BSRA - Brisbane Schoolgirls Rowing Association

The BSRA are thrilled to announce Matt Marden as the incoming Executive Officer from 1 October 2023, replacing outgoing Rachael Kininmonth who has held the role for the past 9 years and moves to Hong Kong for another career opportunity.

Matt has been involved with the BSRA since 2007 when he first began coaching schoolgirls and over the past eleven years has honed his skills in sport management in roles as Rowing Director at Stuartholme School and Brisbane Grammar School. Matt will be combining his current role at Brisbane Grammar School with his new position. The Executive Officer role is his opportunity to be involved in a sport management capacity and shape the competitive future of schoolgirl rowing. Through a vibrant competition Matt wishes to build on the contribution that sport in general and rowing in particular, can make as a part of the journey toward physical, mental and emotional competency during the schooling years and beyond.

Matt aims to build on the 17 years engagement with the BSRA, to continue a modern, diverse and expansive association, enriched by the core principle of inclusivity, that will broaden the appeal of the sport and increase numbers to become the envy of schoolgirl rowing competitions around the country.

After nine years in the role of Executive Officer I am moving to Hong Kong and a job vacancy opportunity arises as a result. Here are the details of the role being offered:

It is a fabulous part time position that enables work from home and terrific interactions with some really inspiring people in the nine-member school community and the rowing community more broadly. I have been very privileged to be guided and supported by the Board of the BSRA (the nine Principals, their Executive Assistant’s and the school coordinators). There is a lot of collaborative engagement with relevant stakeholders and service providers: Rowing Queensland and RiverCity Ferries to name a few. This role has totally suited my time in Brisbane with four children and managing my family commitments while contributing to the sport I love, sharing it with the nearly 1000 rowers plus coaches and staff each year, whose competition I have aimed to enhance. I encourage you to apply and will be dedicated to a handover that honours a seamless transition.

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From the GPS rowing club:

“It is with deep sadness we record that a much loved coach Joe Pattison has passed away.

Joe was 66, and in the past couple of years battled courageously against cancer. Despite his failing health he tried to remain active around the boatshed for as long as he was able, and was last down helping with the juniors in January.

Joe came to Brisbane & GPS to help coach the club’s Junior Development Squad in the 2012-13 summer and remained involved every year since, including three years in which he coordinated the program and for several seasons he was the lead coach.

He took Jeeps crews to podium finishes at several Queensland and New South Wales State championships.

His success need not have been measured with medals. The enjoyment his young rowers achieved in the sport was tribute enough to his kindly and effective coaching.

Joe had been a rower at school and took up coaching to help when his children became involved in the sport at Gregory Terrace and All Hallows’. He coached the Terrace 3rd 8+ with his son Michael in bow to win their Head of the River race.

He coached at All Hallows’ for 15 seasons, working mostly with the Year 10 and Year 9 crews. He was also president of the parent support group for three years.

Recently, when the school heard that Joe had been confined to hospital, the girls he had coached in recent years put together an eight-minute video as a tribute to Joe. More than 50 students turned up in the rain at the AHS shed last Saturday morning for the video shoot, organised by parents and a past rower of his, Nicole Watt, and the overall message they sent was their love and their appreciation for the positive influence he provided them as a coach and a mentor.

Joe has left a magnificent legacy among the rowers he coached.

Joe’s great love outside of rowing was sailing. He crewed on several yachts in Sydney-to-Hobart races and numerous Brisbane-to-Gladstone events, and took part in a Clipper Cup race sailing on the Southampton to Rio leg of the round the world series. He also worked as a professional sailor in charter yachts in the Caribbean and out of Florida.

Joe was a solicitor. The club’s deepest sympathy go to his children, brother and sisters who survive him. We thank them for allowing Joe to be part of the club’s fabric for so many years.”

Melanoma Awareness Month (May) is over and the MM4M team is doing their final event on 22 June, the Stuartholme girls have already raised over $6,400 ????

• Our goal is to raise awareness around melanoma and sun protection in young Australians

• Contribute to the Million Metres for Melanoma Campaign, which is aiming to raise $250K

• For every school that raises $10K: o Acknowledgement of the school contribution on MM4M social networks

• Mentorship opportunity from the MM4M crew, all doctors or corporate executives

• For every student that raises $50 or more by the end of the challenge o Skin Cancer awareness package care of Cancer Council QLD

• For the winning school o Visit from 2x Olympic medalist Will Lockwood including display of medals

• 10% of the funds raised from the School Strokes for Skin Cancer fundraiser, up to a maximum of $25K, to be used towards melanoma prevention at the school

This regatta is renowned as one of the most prestigious on the global rowing calendar. From Olympians to club athletes, the event caters to all. They will be racing in the Wargrave Challenge Cup representing Barbarians Rowing Club.

For most of the crew, this amazing opportunity is their first international regatta. They hope to inspire more Queensland women rowers to compete in this regatta and ultimately have a long and prosperous career in this incredible sport.

The girls are university students or recent graduates and are completely self-funding their trip. They are extremely hard core and motivated by this opportunity. They have been training relentlessly for months to ensure they reach their potential at the event. Follow them on the Henley Royal Regatta livestream.

I went to St Margaret’s and graduated in 2016. I’m in my final year at La Trobe University, studying Dietetics.

Graduated All Hallows’ 2013 and completed a Bachelor of Science at Syracuse University in the US

Graduated St Margaret’s in 2015, studied a bachelor of exercise and nutrition sciences

Graduated BGGS in 2021 and currently studying a Bachelor of Business Management and Tourism at UQ

“I went to All Hallows’ and graduated in 2013. Since leaving school I’ve graduated with a bachelor’s of chemical and biological engineering and will hopefully have successfully graduated from my Master’s of sustainable energy before we compete at Henley!”

I went to Stuartholme and graduated in 2018. I am in my second year at the University of Queensland, Studying Agribusiness at Gatton

Graduated Brisbane Girls Grammar in 2016, currently studying a Master of Sustainable Energy.

I went to Somerville and graduated in 2019. In am in my 2nd year studying Occupational Therapy

I graduated from Citipointe high school in 2013, injured my knee playing basketball and volleyball and was talent identified through indoor rowing. I’m a cardiac nurse and currently rowing at QAS:))

CONGRATULATIONS to the BSRA All Stars

from the 2022 Indoor Rowing Champs