It is with excitement that I share with you the appointment of Sue Chapman Popa as the Richmond Specialist Coach (Mentor)
Many of you know Sue already. She runs the Rowing School Victoria.
Sue has been involved in the sport of rowing at many different levels. From competing to coaching. Sue has represented Victoria several times at elite level and Australia at the World Rowing Championships. Sue won medals at both the Commonwealth and Olympic Games.
Sue’s experience and qualifications include
- Rowing Victoria Hall of Fame Inductee
- Olympic & Commonwealth Games Medalist
- Head Rowing Coach Melbourne University Intervarsity Women’s Team
- Head Coach Melbourne Girl’s Grammar School & Lauriston Girls’ School
- Nationally Accredited Rowing Coach
Sue is married to Romanian born oarsman Ion Poppa. Ion has rowed at the World Rowing Championships, Commonwealth Games and Olympic Games (twice) winning medals at all of these events.
RRC has engaged Sue purely for the purpose of educating and developing our coaches.
We are very fortunate to have Sue join us for our Spring Camp.
A little heads up, Sue is extremely professional and doesn’t tolerate people late to training.
Although Sue is not available to coach mentor on Sundays she is committed to Thursday nights and Tuesday mornings.
The ‘coaches’ first session with
Sue is an off-water session and is on the topic of rigging.
Where: Club Shed
When: Wed 6th August (this Wednesday)
Time: 6pm
The second ‘coaches’ session with Sue is a coaches ergo. Through the stroke.
When: Thursday 14th August
Where: TBA
Time: 6pm
(Again a two hour session with Sue)
The first on-water session with Sue is:-
When: Tuesday 19th August
Time: 6am
All rowers will benefit from Sue’s coaching, through the club coaches. For example, although Sue won’t be coaching crews/rowers directly, Sue will be instructing our coaches on the bank on the areas for rowers/crews/coxes to work on. Sue will be mentoring our coaches on the points required.
Currently, we have engaged Sue’s services until the end of November. With a review to commence the same for a sprint season campaign, mid-December through to the end of April.
It’s warming up to be a very exciting time at Richmond and our sport of rowing is going to be the champion. I urge all to sign up for spring camp, if you haven’t already and pay up your membership, ensuring your place to be a part of it all.
Rochelle – RRC Head of Rowing