Bryan Steel
ARA Silver Level Coach and Multi Lane Umpire.
Educated Royal High School, Edinburgh and St. Andrew's University, began teaching in 1961 at Hillhead High School, Glasgow. Press-ganged into service with the
the school's Rowing Club, he was delivered for training as a fledgling Rowing Master into the hands of the late and great Willie Hunter of the then thriving Glasgow Schools Rowing Council and survived!
Promotion in 1969 took him to Aberdeen (Hazlehead) Academy, whose green-clad rowers, including a certain young Robert Newton, had been terrorising the Junior rowing scene for some years previously. Extreme dedication or lack of imagination - call it what you will - Bryan has never quite been able to shake off his addiction to the sport. He retired from full time teaching in 1997 in order to give more time to coaching and to the completion of the new boathouse project. Presently he remains in overall charge of the Association.
Alan Lawrie
SARA Bronze Level Coach and financial wizard, Alan began his rowing career at the age of 13 at Hazlehead Academy under the watchful eye of Bryan. Masterminded and stroked the first and so far only MJ15 8+ to reach the Final of the National Championships at Nottingham and together with Gordon Alexander was the first in a long line of highly successful ASRA Mens Junior Pairs. He started coaching at the age of 20. Alan oversaw the new boathouse project and deals with all of ASRA's financial affairs including grants and sponsors.
Ian Duncan
ARA Silver Level Coach and Multi Lane Umpire,
Ian's long association with ASRA began in 1973 as a J14 schoolboy at Hazlehead Academy.
Initially victorious in a Hazlehead crew he was then selected for an ASRA composite with the Grammar School
which went on to win multiple Scottish Golds in all events from J15 to J18.
He rowed for Scotland at the Home Countries in the highly successful ASRA J18 Eight.
Over the years Ian has served ASRA in many capacities including a long spell as Secretary/Treasurer.
He is justifiably renowned for his finishing coaching skills at both Club and National level.
Colin Wallace
Educated at Inverurie Academy and the Wallace family's first sibling to take to the Dee, Colin started his rowing career in 1999 as a J14 schoolboy. He stroked the Empacher 4 which represented Scotland 3 years in a row and swept up Scottish, National and International medals in 2002. Colin ended his junior rowing career at ASRA with a triumphant 2 Golds and a Silver at the National Championships in 2003. Colin went on to row for Scotland as a senior in 2007 in a coxless pair with Scott Purdie. Currently working as the club's Rowing Development Officer, Colin is ASRA's first ever professional coach.
Amanda-Jane Geddes
Educated at Lawside R.C. Academy, Dundee,
she moved to Aberdeen in 2002 and took up rowing in June 2004 then began coxing in 2005 and played a big role in attracting new members to the sport.
This resulted in a nomination as Club Vice Captain at ABC where she concentrated mainly on the novice ladies and
secured many wins taking both novice men and women to R2.
After giving up a long career of software development to pursue an interest in sport,
her efforts have earned her a degree in Sports & Exercise Science from The Robert Gordon University
and both British Cycling and ARA Level 2 Coaching qualifications.
AJ started coaching at ASRA in 2007 and in 2009 took on the role of the club's Assistant Rowing Development Officer.
Iain Murray
Educated at the High School of Glasgow, Iain started rowing in 1999 at Glasgow Rowing Club. He moved to Aberdeen in 2000 to study medicine at the University of Aberdeen and rowed for ASRA during his first year. He then rowed for Aberdeen University Boat Club for the next four years, specialising in sculling and training in the Scottish National Rowing Academy squad during his fourth year. After graduating, he spent a year working as a junior doctor in Inverness. He started coaching at ASRA after returning to Aberdeen in August 2006. He is currently ASRA's Medical Adviser.
Morag Emery
Educated at Cults Academy, Morag started rowing with ASRA in 1994 as the age of 13. She stroked a successful
four with her twin sister Ali, Nikki Dinsmore and Alex Bonsall who won medals at the Nat. Champs. and Home Countries.
She studied for a BSc in PE and Sports Science at Loughborough University and then went on to coach at
a school in Sydney for a season. More recently Morag spent a year coaching at LEH and Molesey Boat Club.
Morag was for a year employed by the ARA through the Henley Stewards Charitable Trust to increase participation in junior rowing in Aberdeen.
She also has a Master's degree in the determinants of rowing performance from the Robert Gordon University,
and has recently been appointed to a full time PE post at Albyn School with special responsibility for rowing.
Scott Purdie
Scott Purdie is a rare breed as an ASRA coach, hailing from Dumfries he rowed as a Junior with the enemy Nithsdale. Scott began rowing in 2000 after giving up a very successful swimming career. He rowed in a coxed four which was in constant battle with ASRA. His junior highlight was in 2003 when he picked up a Silver and Bronze medal at the National Championships. He represented Scotland as a junior several times and as a senior in 2007 in the coxless pairs.
Lucy Bonnamay
Educated at Cults Academy, Lucy started rowing with ASRA in 2003 as a J13
schoolgirl. She went on to claim gold in both junior coxless pairs at the
national championships in 2006 and junior coxed fours in the national
championships in 2007. Lucy represented Scotland at the Home Countries
match in 2006 in the coxless pair and eight and in 2007 in the coxless pair and coxed
four.
Currently studying for a
BSc(Hons) in Diagnostic Radiography at RGU, Lucy has obtained her
ARA Level 2 coaching qualification.
Judith Herbert
Judith started rowing late in her school career with ASRA but that didn't stop her showing real potential at Junior level culminating in a Scottish Jersey within her first year of rowing. A graduate of RGU, she now specialises in lightweight single sculling.