Program Liaison

Glen Sinclair

Glen Sinclair

Glen won seven national premier lightweight titles, was a member of the New Zealand Under-23 team in 1996 and the New Zealand University team from 1995 to 2001, graduating from Otago with an education degree. He has been head coach of Otago University Rowing since 2003 and the Otago high performance squad from 2006 to 2008. He has been president of New Zealand University Rowing since 1999 and manager of New Zealand University teams. He has played a key role in integrating university rowing into the fold of New Zealand rowing, and was elected to the board of Rowing New Zealand in 2010 and frequently travels abroad to represent Otago and New Zealand.

Rowing New Zealand
High Performance Board
CEO & Head Coach
University of Otago Rowing Club

A June & July Program for Ambitious Athletes in New Zealand

We're happy to provide opportunities to row abroad over the summer in conjunction with the University of Otago Rowing Club in Dunedin, New Zealand. Otago functions as a high-performance center for Rowing New Zealand, and students will row in close proximity with Kiwi high-performance athletes. Students considering this option are expected to be more mature in their daily lives and seeking an opportunity to develop that aspect of themselves in the sport while enjoying an overseas experience.

NZL Rowing: Strong Results

Rowing in New Zealand is comparable to Soccer in Brazil; a popularity that has produced advanced development systems for their New Zealand athletes and has made it possible for this tiny country of only 4 million people to consistently produce a higher international medal count than even the U.S.

U.S. junior athletes who would like to improve their erg scores while learning a great deal more about who they are as athletes are encouraged to apply to this program.

Who May Apply

All students who wish to apply for the limited number of positions in the program must by necessity be more mature in their daily comportment and decision-making than the average high school athlete. This is an adult, college level opportunity. Exceptional maturity is - specifically - a requirement.

Student athletes are expected to engage in training on a more independent and mature level than most American juniors, and must be able to demonstrate their athletic drive and maturity before being considered for this program.

The program is designed more as a professional internship than a kids' rowing camp, and will allow athletes to row with some of New Zealand’s best and with other rowers from the U.S. and around the world. Plus, weekend opportunities to explore and travel in New Zealand are unparalleled.

Successful completion of the program will allow students to demonstrate to colleges that they are ready for similar demands at top American universities. And all of these firsthand experiences will unfold within a protected environment.

Developing More Thoughtful Athletes

Students rowing in New Zealand usually go overseas for 4-6 weeks of their choosing, during which they may use part of the weekends for site-seeing. There are opportunities for backpacking and skiing, though this is another reason maturity is required, as ability to manage time matters.

Students will also be allowed to participate in community service opportunities as the camp reaches beyond rowing in its spectrum of development.

This program does not offer an opportunity to race at Club Nationals or Canadian Henley, but instead will provide a safe international collegiate environment with some of the best resources in the world for improving erg scores and for developing demonstrable confidence in one's athletic and personal abilities at a similar price point as US based summer programs.

And since June and July are summer in the US, it will be “winter” in New Zealand, where student athletes will find the climate in Dunedin to be similar to that of the San Francisco Bay area in Winter.

The ultimate goal of the program is to provide American junior athletes with the opportunity to rise far above and beyond even what they thought they were capable of.

Camp Specifics

  • Who: Experienced athletes aged 16-19, who can demonstrate high maturity.
  • When: Starting early June, minimum 4 weeks.
  • Cost: USD $775/Week plus flights
  • Where: Dunedin, New Zealand on the campus of the University of Otago - housing will be in home-stays and Otago dormitories.
  • Questions: Email international@sparksconsult.com
  • Apply: Email international@sparksconsult.com with a 2K score, background, and a phone number for follow-up.
  • Supervision: The small program size allows for close overwatch, though students are expected to conduct themselves on the same level as their Otago University athletic peers, some of whom are the same age.