Legacy of sport at St Andrews
When Matt Taylor (MA 2019) arrived at St Andrews and joined the Boat Club, he found there was a lack of equipment and resources but a ‘warm and visionary mindset’ amongst members. Four years later, the Senior Men reached the semi-final of the Henley Royal Regatta. Read here about this remarkable journey and the achievements of the Boat Club under his leadership.
Growing the Boat Club
When I first travelled over from a small town in Northern Ireland to visit the University in 2014, the close-knit and intimate nature of St Andrews struck me as familiar and homely. It was this along with its strong academic reputation that made St Andrews my aspirational goal throughout my final school years.
Although I had rowed in Belfast for several years prior to University and knew I wanted to row at student level, it wasn’t important enough to shape my choice of university and St Andrews wasn’t particularly known for its rowing at that point. However, when I arrived one week early in first year to take part in Preseason, I discovered that there was a complete lack of rowing facilities and equipment for what I believed to be such a large institution. On the other hand the student rowers and Club leaders had a sincere, warm and visionary mindset that motivated and inspired me and, as a result, the friendships that I forged and memories that I began to make gave me that ‘home away from home’ feeling that is synonymous with St Andrews.
By the beginning of the racing season in March I had decided that I wanted to do everything in my power to grow and develop the Club during my four years at St Andrews – both to thank the people who had supported me at the very start of my St Andrews journey and to realise the potential of the Club and its members.
A remarkable journey …
It was a remarkable journey: during that time we won our first BUCS medals and BUCS points, broke multiple consecutive Club records on the Thames in London, qualified for Henley Royal and Henley Women’s Regattas for the first time in the 60 year history of the Club and sent our first athletes on to the Scotland Senior Team.
Off the water, a seven year Growth and Development Strategy created a viable vision and sustainable future for rowing at St Andrews, reformed the alumni and supporters’ organisation (Eden Boat Club), redrafted the Club Constitution and restructured the governance structure so there was continuity between Directors and Committees.
I had the privilege of leading the Club as President in third and fourth year and I founded and chaired Saints Regatta, which became the largest student run regatta in the UK. During my final year the Club was performing at a level alongside Team GB-funded programmes, with the Men’s 1st 8+ being the first Scottish crew to win a category at the Head of the River in London in several years. In addition, our Senior Women won the University shield at the British Rowing Championships; the Club won the Scottish Rowing Indoor Championships Victor Ludorum Trophy; BUCS Gold at Europe’s largest regatta and reached the quarterfinals at Henley Women’s Regatta and the finals for University Club of the Year for the third consecutive year. Jordan Stanley – the new Director of Rowing – led us to all these achievements.
… to the semi-finals of Henley Royal Regatta
The pinnacle of the season and of my time at St Andrews was, however, when our Senior Men reached the Semi-Finals of the world renowned Henley Royal Regatta in front of some 300,000 spectators and our inspirational Club Founder and Honorary Club Captain, the late John Browne (MSc 1966). This publicised the calibre of rowing that had been achieved at St Andrews and solidified the pride of and gratitude for dozens of generations of St Andrews rowers and supporters. You can watch it below.
Sport beyond university
When I graduated, I was genuinely privileged to be appointed as an Honorary Life Member of the University and awarded The Chancellor’s Award for Continued Outstanding Contribution to Sporting Excellence – both tremendous honours that are testament to the team I was lucky to lead.
Since leaving St Andrews, I have become involved in a number of charities and organisations that support and promote sport.
I have been appointed as Scottish Student Rowing Chair and welcomed to the Scottish Rowing Board of Directors to oversee all university rowing and business/communications decisions respectively in Scotland.
In my role as Finance & Fundraising Director of Eden Boat Club, my aim is to develop rowing at St Andrews so it reaches ever-greater heights and reaches a wider range of students.
I also sit on the Board of Trustees for the charity Here for Sport (founded by a fellow St Andrean) which seeks to break down barriers to and widen participation in sport.
As a Maths teacher on the Teach First Leadership Development Programme I also see the impact of sport on students who are members of the school’s Performance Football Academy or who take part in sport outside school: they develop characteristics such as determination, resilience, persistence and a humble self-confidence. These characteristics spill over into their everyday lives and give them stability and security.
Legacy of sport at St Andrews
The University of St Andrews is special when you are there and magical when you leave. My time at St Andrews represents the most formative part of my life so far and I will always be so grateful to the remarkable community of individuals who contributed to those memories and experiences.
While the future currently looks daunting, I know that rowing at St Andrews and being part of the Saints Sport community have given me (and countless others) vital skills and highly relevant experiences that will remain with us all for the rest of our lives.