Henry Blackshaw

I returned to sculling in 2018, aged 52, having last been in a rowing or sculling boat almost 30 years earlier.

As a sixth former and then undergraduate I had done a lot of sweep oared rowing, but a limited amount of sculling, most of which I had forgotten.

I had sourced myself a stable scull, to get myself started, but not being attached to a club I needed a learning resource to get myself going again back on the water.

I found Steve’s Sculling Academy through an online search. I had not initially budgeted for coaching, on top of my equipment costs, but realised that paying for one, without the other, was short sighted.

Having taken the plunge and bought the full course I had no regrets. It included everything, from the very basics of how to get into the boat (having been shown to actually set it up properly) and the rudimentary components of the stroke, and advanced techniques, right up to competition tactics and sports theory.

Most importantly, the video format made the material accessible, as against the written word.

It was also clear from the outset that Steve was somebody with enormous experience and knowledge, whose wisdom and advice it was going to be safe to rely on. As someone with a long coaching history he is also a natural communicator.

Despite learning and training in isolation, by applying what Steve told me I felt confident enough after a year to trade up my stable boat, to a competition ready, fine scull. I then mastered that and then felt able to dip my toe back into the competition scene, renewing a great passion in my life, which had been in abeyance for three decades and I had not previously anticipated returning to.

I thoroughly recommend his programme for anybody wishing to learn to scull, either as someone returning to it, a complete novice or someone wanting to progress from a basic skill level.