Loreto Toorak rowing coach James Rook facing serious allegations about his conduct

A former Olympic rower and coach of an elite school’s rowing team has been brought back to Melbourne to face serious allegations about his conduct.

A former Olympic rower and head school coach has been brought back to Melbourne from one of rowing’s most prestigious events to answer questions over serious allegations about his conduct.

James Rook, 25, the head coach and first XIII coach at Loreto Toorak, has returned from Perth amid an “extremely toxic” feud embroiling top rowers at several of the state’s wealthiest schools.

Loreto is taking part in the Australian Rowing Championships following the senior girls’ success in the Head of School Girls competition earlier this month.

Lifting the lid on the rowing war, the Herald Sun on Tuesday revealed allegations had circulated about Loreto senior rowers in a social media attack by rivals from Xavier College, including suggestions Mr Rook urinated off a balcony. It is understood urine may have hit a coach from St Catherine’s College.

Former Olympic rower James Rook is at the centre of serious misconduct allegations. Picture: Getty Images

The Herald Sun is not suggesting this, or any of the other allegations are true, only that they are being investigated by Loreto.

A statement from Loreto Toorak said: “The school has recently been made aware of reports regarding our rowing program; the school has taken these comments seriously and has commenced an investigation. Our head coach has returned to Melbourne to assist with this process.”

This is the second investigation to result from Herald Sun reporting on the rowing dispute, with Caulfield Grammar also probing the behaviour of its students. In a group chat, rowing students from the school sent Loreto Toorak rowers a suicide instructional video. Caulfield principal Ashleigh Martin described the message as “abhorrent”.

Mr Rook, who started at Loreto Toorak in October 2021, is a national representative rowing coxswain – who navigates and steers the boat.

James Rook has returned to Melbourne to face serious allegations about his conduct as coach of the rowing program. Source: Facebook

He most notably coxed the Australian women’s eight at the Tokyo Olympics in 2020, and medalled at the 2017, 2018 and 2019 World Rowing Championships.

Mr Rook went to school at Scotch College in Melbourne, where he first started rowing.

Mr Rook’s return to Melbourne follows the departure of Loreto Toorak’s head of rowing Sam Dutney late last year in the middle of the rowing season. Mr Rook was filling in until a replacement was found. Mr Dutney now heads rowing at Flinders Christian Community College.

Loreto Toorak head rowing coach James Rook. Source: Facebook

Mr Rook, well known as ‘Rookie’, was praised by Alan Crute in the Rowing Regatta Form Guides and Chat Facebook page as an “inspirational coach”.

Mr Rook features in a TikTok video posted by some Loreto Toorak rowers from 2022, showing him clowning around on a rowing camp. It’s called “Naughty rookie”.

Xavier College declined to comment on the group chat contents by its students.