Hi my name is James Goswell and I have just finished my HSC at Shore School. While at Shore I enjoyed 5 seasons of rowing which culminated in me being appointed Captain of Boats in 2006. Of all the sports I played at school I was most keen to continue rowing. My grandfather, Bruce Goswell and my father, Tony Goswell, both rowed for Sydney University. Bruce rowed for the club in 1949, winning the State Championships and the Kings Cup in that same year. Dad rowed in the Youth Eight in 1975 and coxless pair at inter-varsity. With such a family history at Sydney University it was the obvious choice of club for me.
Apart from this Sydney University also offered a very attractive youth development program. In the last two weeks I?ve started training with this group, my personal goal for the season being to win the State Championships in the University Youth Eight and go on to selection in the State Youth Eight to compete at the Nationals. I?m looking forward to rowing against my mates from the Shore Eight at the State Championships next year. Some other season goals include improving my strength and fitness beyond the levels I achieved at school. I?m also looking to improve my versatility as a rower ad I?ve enjoyed the variety of boats that the club has to offer; one day in a double scull and the next in an eight.
Over the last six months I have been in contact with the freshman rowing coach form Princeton University in the USA with the hope of being able to join their program late next year. This would be a four year commitment of rowing and study at Princeton. In October I was fortunate enough to visit Princeton for a couple of days to check out the facilities and to see how they train. The rowing shed is on the edge of campus and the rowers train on Princeton?s own Lake Carnegie; a private 6km lake with its owned 4-lane, permanently buoyed 2000m course. The US National team also rows out of the Princeton shed. Princeton crews compete in both collegiate and club regattas and the main focuses of the season for the crews are the Eastern Sprint Championships and the National Championships. Most students live on campus for the full four years and the academic support for athletes is very strong.
The three main attractions of Princeton are the opportunity of a first class education from one of America?s top universities, the opportunity to row at the top level in the US competition and the ability to mix with the wide diversity of people who are attracted to Princeton University. Rowing at Princeton would have me training with Germans, Canadians, Americans and Europeans. Both the coaches at Princeton are also US team coaches so I guess there will be a lot to learn.
At the moment I?m just concentrating on getting back in shape for the January rowing camp in Jindabyne. It?s good to finally row with and not against some of my former competitors from the GPS. I?m looking forward to a successful season at Sydney university in 2007.
James Goswell