Oar-some signing: Former State rower Cam Fowler appointed first ever full-time coach of Bunbury Rowing Club

For the first time in its 125-year history, the Bunbury Rowing Club has appointed a full-time head coach. The move has been made as the club looks to “expand and grow” its operations. Former national and state rower Cam Fowler has taken on the top job. “To do that they identified they needed a full-time head coach to take them in the direct-ion they wanted to go,” he said. “I started rowing in Perth at Wesley College and then joined the Swan River Rowing Club and have been on the State teams in the lightweight fours from 2012 to 2018. “From 2013 I was on the Australian under 23’s team for the lightweight quad and the senior A-team for that as well.” Fowler moved into coaching after calling time on his rowing career and returning to university. “Post rowing I went back to uni and initially studied sports science but realised that during my athletic career psychology played a massive part in the day-to-day and maximising performance so I switched to that and that’s what led me down the coaching path,” he said. “I was approached about this job and jumped at it. To be able to come to work every day and do something you’re passionate about is amazing.” More sport: The new coach said the goal for the club was to increase its membership base, particularly in the junior ranks. “The first step is looking to increase the membership base now that there’s a full-time coach and we can cater for that,” he said. “We are looking to expand our programs, particularly in school-aged athletes and to do that over the coming months we are looking to engage directly with primary and secondary schools. We want to increase numbers at the South West Head of the River. It is undeniably on the rise as a development club looking to take that next step.”