Michael D Morgan OAM
This profile is under construction
Sydney Rowing Club (NSW)
Born: 19th December 1946
Michael Dennis Morgan OAM commenced his rowing at Newington College NSW winning a GPS Head of the River in 1963.
He rapidly went onto be a highly successful senior Australian oarsman taking a silver medal in the 1968 Mexico Olympic Games. Rowing was in his blood and after he completed his own rowing career in 1973, he immediately commenced a highly successful and long coaching career. No better demonstration of this change is that he raced at the 1968 and 1972 Olympic Games then coached the Australian eight at 1976 Games.
Why the transition to coaching? The 1972 Olympic tour was a great disappointment for Michael with the loss of their six man Ian McWhirter due to terminal cancer and the crew not improving with training. "My feeling at the end was that the more miles we rowed we just got better at our faults. I could not see my dream of an Olympic Gold medal being reached as an oarsman. I had always had strong opinions of the way we should row and train and thus felt it was time to put my money where my mouth was as they say. When John Turnbull the Rowing master at Newington in 1973 asked me if I would like to coach the Newington VIII, I jumped at the opportunity. ..... "The invitation to coach Newington also coincided with my still unfulfilled dream of success at the Olympic Games. If I couldn’t do it pulling an oar why not have a go as a coach. As usual my base to achieve Olympic selection was to be Sydney Rowing Club."
Coaching influencers? There are many which shows that Michael has the important skill of being a lifetime learner.
Alfred (Freddy) Bachmann. Freddy who? A Swiss rower who provided Michael with his theories on rowing after an international regatta at Lucerne in 1973 at which they both raced. In summary his explanation was of what can be achieved without seemingly applying effort.
- When the legs were in a compressed state they naturally spring out & hence the first part of the leg drive is for free. You do of course have to get the blade into the water in time with that reaction.
- If you accelerate the seat the last few cm into the front of the slide the boat will shoot ahead. At the same time the legs will automatically come on as in 1.
- At the back chocks the boat will jump forward again when the seat comes positively from the back chocks.
Michael applied this theory to his 1975 and 1976 crews with much success.
Paul Guest - Paul provided Michael with some of the wisdom of rowing born out of being a very experienced oarsman. “You are a long time retired” and “No matter how bad the row has been there must have been one good stroke. If you go home remembering that stroke when you come back for your next row you will have a positive point to start from instead of starting off on a bad note again.” In other words, work on the positives. Paul also invited him to join the Victorians in putting together an eight for the 1970 World Championships, which he did.
Rusty Robertson - "He was a great mentor of mine and taught me so much about rowing and coaching." One of the messages learnt from him was that if you could learn to row one perfect stroke and multiply that 240 times (the number of strokes in a 2000 meter race) you would do very well.
Lance Robinson - "Very early in this role as mentor he said don’t forget the “Ninth Man”. I soon realised that he was talking about the boat. The boat has to be given a chance to work. The simple fact is that in a 6-minute race the oars are out of the water for 4 minutes and that is when the “Ninth man” must be allowed to do his work."
Robert Buntine - The importance of clearance and the combination of rate and clearance to determine speed. Also, the importance of the easy oar every stroke exercise - enjoy watching the boat do the work.
Ernie Chapman - "A strict disciplinarian, high ideals and wouldn’t ask you to do anything he hadn’t done himself. He was straightforward, decent, honest, understated and unique. He expected dedication and hard work to achieve the purpose of winning the race, two attributes that are always important. Furthermore, he listened to the rowers."
Tom Chessell - "Tom was a meticulous planner, and having been a coxswain, could get in the boat to see how it felt."
Stewart Derwin - "Stewart was the perfect coach for a young boy straight out of school. He very quickly had me dreaming of Olympic endeavours. He taught me how to enjoy rowing, although as an 18-year-old boy, maybe too much at times."
Phil Cayzer - "He had a very good eye for technique. His major strength was probably his ability to recruit oarsmen. Phil was a good salesman and hard to refuse at times."
David Boykett - "If David wanted something he didn’t sit about. After the Tokyo Olympics he wanted an Italian Donaratico VIII for Mercantile Rowing Club so he bought one. The same in 1970 he wanted a German Karlisch for us to race in so he went and bought one. The details of raising the money could be worked out later."
Alan Callaway - "He was also a very good planner and a meticulous person. Although Sports medicine was in its infancy in 60’s & 70’s Alan was a keen student of its practical application."
Lance Robinson - "Lance had been a successful stroke of many eights and knew what it took to move the boat. He also had a very good eye."
The Sydney Rowing Club website records his great service to his club. Michael’s relationship with Sydney Rowing club began in 1964, when he first joined the club as a member of the successful junior eight (then the Club’s second eight). He competed for the Club during his Olympic representation, and was the Club Captain from 1971-1972. He was then appointed an honorary coach from 1974-1977, and was employed by the club as the first professional coach of Sydney Rowing Club. From from 1978 to 1981 during this time he set the record for the most National Championships as a coach in a single year.
Since then, he has coached numerous schoolboy, state and national teams. Michael was elected as the Vice-President of Sydney Rowing Club in 2007. Michael’s continued involvement with the Club has been recognised with the award of an Honorary Life Membership in 1972 and the Order of Merit Blazer in 2007.
1968 Olympic Eight with a young Michael Morgan in the seven seat
Despite such a memorable rowing and senior coaching career, Michael will forever be remembered as one of Australia’s best schoolboy coaches, winning 10 Head of the River first eight titles and 25 years of coaching at Newington College. It is a remarkable feat.
A 2005 Newington College newsletter records: "He served as Senior/Head Coach of Rowing at Newington from 1974 to 2000. Under his tutelage, the 1st VIII took first place at the GPS Regatta on ten occasions, along with second place another ten times and third place twice. His crews won seven National Schoolboy titles, while five of his crew members have subsequently become Olympic medallists. Michael served as a member of College Council from 2007 to 2015." The school's rowing centre is named in his honour.
Rowing record
1963 – GPS Head of the River, Newington College first crew, bow - First
1964 – GPS Head of the River, Newington College first crew, five seat – Second
1965 - NSW Championships Men's Junior Eight seven seat - First
1966 - NSW Championship Men's Four, three seat - First
1967 – Trans Tasman Series, Men’s Coxed Four, three seat – Second in all regattas
1967 - North American Championships, Men's Eight, seven seat - Second
1968 - NSW Championship, Men's Coxed Four, three seat - First
1968 - NSW Championship, Men's Eight, seven seat -First
1968 – Interstate Championships, Men’s Eight, seven seat - First
1968 – Olympic Games, Men’s Eight, seven seat – Silver
1969 – NSW Champion Eight, seven seat - First
1969 – Interstate Championships, Men’s Eight, seven seat - Second
1970 – NSW Champion Eight, seven seat - First
1970 – NSW Champion Four, three seat - First
1970 – NSW Champion Pair, bow - Second
1970 – Interstate Championships, Men’s Eight, seven seat - Fourth
1970 – National Championship Men’s Coxless Four, three seat – Fourth
1970 – World Championships, Men’s Eight, four seat – Fifth
1971 – Interstate Championships, Men’s Eight, bow - Third
1971-72 - Sydney Rowing Club Captain
1972 – Victorian Championships, Men’s Eight, seven seat - First
1972 – Interstate Championships, Men’s Eight, seven seat - First
1972 – Olympic Games, Men’s Eight, seven seat – Eighth
1972 - Life membership of Sydney Rowing Club
1973 – Victorian Championships, Men’s coxed four, three seat – First
1973 – Interstate Championships, Men’s Eight, seven seat - Fourth
1974-81 - Sydney Rowing Club coach
1974 - GPS Head of the River, Newington 1st crew, coach –Third
1974 – National Champion Schoolboy four, coach - First
1975 - GPS Head of the River, Newington 1st crew, coach – Fifth
1975 – National Championships, Men’s Under 19 Four, coach - First
1975 – National Championships, Men’s Coxless Four, coach - Third
1975 – National Championships, Men’s Coxed Four, coach – Second
1976 – Victorian Championships, Men’s coxed four, coach – First
1976 – GPS Head of the River, Newington 1st crew, coach – First
1976 – NSW Champion Eight, coach - First
1976 – National Championships, Men’s quad scull, coach – First
1976 – National Championships, Men’s coxless pair, coach – Third
1976 – National Championships, Men’s coxed pair, coach – First
1976 – National Championships, Schoolboy eight, co-coach – First
1976 – National Championships, Men’s coxed four, coach – First
1976 – Interstate Championships, Men’s Eight, coach - First
1976 – Olympic Games, Men’s Eight, coach – Fifth
1977 – GPS Head of the River, Newington 1st crew, coach – First
1977 – National Championships, Schoolboy eight, co-coach – First
1978 – National Championship Men’s coxless pair, coach – First
1978 – National Championship Men’s coxed pair, coach – First
1978 – National Championship Men’s coxless four, coach – First
1978 – National Championship Men’s coxed four, coach – First
1978 – Interstate Championships, Men’s Eight, coach - First
1978 – World Championships, Men’s Eight, coach – Fourth
1978 – World Championships, Men’s coxed pair (reserves for eight), coach – Ninth
1980 – GPS Head of the River, Newington 1st crew, coach – Second
1980 – Interstate Championships, Men’s Eight, coach - Second
1981 – GPS Head of the River, Newington 1st crew, coach – Second
1981 – National Championships, Schoolboy eight, co-coach – First
1981 - National Championships, Men's Coxed Four, coach - First
1981 – Interstate Championships, Men’s Eight, coach – Fourth
1981 – World Championships, Men’s Coxed Four, coach - Sixth
1982 - GPS Head of the River, Newington 1st crew, coach – Seventh
1982 – Interstate Championships, Men’s Eight, coach - Fourth
1983 - GPS Head of the River, Newington 1st crew, coach – Sixth
1983 – National Championships Men’s Scull, coach - First
1984 - GPS Head of the River, Newington 1st crew, coach –Third
1985 - GPS Head of the River, Newington 1st crew, coach – Second
1986 - GPS Head of the River, Newington 1st crew, coach –Second
1987 - GPS Head of the River, Newington 1st crew, coach – First
1988 - GPS Head of the River, Newington 1st crew, coach - Second
1989 - GPS Head of the River, Newington 1st crew, coach – First
1990 - GPS Head of the River, Newington 1st crew, coach – First
1990 – National Championships, Schoolboy eight, coach – First
1990 - Trans Tasman Juniors, Men's Eight, coach - Second
1991 - GPS Head of the River, Newington 1st crew, coach – First
1991 – National Championships, Schoolboy eight, coach – First
1991 – National Championship Men’s Pair, co-coach – Fifth
1991 – National Championship Men’s Four, co-coach – Second
1991 – National Championship Men’s coxed Four, co-coach – Third
1991 – Interstate Championships, Men’s Eight, co-coach - Second
1991 - Trans Tasman Juniors, Men's Eight, coach - First
1992 - GPS Head of the River, Newington 1st crew, coach – First
1992 – National Championships, Schoolboy eight, coach – First
1992 – Trans Tasman Juniors, Men’s Eight, coach
1992 – Interstate Championships, Men’s Eight, coach - Fifth
1993 - GPS Head of the River, Newington 1st crew, coach – Second
1994 - GPS Head of the River, Newington 1st crew, coach – First
1994 – National Championship Men’s Junior Eight, coach - Second
1995 - GPS Head of the River, Newington 1st crew, coach – Second
1996 - GPS Head of the River, Newington 1st crew, coach – Second
1997 - GPS Head of the River, Newington 1st crew, coach – First
1998 - GPS Head of the River, Newington 1st crew, coach – First
1998 - National Championships, Schoolboy Eight, coach - First
1999 - GPS Head of the River, Newington 1st crew, coach – Third
2000 - GPS Head of the River, Newington 1st crew, coach – Fourth
2002 - GPS Head of the River, St Joseph's 1st crew, coach - Third
2003 - GPS Head of the River, St Joseph's 1st crew, coach - Fifth
2004 - GPS Head of the River, St Joseph's 1st crew, coach - Second
2005 - GPS Head of the River, St Joseph's 1st crew, co-coach - Second
2005 - National Championship Schoolboy Eight, co-coach - First
2006 - GPS Head of the River, St Joseph's 1st crew, co-coach - Second
2007 - Vice-President Sydney Rowing Club
2007 - Order of Merit blazer Sydney Rowing Club
Andrew Guerin
December 2021
Sources:
- Sydney Rows by A L May, published 1970 by Sydney Rowing Club
- Regatta programs and results
- Sydney Rowing Club website https://www.sydneyrowingclub.com.au/rowing/member-bios/michael-morgan/- extracted 28th December 2021
- Newington College newsletter: https://newsletter.newington.nsw.edu.au/alumni/files/2015/10/Michael-Morgan-Rowing-Centre.pdf
- Interview with Michael Morgan - December 2021 and some written reflections from him on coaching.