This is only our 3rd year with club Juniors members in the club and they are growing in number every year. Hopefully the FAQ’s below will give you the information you need – if not please contact us with any question.
Who do Falcon work with?
- Coaches principally work with local schools and ‘OX4’ community groups. Our Junior paddlers are drawn from our local schools, Peers School, St Gregory the Great, Cheney School and Oxford Community School as an effort to promote sports in Oxfords’ deprived ‘OX4’ areas.
- We have also worked with Juniors over the last year, Asylum Welcome, KEEN, and our ‘Donnington Hoodies’ programme made some headway in reducing ‘anti-social behaviour’ on the banks of the Thames in Oxford promoting physical activity over boredom.
- Falcon is also promoting recreational Open Canoeing through our school links to promote non-competitive exercise.
If your youth or school group is considering doing some kayaking please get in touch with us and we shall try where possible to accommodate you. Please bear in mind club coaches are part-time and/or volunteers so availability is limited.
Where are the sessions held?
- Falcon Rowing and Canoeing Club is located just off Donnington Bridge, on Meadow Lane. Bike parking and Car parking are available. For directions please click here.
- More experienced Juniors will also be invited to Regional and National Races throughout the year usually Sundays, some over a full weekend.
What’s involved?
- Flatwater Kayaking and Canoeing – we are not a white water club, so no rolling!
- Groups will start with taster sessions (‘Afterschools Programme’) which is followed up by the Falcon Summerschool during the summer break.
- Learning with a Paddling Ergo meter on land before boating will teach core skills.
- Children will be supervised on the water 1:6 and will only kayak if they can swim (50m in light clothing) or are willing to learn to swim with our swimming coaches!
- During the winter months of dark weekday evenings our young athletes undertake dry training activities, circuits, weights (where appropriate) with club coaches.
- They continue to paddle on coached Saturday and Sunday sessions.
Who runs the sessions?
- Falcon only uses qualified BCU Coaches Level 2 as a minimum; all coaches also hold a Criminal Records Bureau check and are first-aiders.
- Coaches and qualifications are detailed under the coaching section of our WebPages.
- Coaches can talk you through the safety procedures we use, full copies of our risk assessments and procedures are available in the clubhouse on the notice boards or club coaches.
What should the juniors bring?
- A change of clothing (long legs on cold/wet days), windproof or jacket, snug small footwear, and towel for hot shower after session are essential.
- Waterbottle
- Suncream and hat during summer months.
- Extra layers of clothing in winter months.
How can I get involved?
- Parents, teacher and youth workers are welcome to train as club coaches or assistant coaches on the water, bank or in the gym. Paddling carers can begin to train as British Canoe Union Coaches.
- More coaches means more Juniors!
- Falcon RCC Charitable Trust may be able to subsidise the cost of your training.
- Sunday Morning ‘Kids with Carers’ session is open to all who wish to paddle with their children/pupils at least once a week, for themselves and to act as escort boats.
- The club needs drivers to take paddlers to races, supporters for the banks at races, tea coffee and food are welcome especially in winter months and for our own regattas we host!
