St John’s College rowing captain aims to continue water sport in university

St John’s College rowing captain Billy Cronje reflected on his leadership journey in the water sports team.

Billy started rowing in Grade 7 and would not have tried the sport had it not been for his friend who convinced him to give the sport a go.

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“However, it was not until the end of Grade 8 that I began to row on water due to Covid-19 restrictions. Before then, it mainly consisted of gym sessions, runs, and other activities with my friends.”

Even while rowers were not allowed to row on the water, the learner became incredibly invested in rowing.

“It is hard to account for my initial enjoyment while we were still confined to the gym, but as time progressed I formed tight bonds with my teammates. It was a combination of these bonds, the pride in doing something difficult, and the absolute tranquillity of rowing that kept me in the sport.”

Billy noted that being the captain of the rowing club was a massive privilege.

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“I considered the leadership role at the end of Grade 9, seeing it as a way to give back to the club. As time went on, I became more determined to earn this position and now that I have it, it is sometimes challenging, given that I must hold myself to a higher standard, but the reward in getting to serve the rowing club outweighs that ten-fold.”

The rower talked about the three medals that stood out for him.

“One is my bronze medal in the pair at SA Champs in Grade 10, my second is a bronze medal in the Eight from SA Schools Boatrace in December last year and my favourite medal from my rowing is the silver I received in the coxed four at the Gauteng Champs in November last year.”
He noted that he was keen to row at the university level not only to stay fit but also to meet new people and to push himself out of his comfort zone.

Advising upcoming rowers, Billy said never to give up, not in a race, during practice, or in the sport.

“Over my five years of rowing, I learned repeatedly that the path to success is not straight or predictable. It is full of wrong turns and dead-ends, dips and peaks, cliffs, and plateaus, but if you keep with it, it will be worth it.”

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