Sri Lanka rowers need to think big, dream big: Antonio Maurogiovanni

Wednesday, 4 December 2013 00:04 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Former Italian Olympian and Australian rowing coach in town to train Sri Lanka’s future coaches

Former Seoul and Barcelona Olympics rower and current FISA Coach Antonio Maurogoivanni claims he’s taking a break after the London games. But it doesn’t stop him from travelling the world to train the sport’s future custodians as a part of the Fédération Internationale des Sociétés d’Aviron (FISA), the world governing body for the sport of rowing, program to instil professional techniques and skills for rowers in this part of the world. The Amateur Rowing Association of Sri Lanka (ARASL) hosted the Olympian for a series of coaching workshops that will look to develop the sport in Sri Lanka and in collaboration with FISA and the National Olympic Committee, Maurogoivanni has been in the country for the past few weeks holding rowing clinics and Level I coaching examinations with 35 of the country’s top national rowing coaches. Comprising of three stages with the first stage held earlier this year in August, the second stage has just been completed with plans for the third stage to be held in February 2014. The main objectives of the program he says are to develop a new breed of professionally qualified coaches to take the country’s rowing prowess to greater heights. The Daily FT caught up with Maurogoivanni for quick chat on the progress so far. Following are excerpts: "The main thing is for them to just see and think big. There are dreams that they need to have to make sure they are motivated and they need to know that having opportunities to race at international level is great and will really make them happy and feel that they are part of a big project and really feel proud to represent their country – Former Olympian and current FISA Consultant Rowing Coach Antonio Maurogiovanni" By David Ebert Q: Could you tell me about your background in professional rowing? A: I was a part of the team in the Seoul and Barcelona Olympics and several World Championships and won a couple of medal; then I moved into a coaching career and have been a part of the Italian National Team as a coach from 1993 to 2000. I moved to Australia in 2001 and was the Australian National Coach but I’m taking a break after the London games and I’m currently consulting for FISA and I’m helping Sri Lanka a little bit to develop the sport.

Q: Could you outline the training programs you’ve been conducting here? A: So far mainly my program is based on coaches’ education and I have been running the Level I FISA coaches education program from August and also the end of November and we have been preparing 30 to 35 Level I coaches from all around Sri Lanka and we had 18 of them who passed the level and now they are in Level II and I will have another one or two visits next year to complete it all. Q: Will the program run up to Level III as well? A: I don’t know yet if we will run the Level III. At the moment my commitment is only up to Level II and simultaneously I am also helping the federation in identifying strategies to set up a sustainable national rowing program in Sri Lanka. Q: What’s lacking in Sri Lanka’s rowing program at the moment and what needs to improve? A: I think the positive is that there is a big margin of improvement in Sri Lanka and the number of outlets can be improved and the quality increased. The coaches need more knowledge and international exposure so the federation needs to set up strategies supported by funding to expose the coaches and the outlets internationally and I think the main thing for the federation to fulfil is to create dreams, create big goals and then involve all the people that can help to achieve those goals. Q: Is the technical knowledge of Sri Lanka’s coaches up to standard? A: At the moment they don’t have the specific knowledge of modern rowing and after this course I think they will have more knowledge and what I can say is that there are a couple of coaches within this group who are very enthusiastic and have the passion and are very intelligent and possess a lot of energy. So that is very positive and it’s up to the federation to create the circumstances to help these coaches to develop further and make a sustainable Sri Lankan program. Q: How long a process will that be? A: It’s not something that will happen in just a few months. It will take time and the federation is doing well in firstly making sure the coaches can get the required knowledge through this program that I am running and then other things need to be put in place. With regards to recruitment, retaining of the athletes and letting them perform at the highest levels. I think that they would need a couple of years of hard work and with knowing exactly what it is they need to do along with the enthusiasm and hard work to make it happen. It definitely can happen and it has in many other small countries around the world starting at the same level. No one can stop them if they want. Q: What advice would you give someone who is starting out in rowing? A: The main thing is for them to just see and think big. There are dreams that they need to have to make sure they are motivated and they need to know that having opportunities to race at international level is great and will really make them happy and feel that they are part of a big project and really feel proud to represent their country. That is something that I would like them to know and representing their countries through the sport of rowing is very nice and gives them a lot of recognition. That is what I would like to say to them.