Rowing has enriched our lives, let’s pay it forward
As members of the rowing community, we have been fortunate to know the teamwork, support and friendship that the sport affords. We vow to pay this forward to school children who may otherwise miss the opportunity to experience the sport’s many benefits.
Rowing Geelong is calling on your generosity to help make our vision for a new $1.5M community boat shed on the Barwon River waterfront a reality. Work on the two storey, three bay boat shed commenced in March and fund raising efforts are ongoing to target completion in 2021.
The new boat shed will be named the Jeff Sykes Rowing Centre to recognise the enormous contribution Geelong’s Jeff Sykes has made to our sport. Jeff was also recently honoured with Life Membership by Rowing Australia. For many of us, the name ‘Sykes’ is synonymous with rowing.
Jeff’s history includes medal wins at World Rowing, Rowing Australia and Rowing Victoria Championships. He famously founded and developed ‘Sykes Racing’ into a world-class rowing boat provider in Geelong and since, the majority of medals awarded in Australia have been won in a Sykes.
Following a lifetime with rowing, Jeff’s wish is to give back to the sport and community he loves. To this end, Jeff has come on board as a substantial founding donor in the hope that Geelong youngsters will also experience the great joy rowing has brought him.
Positioned alongside The Geelong College and Geelong Grammar rowing facilities on the Barwon River waterfront, the Centre will make the sport accessible to a broader cohort of students that do not currently have their own facility in the rowing precinct.
To facilitate school rowing successfully requires housing of boats with ready access to the river. We hope that by setting up and managing the new Centre, which will accommodate a minimum of four local secondary schools, we will relieve many of the barriers schools currently face when considering their own rowing program.
As the ultimate team sport, rowing is a valuable addition to any sports program, providing a fantastic platform for students to build resilience and self-esteem, as well as fitness and wellbeing. And with females representing 65% of participants, it is truly a sport for everybody.
Much of the building’s boat space will be utilised for racking school boats, along with office and change rooms upstairs. The project will additionally provide much needed digital facilities to improve regatta hosting capabilities on the Barwon River.
We’re reaching out to offer you the chance to support this exciting development for future generations. Every dollar counts. Tax-deductible donations can be made through the Australian Sports Foundation via the Australian Sports Foundation or by contacting Rowing Geelong President Sam Elliott.
Our heartfelt thanks,
Rowing Geelong