Q: Tom, how did your rowing journey begin?

Tom: Pretty humbly, to be honest. Mum put me in a single scull for my first session and I had no idea what I was doing. I was about 15 or 20 metres from the bank, taking maybe four strokes in 45 minutes, nearly tipping the whole time—and then I did fall in.

But I kept at it. I did a few weeks leading into that Year 10 season just to get a head start, and then I remember being named in the A crew for the first session. I couldn’t believe it—I thought it was one of the coolest things ever.

That season progressed pretty quickly. We had some good wins early, and then I remember at Hamilton we got jumped badly at the start and realised it’s a lot harder chasing than leading. We got lucky and still won, but that was a good lesson—get out in front and stay there.

Q: The 2020 Nationals were cancelled. What was that period like for you?

Tom: It was pretty bizarre. We were two weeks out, thinking we were a real chance, and then it just got taken away. I didn’t really think COVID would affect us like that.

In the off-season, I was probably sitting around sixth or seventh in the rankings, so it was a case of, “How do I move up?” I remember counting down the days until the next term—there were about 97—and just trying to do something every day.

Living close to Austin Reiner helped a lot. We trained together pretty much every day—ergs, gym, sometimes even doubling up sessions. I felt like I had to prove myself to the older boys and the coaches, so anything extra I could do, I did.

Q: That led into a successful 2021 season and a National Championship. What did you take from that experience?

Tom:  It was awesome. I finally got that taste of Nationals that we missed the year before—the standard, the atmosphere, everything around it.

We didn’t get everything right. In the Under 19 Coxed Four, we had to come through the repechage after finishing fourth in the heat, but that actually helped. We fixed what we got wrong and then performed when it mattered.

Winning the Schoolboys Coxed Four was pretty special. That whole season, and that crew, is something we still talk about now.

Q: How did those lessons carry into your pathway beyond school, including Australian selection?

Tom: There were definitely setbacks. COVID hit again, we missed another Nationals, and there were a few moments where it would have been easy to get frustrated.

But then I got a call from a coach in Melbourne asking if I wanted to come fill a seat in an eight for trials. I hadn’t really thought about Australian selection at that point—I was just focused on school rowing.

I went down, ended up staying in the crew, and then suddenly I’m filling out forms thinking, “I don’t even have a passport.” A couple of weeks later, I’m telling Mum I need one because we’re going to Italy. That whole transition happened pretty quickly.

Q: What is it like stepping into an international campaign?

Tom:  It’s interesting—at the end of the day, it’s still just another race. You line up, there are a few other crews next to you, and you’ve got 2,000 metres to race.

The big thing for me was consistency. I set a goal not to miss a session, which is harder than it sounds with the volume we’re doing—200km a week, plus gym and everything else.

By the time I got overseas, I had confidence knowing I’d done the work.

Q: You had a setback with illness just before the World Championships. How did you deal with that?

Tom: Yeah, that wasn’t great timing. I got pretty sick, lost about eight kilos in a few days, and spent a few days in isolation while the rest of the crew was training.

It was a bit overwhelming, but the coach just kept reminding me that I’d done enough work leading in. Missing a few days wasn’t going to undo everything.

That’s where the consistency helps—you’ve got those kilometres in the bank.

Q: What advice would you give to the current boys?

Tom: Have confidence in your ability. I probably lacked that a bit when I was at school. But if you genuinely believe in what you’re doing, it gives you an advantage straight away—before you even get on the water.

Q: What stands out as a highlight from your rowing career so far?

Tom:  Winning the King’s Cup with Victoria last year was pretty special. You’re racing with Olympians, and I was one of the youngest guys in the boat. I remember going to sleep the night before just thinking, “Don’t mess it up.”

We ended up winning, which was awesome.

Another one would be the Under 21 Pair at Nationals in 2024. We’d just missed Under 23 selection, came through fourth in the heat and semi, and were in the outside lane for the final against a crew that hadn’t lost in years.

About halfway through, I remember saying, “We can win this,” and we did. That was a pretty special moment—just backing ourselves and getting it done.

As Tom prepares to represent Australia at the 2026 Under 23 World Rowing Championships, support from the St Patrick’s College community will help him continue pursuing his rowing goals on the world stage. If you would like to support, Tom’s campaign, please consider donating via . Every contribution is greatly appreciated.

Today, he is studying and rowing on scholarship at Jacksonville University in Florida, a journey that began on the water at Lake Wendouree and one that has taken Angus by surprise.

Angus was introduced to rowing at a young age, following in the footsteps of his father, brother and sister.

“My dad rowed when he was younger, and my brother and sister rowed as well,” Angus said.

“I started coxing when I was about seven and then began rowing when I got to high school. It was always something I enjoyed.”

Finding his place at St Patrick’s College

Recognising the strength of the SPC rowing program, Angus made the move from Ballarat High School to St Patrick’s in Year 9.

“I was really excited about the rowing program because I knew I’d be able to go a little bit further and get a bit more out of it,” he said.

“I was nervous about changing schools because of friends and everything, but I became friends with all the rowing boys anyway.”

Those friendships would become one of the most valuable parts of his St Patrick’s experience.

“Rowing gave me a connection to people and to the school that will last a lifetime,” Angus said.

“It didn’t matter whether someone was a senior rower, a junior rower or a cox. You’d see people around school and always stop to say hello because you’d spent so much time together at training and regattas.”

A taste of National competition

One of Angus’ fondest memories was representing St Patrick’s at the Australian Rowing Championships as a member of the College’s Intermediate crew.

With the national championships relocated from Sydney to Nagambie due to flooding, the crew became the first St Patrick’s Intermediate crew to compete at the event.

“It was a great experience,” Angus said.

“We’d been racing against the same crews all season and then suddenly we were at nationals competing against crews from around Australia.”

More importantly, the experience gave Angus a glimpse of what was possible.

“It definitely made me want to work harder and keep going back,” he said.

“It made all of us hungry for more. We got that exposure and saw what it was like, and then we wanted to keep getting there.”

A Head of the Lake to remember

That drive eventually led to multiple national championship appearances and one of the most memorable races of his rowing career – St Patrick’s thrilling Head of the Lake victory in 2024.

“We’d never beaten them (Ballarat Clarendon College) before, but we knew we were close,” Angus recalled.

“About 500 metres into the race I thought, ‘This could be the day.’ We were right next to each other the whole way and trading positions all the way down the course.

“The time after crossing the finish line, waiting to find out who had won, was some of the tensest moments I’ve ever experienced.”

The victory remains one of his proudest sporting memories.

An opportunity across the world

After finishing school, Angus continued rowing with Wendouree Ballarat Rowing Club and competing at state and national level.

Then came an opportunity he had never imagined.

After returning from a regatta in New South Wales, Angus received messages from rowing coaches in the United States who had noticed his performances.

“Before that, I didn’t even know going overseas through rowing was really a possibility,” he said.

With support and guidance, Angus explored several opportunities before eventually accepting a scholarship to Jacksonville University.

Today, he lives on campus in Florida, balancing university studies with the demands of collegiate rowing.

Most days begin with gym sessions alongside his teammates before classes and afternoon training sessions on the water.

“We’ve got a huge river where we train,” he said.

“We can row for kilometres in either direction and sometimes there are dolphins swimming past the boat. It’s pretty cool.”

Angus is currently studying Mechanical Engineering and says the scholarship has made studying overseas more affordable than he ever expected.

Through a combination of rowing and academic scholarships, he is able to complete his degree while competing at a high level and gaining international experience.

Lessons beyond the boat

While the scholarship is an incredible achievement, Angus believes the greatest benefit of rowing has been the personal growth it has fostered.

“It teaches you that you can always go a little bit harder,” he said.

“When you’re tired and your mind is telling you that’s enough, there’s always a little bit more you can give.”

Where could rowing take you?

For students considering joining the St Patrick’s rowing program, his advice is simple.

“Give it a go,” he said.

“You don’t have to be the best rower to enjoy it. Some of the people who had the most fun weren’t the fastest. You get to travel, race, spend time with your mates and be part of something bigger than yourself. It’s an experience that’s really hard to replicate.”

Reflecting on the role rowing has played in his life, Angus points to another benefit that extends far beyond competition. When he arrived at university in the United States, he instantly had a community around him.

“Before I even got there, the other rowers were messaging me,” he said.

“As soon as I arrived, the older boys were helping us out and making us feel welcome. It felt like I’d already been there for a year.”

It is a feeling he first experienced at St Patrick’s College.

“The rowing community is really special,” Angus said.

“And you never know where it might take you.”

The night provided an opportunity to reflect on a season defined by commitment, resilience and strong crew culture, while recognising the achievements of students across all year levels.

A highlight of the evening was the address from Old Collegian Tom Foley (SPC 2017-22), who shared an honest and engaging account of his rowing journey – from early struggles in a single scull to competing on the national and international stage.

Reflecting on the disappointment of missing Nationals in 2020 and the work that followed, Tom spoke about the value of consistency and self-belief.

“I remember counting down the days until we could get back and just thinking, what can I do to get better?” he said.

“Even if it didn’t feel like much at the time, it was doing something every day – backing it up again and again – that made the difference. If you can control what you can control and put the work in, it gives you a lot of confidence when it matters.

He also encouraged students to back themselves, highlighting confidence as a key ingredient in both sport and life.

“Have confidence in your ability. If you believe in what you’re doing and the work you’ve put in, that gives you an edge before you even get to the start line,” he said.

The presentation of awards recognised both performance and character, with Coaches Awards highlighting dedication, improvement and contribution across each division.

Coaches Awards

Year 9
Division 4 – Matt Zuidland
Division 3 – Jake Crack
Division 2 – Matteo Spurgo
Division 1 – Oliver New

Year 10
Division 5 – Jake Mahar
Division 4 – Tyson Meek
Division 3 – Ujjwal Gambhir
Division 2 – Kade McKay
Division 1 – Noah Connell

Open
Division 7 – Tom Stevens
Division 6 – Blake Roberts
Division 5 – Patrick Buttler
Division 4 – Taj Bobrowski (Absent)
Division 3 – Tom Cosgriff
Division 2 – Hamish Quigley
Division 1 – Charlie Geddes (Absent)

Major year-level awards were also presented to students who have demonstrated outstanding leadership, commitment and contribution to the program:

Year Level Awards

Year 9 Paul Myers Award – Joseph Knobel
Year 10 James Marburg Award – Zach Galvin
Year 11 Christian Ryan Award – Lachlan Cameron
Year 12 Brian Vear Award – George Charles
Year 12 Anthony Edwards Award for Leadership – Cameron Belleville

The College extends its sincere thanks to the rowing coaching staff for their dedication and expertise throughout the season, as well as to the many families whose ongoing support underpins the success of the program.

The evening was a fitting celebration of a season that showcased not only strong performances on the water, but also the values of teamwork, perseverance and pride that define rowing at St Patrick’s College.

The evening featured special guest speaker Jamie McDonald, an award-winning Australian rowing coach, who inspired students to focus on their development as athletes and young men. He reminded the audience that medals are only part of the story with each training session and race providing an opportunity to improve, and that discipline, organisation and technical focus were key ingredients to success in rowing and life.

Rowing Coordinator and Junior Coach Rebecca Gribble spoke with great pride about the junior program, describing rowing as “the ultimate team sport.” She praised the boys for their energy, mateship and ability to rise to the challenge at every regatta.

“There was never a dull or quiet moment when these boys were in the shed,” Ms Gribble said.

“The most pleasing thing was that they were able to bring that same energy and enthusiasm into their rowing on regatta days. Medals were won, lessons were learnt and some oars were broken, but there were always smiles on their faces as they left the rowing shed.”

Ms Gribble gave special mention to the College’s Year 10 Division 1 crew, whose achievements marked a historic season for the program.

“Our Year 10 Division 1 crew achieved some great things this season,” she said.

“They dominated the Ballarat Year 10 quad events, posted training times on par with national podium standards, and not only won their own year-level events but stepped up to take out the Open Division 2 quad at the Head of the Schoolboys Regatta.

“They pushed even further, securing a bronze medal at the State Championships in the Open Division 1 quad event against senior Melbourne school crews. Their final challenge was at the Australian Rowing National Championships in Tasmania, where they placed fourth in the Under 17 quad event—making them the fastest schoolboy crew in the country in that category. A phenomenal achievement and a first for our program.”

Head Coach David O’Doherty also shared reflections on the season, emphasising that the real value of rowing lies in the personal development of each student.

“Reflecting on the season, one’s thoughts turn to the outcomes for our rowers beyond just results,” he said.

“Tony O’Connor, coach of the Kiwi Olympic gold medal eight, put it simply: ‘rowing is just a great vehicle for kids to grow up.’ And from the first session in July to now, I’ve witnessed a tremendous amount of growth in our young men.

That growth was matched by a series of strong performances across the season.

“We recorded some firsts for our program, winning four events at the Melbourne Head Regatta, dominant intermediate results at the Carrum Regatta, and several bronze medals at Head of the Schoolboys,” he said.

“At the Head of the Lake, while we narrowly missed the premiership, most crews delivered their best performances of the season.”

He summed up the spirit of the team with a single word: earnest.

“If there is one word to describe this year’s rowing squad, it is earnest. Earnest in their efforts, their commitment, and their enjoyment of the sport. That spirit is what makes the SPC boatshed such a special place to be.”

He also extended sincere thanks to the coaching team and the parent group for their unwavering support throughout the season.

The evening included the presentation of Coaches Awards and Year Level Awards:

Coaches Awards:

• Year 9 Div 5: Jake Debrincat
• Year 9 Div 4: Henry Gilbert
• Year 9 Div 3: Archer Bolt
• Year 9 Div 2: Noah Connell
• Year 9 Div 1: Nic Ward

• Year 10 Div 6: Joshua Canavan
• Year 10 Div 5: Jasper Delaney
• Year 10 Div 4: Harry Bennett
• Year 10 Div 3: Charlie Saw
• Year 10 Div 2: Lachlan Cowell
• Year 10 Div 1: Blake Roberts

• Open Div 5: Patrick Buttler
• Open Div 4: Jett Florence
• Open Div 3: Cameron Belleville
• Open Div 2: Harrison Grant
• Open Div 1: Lachlan Belleville

Year Level Awards:

• Year 9 Paul Myers Award: Jack Stringer
• Year 10 James Marburg Award: Lachlan Cameron
• Year 11 Christian Ryan Award: George Charles
• Year 12 Brian Vear Award: Henry Reinehr

The College extends its congratulations to all award winners and to every student who contributed to the rowing program this season. Their dedication, spirit, and sportsmanship continue to uphold the values of St Patrick’s College and inspire the next generation of rowers.

It has now been exactly 30 years since the famous St Patrick’s College “drought-breakers” crew of Anthony Edwards (stroke), Daniel Hayter, Aaron McInerney, Robert Calnon and Daniel Morgan (cox) rowed to victory in stunning fashion to claim the College’s first Head of the Lake title for 29 years.

That crew was coached by Kevin O’Brien and Chris O’Brien and the joyous celebrations at the finish line were captured brilliantly in this photo captured by The Courier’s Lachlan Bence.

Their winning boat – “The Old Collegians” – now hangs in the corridor at the main entrance to the College because of the generosity of those who rowed in that boat in the Head of the Lake Regattas between 1990 and 2001.

The following excerpt from the 1990 College Annual magazine describes the emotions that crew felt upon achieving something which had eluded so many crews before them.

One of the members of that crew, Anthony Edwards, became one of the most decorated rowers in Australia’s history.

Edwards competed at a remarkable five Olympic games making his debut at Atlanta in 1996 and then representing Australia in lightweight rowing competition in Sydney (2000), Athens (2004), Beijing (2008) and London (2012).

Anthony won a bronze medal in the lightweight pairs in 1996 and silver medals in the fours in Sydney and in Athens.

In 2011 Edwards was a member of the Australian lightweight four which competed at the 2011 World Rowing Championships.

After finishing second in their heat, they had to qualify for the final through a repechage and a semi-final. In the final they rowed through the field from a fifth position at the 500m mark, to be 2nd at both the 1000 and 1500 and overtook the Italians in final run to take the gold medal with a 1.2 second margin. Edwards in the bow seat won his first senior world championship title, nineteen years after first representing Australia in green and gold.

Anthony was inducted as a Legend of St Patrick’s College in 2002 and, despite now living in Tasmania, has been a proud and passionate supporter of St Patrick’s College rowing.

In 2012, the College was delighted to be able to christen a new boat named in his honour.

This week we were able to reach out to Anthony and ask him to provide some words on encouragement for our crews this weekend.
We were thrilled when he took the time out of his busy schedule to send through the following video.

We echo Anthony’s sentiments and wish all our crews the very best for a big weekend ahead.

This will be an event not to be missed and will provide the opportunity for all our members, current and past to come together to network amongst Old Boys, sponsors and business collegues, and to hear from one of Australia’s greatest Olympic athletes – former Oarsome Foursome member Nick Green, as well as assisting the club in raising much needed funds.-

-·- – – Event: Business Coterie Luncheon

-·- – – Date: Friday the 19th June

-·- – – Start: 12.30 -“ 3.30pm

-·- – – Venue: RACV Club, Bourke Street, Melbourne

-·- – – Tickets: $40 for coterie members and $100 for non coterie members. Tables of 10 are available. Included in the lunch is a two-course meal and three hours of drinks

-·- – – RSVP: by Tuesday 16th of June 2015 to Christian Ryan (cryan@beulahcapital.com)

Key Auction Item: Magnum bottle of penfolds bin 389 cabernet shiraz 2003, signed by Ron Barrassi.