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Interviewer: What made you take up rowing and when?
Wally: 1946. I wasn't very good at cricket.
Interviewer: Why did you become a coach and when?
Wally: When I became too old to row! No, 1947. I coached the younger members of my club.
Interviewer: What's the funniest rowing story you've ever heard?
Wally: Hmmm… Err… Does it have to be a story?
Interviewer: No. Anything funny.
Wally: Well, a coach I knew cycled off the bank into the river. How about that?
Interviewer: Has anything embarrassing ever happening to you whilst on the river.
Wally: I can't remember. No, of course not.
Interviewer: Do you have a rowing icon?
Wally: The big brute in the 1947 Oxford crew.
Interviewer: What would your ideal position in the boat be?
Wally: Coxing, obviously.
Interviewer: Do you read "Regatta"?
Wally: Hmmm, can I be honest? I look at the pictures.
Interviewer: When will you give up coaching?
Wally: Next year I suppose… or maybe when I can't stand the cold anymore.
Interviewer: What would you like the boat club mascot to be?
Wally: A green dragon… because its a powerful beast.
Interviewer: What status do you think rowing has in this college?
Wally: It's low profile… oh dear, dear, dear me… it's the sport for the future, really it is. It has all these benefits, you can row at university, but what about all these netballers and people? They're never going to play again after college.
Interviewer: When did you start coaching at college?
Wally: 1997
Interviewer: How has rowing changed since you began coaching at college?
Wally: It hasn't. No… we have all these fancy new machines… the "Ergo Concept" has arrived!
Interviewer: What's your claim to fame?
Wally: Coxing the winning (Oxford) crew for the 100th Boat Race.
Interviewer: What's your day job?
Wally: Head of geography at Shrewsbury 1968-78
Headmaster 1978-96
Interviewer: If you had all the power in the world what changes would you make to the boat club?
Wally: What about all the money?
Interviewer: You can have all that too.
Wally: (rubbing hands together) I'd buy lots of tub pairs or sculls to teach you to row properly. I'd get a decent boathouse of our own. And I'd give you at least three outings a week, with training every day to get you to win.
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