The University of Birmingham Boat Club (UBBC) is the rowing club of the University of Birmingham in the UK. It currently has more than 100 members.
The club aims to cater for all rowers, with or without previous rowing experience. This is achieved by splitting the club into two main sections, which are the Senior Squad and the Development Squad. The Senior Squad comprises athletes with previous rowing (or sculling) experience. This may have come from rowing at school, rowing for a home club, or from progression through the University's boat club. The Development Squad consists of rowers who have had very little, or no, rowing experience prior to University. Each section has both men and women members, and also their own dedicated coaching staff. The Senior Squad have a paid full time coach, whereas the Development Squad rely on unpaid volunteers, usually former members of the Senior Squad. The club's coxswains can work with any crew, however, it is usual practice for coxes to be assigned to a certain section of the club, for example the Senior Women, or the Development Squad Men. This helps to build a stronger relationship between cox and crew. The club also have access to a wide range of UB Sport nutritionists, strength and conditioning programs, psychologists and physiotherapists.
The club also has strong links with the World Class Start program, a program aimed at earmarking rowers with the potential to become members of the Great Britain squad. 8 members of the boat club have been part of this program over the last 8 years, with the mens beginner 4A having recently had great success at a 2011 trial.
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Racing is at the heart of the squad and the boat club competes at a number of races across the country each season, with races and results the in 2010-11 season including:
In addition the club also sends its entire squad to the Concept2 British Indoor Rowing Championships, which it also helps to staff alongside Warwick University Boat Club. Results this year included Gold in the Lightweight Student Men and Bronze in the Womens Student Openweight.
In addition, the annual Varsity Boat Race between the University of Birmingham and the University of Warwick is looking to be reinstated for the 2011-2012 season on the River Severn in Worcester
In addition to the daily training program, the entire squad also relocates to a training camp during each Easter Holiday (usually at the end of April). This allows an intensive daily training program consisting of three water sessions a day, land sessions, video analysis and ergo work in the build up to the regatta season. Recent training camps have been located at purpose built rowing centres such as Centre du Omnisport at Temple sur Lot, France, which also hosted the Oxford crew in the build up to the 2011 Boat Race.
As well as a serious sporting side, the club has a vibrant social side. The club is always in attendance at the "Sports Night" events held on Wednesday evenings at the Guild of Students (Student Union). These evenings provide an opportunity for all the sports clubs of the University of Birmingham to socialise together. Often these nights are themed to provide an extra added twist to the night's fun, and are held fortnightly.
In addition to these events, the boat club has 3 formal events each year.
The club has two main bases, Edgbaston Reservoir and Worcester. Edgbaston Reservoir is a 900m stretch of water located close to campus and is used mainly for the Development Squad in the first semester. The boat house at Worcester provides the club with access to a 6km stretch of the River Severn. This is an invaluable resource for crews training for the head season. The Worcester facilities are used by the Senior Squad in the first semester, and by the whole club after Christmas. The boat house is due to under-go a £75,000 overhaul in the coming months.
In addition to this, the club has its own ergo room at Selly Oak campus. This room contains 8 ergs, which allows a whole crew to train at the same time, as well as a dyno machine, 4 spinner bikes, gym balls, and free weights.