Credit: St Catherine’s School, 2023
In the 1960s and most of the 1970s, rowing in Australia was predominantly a male sport, both in private boys’ schools and in club rowing. Gradually, through the ’70s, women won their first opportunities to compete, with the integration of racing into the Australian scene.
But, national selection for female rowing was only recognised at the Olympic level during the summer of 1980. The women’s Australian coxed four was entered for the first time to compete. While women were represented nationally, there was still no equal representation, nor strong advocacy to shift the culture. Just four years later on at the Los Angeles Olympics, Australia won a bronze medal for the women’s coxed four. The stroke seat, Margot Foster AM OLY claimed,
“It helped pave the way for future generations of Australian women rowers”
(Rowing Australia, 2024).
These women pioneered a new era of participation in Australian rowing through their Olympic success.
Photo Credit: Australian Rowing History, 2025
With this success, Australia has tried to apply a coaching framework of a one-size-fits-all approach with the mentality of ‘don’t fix what isn’t broken’. Yet, as female participation in rowing has continued to rise, both at grassroots and elite levels, the need for a change is clear.
In 2025, women’s rowing’s growth expanded to equal representation and participation in recent World Championships. Old-school attitudes, grounded in ideas of training women and girls like men, persisted because male coaches had long been successful in a space built exclusively for male athletes. But as more women have entered the sport, these outdated attitudes create a culture that was once successful but is now outdated and underdeveloped.
A call for change
Following recent Olympic cycles, Rowing Australia has faced investigations at the highest level of elite rowing, examining what must change to create a more supportive and collaborative training environment. In these calls for reform, it is important to recognise the significance of culture, from an elite and high-performance standpoint to grassroots within local clubs and state institutes.
While traditional standards of discipline and commitment have value, old-school coaching methods have become outdated for female athletes. Training and competition now require a significantly different approach as the sport continues to develop.
Male coaches who were once elite athletes themselves and have dedicated so much to the rowing community must be open to change and self-reflection. To progress, they need to embrace collaboration and communication with their athletes, especially at a young, developing level. Toughness and high standards can still play a role in developing female athletes, but support must go beyond brutal feedback and unexplained expectations. An athlete may keep pushing under pressure, believing their coaches or fellow teammates that it’s how the hardest athletes are made due to previous international or national success. Too many times these seen attitudes around high-pressure environments only last until these females suffer rib fractures, anemia, burnout, or are forced to step away from the sport. Real change comes from listening to concerns and adapting training accordingly.
New performance through healthcare in coaching
In recent years, female athletes have gained greater access to resources and education, particularly around RED-S (Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport) and menstrual cycle tracking, which has raised the profile of women’s health in rowing. Addressing stigma and outdated social norms through learning initiatives and workshops can empower women and girls in sport and spread awareness about the risks of overtraining and under-fueling.
For the older generation of coaches, the sensitive issues of body image and weight management for young female athletes must be handled with care and professionalism. This requires recognising why women and girls need additional support from health professionals, such as trained nutritionists and sports scientists, who can provide qualified advice around training and performance. By referring athletes to these experts, coaches can help them perform better without relying on outdated or potentially harmful practices.
A new generation wave
At both the volunteer and professional levels of coaching, there must be a complete examination of communication within the rowing community, particularly regarding women’s health. A cultural evolution toward advocacy, education, and athlete-centred coaching is essential if rowing in Australia is to thrive inclusively and sustainably. For results and athlete development to occur at local, state, and national levels, change is necessary, emphasising open-mindedness and trust around new learnings. With growing numbers and the next generation looking ahead to Brisbane 2032, frameworks need to be put in place to ensure that Australia’s women’s rowing continues the legacy of Olympic champions like Margot Foster.
