Elite Melb school rowing coach’s abrupt departure

A leading private school rowing coach and Victorian sporting figure has abruptly resigned from his position, the Herald Sun can reveal.

Richard Bartlett. Source: LinkedIn

A leading private school rowing coach and Victorian sporting figure has abruptly resigned from his position, the Herald Sun can reveal.

Richard Bartlett, known as Dick, had been the head of rowing at Carey Grammar since October 2022, and before that spent more than ten years as the director of rowing at Brighton Grammar.

He was previously the director of Rowing Victoria.

Carey Grammar’s head of sport sent an email to the rowing parents on Monday night advising them of the resignation of Mr Bartlett.

“Dick had the opportunity to share this with the Carey Rowing Coaching staff on the weekend, immediately following the Carrum Regatta,” the email said.

Carey Baptist Grammar in Kew, Melbourne. Picture: David Crosling

Those who had any “questions or concerns about these arrangements or the program” were invited to contact principal Jonathan Walter via email.

No reason was given for Mr Bartlett’s departure, although he has been on unexplained personal leave in recent weeks.

Mr Bartlett’s LinkedIn profile says he was “lucky enough to be involved in coaching/administration/development of sport and specifically rowing for 25+years”.

“A variety of roles at school, club and state level has given me plenty of opportunity to learn. More is not better,” Mr Bartlett’s profile states.

“Less is not the answer. Decisions must be made in time and place to suit where you have been, where you are now and where you are heading.”

Mr Bartlett is still registered as a teacher with the Victorian Institute of Teaching and has been since 2002.