Kaye Surgenor has arrived in Nelson to take over the head coaching role of the male crews at the Nelson Rowing Club, and she has her sons to thank for it.
The former Queen Charlotte College and Canterbury rower started her new role last week, a decade after her two sons Robbie and Karl Manson decided to try the sport at Marlborough Boys’ College.
The duo have both rowed for New Zealand at the Olympics, but it was their foray into the sport that gave Kaye a chance to follow her dream.
“Robbie hated rowing and was more into his horse riding, but when Karl had been rowing for two months. he decided to give it a go and told me he was going to sell his horse and buy a single [scull-boat], which he did.
“I got roped into coaching Karl’s crew because he had no coach but I’d always wanted to coach.”
Kaye left St Margaret’s College after three years, to take this job.
She has also coached a South Island Under-18 crew and a New Zealand Under-21 men’s sweep crew against the Australians in a trans-Tasman series.
Kaye says a head coaching role at Nelson was one she wanted.
“There’s a lot of potential here and Nelson has always been a really successful club with good support around the club which appeals to me.
The main goals will be to get club crews ready for the national championships and high school rowers ready for the Maadi Cup in early 2017.
Kaye hopes she will become an elite coach for Rowing New Zealand and saw her coaching in Nelson to be a long-term venture.
“I always wanted to coach ,but when I retired I was busy being a pony club mother and carting kids around the countryside and I didn’t get to have the opportunity that is in front of me for this season and to build on what I know as a coach.”
