Talent Search Test Leads Riley Rees-Turner to Junior World Championships
It’s an odd stretch to think that playing basketball during a school PE class could springboard to a representative rowing career. Yet it’s this peculiar twist of fate that has landed WA teen Riley Rees-Turner on a path to the Junior World Championships in Tokyo.
When it comes to identifying the fundamental physical characteristics needed for elite rowing, there really isn’t a shade of grey. Height and power top the list. If Charles Darwin had dedicated a chapter to the sport, those traits would be underlined in bold text.
So when WAIS coach Jamie Hewlett found himself coordinating a talent search testing day at Christian Brothers College in Fremantle back in 2017 it is not surprising that his cross-hair quickly trained on the 197cm frame of Rees-Turner.
There was a singular problem however. He hadn’t elected to sign up for the talent search.
“I wasn’t even going to do it. I was playing basketball in PE and then Jamie goes, we’d like to see him and yeah, my teacher just pushed me a bit because I was quite a shy kid normally,” Rees-Turner recalls of his first flirt with rowing.
“I tested really well, I went down (to a local rowing club) and just absolutely loved it,” he said.
The tests conducted, that the 18 year-old refers to, included a battery of generic exercises that provided the talent scouts with a physical and aerobic profile of the youngster’s potential, with a view to how those attributes would apply to rowing.
He rattles off from memory; wing-span, height, a dynamo strength test and a watt-bike step-test effort that he jokes, nearly left him passed out.
But it was that effort that convinced coach Hewlett that they were working with something promising.
“It was very evident when he did jump on the bike and do – particularly the endurance part of our test – was, firstly just how willing he was to really go out and put a performance down but he just seemed very keen and enthusiastic to try anything,” Hewlett said.
Redefining the 10,000 hour rule
But whilst all the physical markers were in place for Rees-Turner to make a good fist of rowing, what can’t be understated is just how significant the rapid rate of his progress has been. He had never rowed before, yet 18 months later and the Swan River Rowing Club member is preparing to jump in a boat as part of the Australian men’s coxless four crew at the Junior World Championships in Tokyo this July.
Many are familiar with the concept of the 10,000 hour rule which was popularised by Malcolm Gladwell in his book Outliers. In this book, which is based on the studies of a Swedish psychologist, Gladwell detailed the need for a saturation of “deliberate practise” in relation to achieving world-class status in any field.
But when asked how he had adapted so quickly to a new pursuit, Rees-Turner settled on a different scientific take.
“It’s all just trial and error.”
“There was lots of falling in, getting used to boats but probably just if you failed, try again,” he said of his early efforts.
But whilst Rees-Turner is short on absolute rowing experience, he was certainly not without a good grounding in physical preparation.
As a 16 year-old he was a top-10 ranked Australian tennis prospect for his age range, whilst his height and athleticism had seen him earn a spot on South Fremantle’s list as a promising Australian Rules Football talent as a member of their WAFL colts program.
With the first-year Curtin University nutrition student showing significant promise across a range of sports, he said it was the personal challenge that rowing provides that had increasingly proved irresistible.
“It was an adventure, a challenge. I love a challenge,” he emphasised of his willingness to accept the offer to join the Rowing WA pathway program.
Having been assigned to the Swan River Rowing Club, Rees-Turner said he was pinching himself that a year and half later, he was now preparing for an elite age World Championship.
“I didn’t think I’d get to this stage, I was in disbelief when I made the youth eight a couple of months ago and I constantly had those doubts like, am I meant to be here, that sort of stuff.
“This has probably just solidified that I have worked hard enough to be where I am.”
From Jamie Hewlett’s perspective, he’s less surprised that a tried and tested talent search initiative (similar models have run successfully in other countries for many years) is bearing fruit, but said it was particularly pleasing that an example such as Riley’s is now reinforcing the efforts of the athletes themselves.
“For us it wasn’t a huge surprise to find somebody this talented, and with the right help and guidance, to be able to put them onto an Australian Team. What it was nice for, for the local environment, particularly the next crop of athletes coming through, is to see a concrete example on how this can actually work.”
“It really becomes a lot more real when it’s the kid next door and not some story of a Danish Olympic champion,” Hewlett said.
Adapting High Performance
Having unearthed a diamond in the rough through a school search, Jamie Hewlett was also the first to work hands on with Riley before the transition into the development pathway that involves WAIS, Rowing WA and the local Club network.
“Jamie in the early part. Definitely him,” Rees-Turner said of who he credits for his fast-tracked development. He took our squad (2017 talent search intake) under his wing and then I moved up and got put into Swan River.
“Jack Fischer and George Xouris (at Swan River RC) too, I had them for probably six months and then once nationals started it was Mark Beer who started to refine, get me towards the high level I am today.”
Having earned selection, Rees-Turner is now setting his focus on maximising the learning opportunity that his debut on the Australian Junior Team will provide.
“I’m hoping to get so much out of it. I’ve never been overseas on a sporting team. I’m kind of expecting it to be a little bit overwhelming but also really satisfying being there,” he said.
Despite having not rowed himself growing up, Rees-Turner does have strong connections to rowing royalty, with two former champion athletes who both competed for Great Britain, close friends of the family.
“My mum’s best friend is a three-time Olympic rower for GB Sarah Winckless and then a family friend is Katherine Grainger. They’ve been a big help over the past year, especially leading into team trials,” he revealed.
And when it comes to having experience in your corner, you’d be hard pressed for better.
Sarah Winckless MBE was a dual world champion and a bronze medallist in the women’s double scull at the 2004 Athens Olympics. She also served as Team England’s Chef de Mission at the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.
Dame Katherine Grainger DBE is Great Britain’s most decorated female Olympian of all time. Amongst her many accolades is a gold medal from the London 2012 Olympic Games in the double scull – to go with four Olympic silver medals – and an incredible six career world titles.
Taking the Leap of Faith
With WAIS and its sport program partners again readying for further Talent Search initiatives in 2019, Riley speaks from personal experience when he encourages any youngsters with even a passing interest to test their potential.
“Take it with open arms,” he said.
“You may try it and you may find it’s not what you want, but if you don’t try it and it is what you want, you’re going to regret it for the rest of your life.
“If I hadn’t taken time out of my PE lesson, I wouldn’t have these opportunities. I’d probably being missing something that I really don’t want to miss now.”
About the 2019 WAIS Talent Search
The Western Australian Institute of Sport will again in 2019 partner with WestCycle, Paddle WA and Rowing WA to host a talent search initiative at the WAIS High Performance Service Centre in Mt Claremont.
WHO: Male and Females born from 2001 to 2005
WHAT: Talent Search testing for Cycling, Canoeing and Rowing
WHERE: WAIS High Performance Service Centre – McGillivray Rd, Mt Claremont
WHEN: SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 29: Commences from 8am (90 minute session time)
Further details and bookings are available here. For any questions please contact Matthew Nelson at WAIS on 9387 8166 or email – mnelson@wais.org.au