sentences:  Failing to make the school's senior cricket sides he took up rowing in 1967 some three years after the school had introduced the sport in 1964, coxing one of the school's boats to victories over more experienced crews from established rowing schools at several regattas.In 1968 he was captain of the school's rowing squad.Failing to matriculate at his first attempt at the NSW Higher School Certificate in 1967, Coates repeated Year 12 in 1968 with much sounder results.After leaving school he studied at the University of Sydney, and qualified as a solicitor.