WHEN Taree boy Owen Nix was made redundant from his previous position at an accountancy firm, he had no real idea what his next form of employment would be.
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"I had a couple of months off and was enjoying myself,'' the 35-year-old, who left home to move to Sydney soon after completing his HSC, admitted.
However, he's been associated with rowing since he was five in one capacity or another. His dad, Graham, has an extensive CV in the sport and still competes successfully in masters events.
"I was at a regatta and got talking to a few people from Rowing NSW I knew,'' Owen added.
Rowing NSW had a position open for a regatta operations manager.
"They'd advertised it but it hadn't been filled,'' Owen said.
"So they said to come and and have a chat. Things just went from there.''
Owen took on his new role last April. It's a lot different that his previous career but he says he's enjoying the change. He'd previously spent hours of his voluntarily working for the sport. Now he's getting paid to do so.
"It's a bit surreal,'' he admits.
Owen's job is to complete the draws for all regattas from Port Macquarie to Nowra. He also has to liaise with the Maritime Services Board regarding aquatic licences for events as well as other administrative duties.
He was back home for the annual Taree Summer Regatta last month. Here he branched out, providing a couple of previews of the event for the Times.
The rowing season, he explains, never really ends.
"We start the winter series down here in June and that runs until August,'' he said.
"Long course events get underway in September. There's always something going on.''
Olympic trials started at Penrith recently. However, his new role won't open the way for Owen to be joining the team in Rio come August.
"No, I'm not that far up,'' he laughed.
At this stage he has no real desire to try and climb the rowing administrative ladder. He's perfectly content with his current position.
Owen started rowing as a cox for his dad's crews when he was five and the sport has been a passion since then.
"I don't know how good I was, but at least we didn't run into anything,'' he said.
Injuries in the last couple of years have curtailed his participation.
"I'd like to get back into it,'' he said.
"But this job keeps me busy. Ill see what happens.''
