Boat Club News

Times they are changing. With the introduction of Quad Sculling into the Head of the Lake 2021, Ballarat High School had to purchase two new Quad Sculls. This has bought some new challenges into the boat shed, learning skills not often used in this shed. Selecting names for two new boats gave us the opportunity to recognise two committed and devoted families who have supported the Ballarat High School rowing program for many years, the Hawkes and Lukich families.

In 2009, during the longest drought Ballarat has seen in many years, the Hawkes and Lukich families started their time in the Ballarat High School rowing program, with Sarah Hawkes and James Lukich starting their rowing journeys. Lisa Lukich (mother), Genevieve Hawkes (mother) and Russell Hawkes (father) joined the parent committee to help with rowing camps and fundraising efforts. Russell became Boat Club President from 2011 to 2014 and Lisa still to this day remains on the committee with her latest role as Boat Club President. 

Across the years of the drought there were many many trips and camps to the Barwon River and Nagambie in search of water. Many functions to organise, raffle tickets to sell and many BBQs cooked. Both families have been involved in tens of thousands of dollars raised for the Boat Club across their time. The kids Sarah, Patrick and Brendan Hawkes, and  James, Geordie and Ella Lukich, have all done volunteer coaching in the program and have racked up over 21 seasons of coaching across 28 crews. Patrick Hawkes is now the current open boys division 1 coach for the school.

In 2014 both families were able to experience the ultimate success with both Patrick Hawkes and Geordie Lukich winning the Head of the Lake in the record time of 6:39.98.

Congratulations and well deserved to the Hawkes and Lukich Family!

Rob Simmonds 

Rowing Co-ordinator