1646 – Issue 4

2 1 Aisling Humphries-Griffiths (2015) Represented GB and Ireland in rowing I left Blue Coat in 2015 and have very fond memories of my time at the School. I began coxing when I joined the School, coxing both boys and girls boats. In Year 13, after only a year in the sport, the coaches put me forward for GB junior trials. It is thanks to these coaches at Blue Coat for shaping my rowing career, in my final year at school I represented England at Junior level. I then went on to university and I was selected to race for Great Britain at u23 level in 2017 and for Ireland at u23 level in 2019. Abby Dow (2016) Member of the England women’s national rugby team and winger for Harlequins Women We couldn’t write this piece without including the incredible achievements of Abby Dow. Since leaving Blue Coat, Abby has become a formidable force in the world of women’s rugby, representing England at international level and competing in major tournaments such as the Women’s Six Nations and RugbyWorld Cup. She has played a crucial role in England’s success, contributing to multiple championship victories and showcasing her ability to perform under immense pressure. Beyond her contributions to the national team, Abby has also excelled at the club level having signed for Wasps Women in 2016 and awarded a professional contract in 2020. Fresh from the RugbyWorld Cup at the end of 2022 Abby signed with Harlequins where she currently plays. Ida Burrows Former GB and Swedish Triathlete After leaving Blue Coat I moved to Norway for one year to be able to train with a good triathlon training group. After moving back to England I moved to Sweden and I am currently living and studying a degree in Nursing in Sweden (Linköping University). I have stopped racing at elite level and now my highest priority is studying and being happy. I love living in Sweden and I feel like I have finally found the right place for me! I started triathlon in 2017 and progressed very quickly. I raced my first international race for the Swedish team in 2018. I have learnt a lot from the sport and a lot about myself whilst trying to pursue a professional sports career. I think it’s important to pinpoint that it doesn’t matter how talented or dedicated you are, if you’re not 100% happy with what you’re doing then it’s not worth it! Life is short and it’s important to follow what feels right for you! If I was giving advice to someone who has dreams of pursuing a career in sport I would say “Enjoy yourself along the way!!” There is not much meaning in putting countless hours into training if you don’t enjoy yourself. Of course there will be ups and downs but it should mostly be fun! A healthy amount of pressure brings the best results but putting too much pressure on yourself is not going to bring enjoyment... although it is easier said than done! My greatest memory of my days at Blue Coat was the geography trip to Iceland and New York. I also enjoyed all of the extracurricular activities that Blue Coat had to offer. House cross country and sports day were also very enjoyable! I plan to finish my degree in Nursing and then work in Accident and Emergency, ideally living in Sweden as I enjoy it so much. My elite sports career is over but I look forward to being able to help people everyday at work and I feel as though I have definitely made the right decision in life! I chose to study at Oxford Brookes University as it is a high performance rowing centre. Throughout my time at university, alongside international representation, I also won Henley Women’s Regatta twice, won pennants at Women’s Head of the River, picked up multiple British University Championships medals and raced all over the world. I retired from competitive rowing at the end of 2019 as I went on to study for a masters degree in Real Estate. I now work in London and recently qualified as a chartered surveyor. I have three pieces of advice to any current students at Reading Blue Coat: 1) Take every opportunity you can – I had only been in the sport a year when I was sent to my first set of GB trials, I felt so nervous but I knew that I had to make the most of every opportunity or it would pass me by. If you have any opportunity, take it! 2) Support your teammates – Your team mates are everything to you in sport, they’re there to pick you up on the bad days and celebrate on the good days. Look out for each other, respect each other and have fun. ‘One team, one dream’ sounds a bit cheesy but it’s true, a team training and racing FOR each other is so much more powerful than a team who aren’t a unit (it also means so much more when you win!). 3) Make a goal and don’t give up – It is so important to have a goal to work towards. I used to create short term goals and long term goals and write them down as it holds you accountable. I had two long term goals and they never changed. I set my first long term goal the morning I received my email invitation to GB junior final trials (also the morning of my Geography A-Level!). I decided that morning that I wanted to represent the country, I wrote it down, and I never gave up! Reading Blue Coat creates so many opportunities in sport, if you try your best, show up to training and listen to your coach you will keep improving! e edge