2012 to help coach the St Paul’s rowing team and work as a tutor at the school.
Wells was a rower for five years at St Peter’s in England and became interested in a gap year after meeting girls from Waikato Diocesan coaching at his school.
St Paul’s Collegiate has a bunch of coaches from different ages and backgrounds, one of which has travelled from England to be involved in
- WELL TRAVELLED: Rory Wells from England supports his St Pauls crews at the Maadi Regatta. Photo: Olivia Johnstone
school rowing.
“We use to have gappies from Dio who came over and coached for the year so I thought I’d give that a go.”
“None of the secondary school stuff was this big over there. It’s been a good learning curve and a great place to see rowing in New Zealand.”
Wells spends a lot of time coaching the under 15 crews as well as the novices but said it’s a “group effort from most of the club.”
He highly recommends travelling overseas to coach and work at a school. “It’s been an incredible experience. Leave school and go and see the world.”
Wells hopes to head home in July and keep rowing himself. He aims to go for the British Championship then head to university and see what opportunities arise.
