Rowing is a sport of traditions. Winning programs have an expectation of success and usually they live up to those expectations. Once in a while however, a new program emerges and changes the landscape of the sport. At USRowing’s Youth National Championships last spring Sarasota Crew took home the men’s 8 title and finished 1st in the women’s 8 B final. Row2k caught up with Sarasota’s head coach Casey Galvanek to discover how they got to where they are today.

row2k: When did you first come to Sarasota and what brought you here?
Casey: I first moved to Sarasota in 2005 after meeting my ex-wife. I was surprised to find that Sarasota has a lot to offer other than just the great weather and beaches. Sarasota is the cultural hub of southwest Florida with its own ballet, orchestra and theater. The school system draws a lot of great families to the area, so I was excited to discover the possibilities that Sarasota held for me.

row2k: How large was the team when you first started and how he is it today?
Casey: When I first began at Sarasota Crew the team was consisted of 65 student-athletes. Today the team has a total of approximately 310 athletes. There are 34 Master Rowers and the remaining are annual members of our youth programs that include Middle School and High School athletes.

row2k: Do you believe the new rowing venue has been a major factor in your growth?
Casey: I don’t believe it’s a major factor, but a factor. Being in the newspaper definitely helps, but I believe it is our culture that is the greatest factor. There are three other clubs in the area and we are the largest.

row2k: Did you receive any pushback to your coaching philosophy/methods when you began?
Casey: Yes- I did mostly because my philosophy differed from the culture at the time. But I also found many supporters who were willing to take a chance and believe in my coaching methods and ideas.

I was hired as the Head Coach Jan 1, 2009, after Tom Tiffany took a teaching/coaching position near Boston. Prior to that time I was the Sculling and Technical Director for Sarasota Crew. Following after a very well-known coach had its challenges, but I believe these challenges and differences in philosophy helped me become a better coach and communicator.

I strongly believe that the focus of a team should not be on the medal or trophy count. I do, however, understand the values they afford. I believe that each athlete should strive to achieve their personal goals and be their personal best.

There were a few board members that were very supportive of me and the direction that I wanted to take Sarasota Crew. I was thankful for their support and for giving me the time to allow these changes to unfold. I asked for 3 years and it took 3 years to see what could happen if they allowed for the follow through of my “vision”.

Three years later the kids got the results they wanted, and I got the results I wanted. We won our first of three consecutive state championships and started showing up in the grand finals of the USRA Youth National Championships. For me, more and more kids were achieving or surpassing their stated goals.

row2k: There isn’t the same rowing tradition in your area compared to other parts of the country. What made you think you could win a national championship at Sarasota and how did you convince the kids they could get there?
Casey: Rowing is relatively new to this area, and the longtime tradition of rowing has not been established here as it has in other parts of the country. My hope is that this tradition begins with this generation of rowers. Winning a national championship, in any of the eight’s categories, was one of the furthest things in my mind when I first started in Sarasota. We had a “smallish” program and I simply wanted kids to have the opportunity to learn to row well. Only once the culture changed and we began seeing a larger number of participants interested in their own successes being measured on a national stage, did we start developing a strategy towards allowing for such direction. We trained well and hard. We simply needed a large enough group interested in racing at nationals. We built that excitement by allowing groups of smaller boats the opportunity of racing at nationals. They came home talking about what an incredible experience it was and the younger kids started getting excited about the possibility of competing on that level as well. Essentially, they convinced themselves, and the coaching staff and I were there to show them how to make it happen.

row2k: What has been the greatest challenge in getting the program to where it is today?
Casey: There were so many little challenges such as raising money, designing programming, increasing the number and quality of our boats, providing scholarships, water access, and the recruiting of athletes. Looking back at it, everything that was a challenge was met with the proper resources and the right community support. We found our home at the Bay Preserve and soon our program was growing. We made mole hills out of what seemed to be mountains. It came down to proper prioritization. We are also so fortunate to have great supportive coaches and families that give their time and resources to make us the best we can be.

row2k: After winning the junior men’s 8 at nationals last year, is it easier or more difficult to keep the rowers motivated?
Casey: Most teams would probably say it just added to their pre-existing legacy. We didn’t have a legacy yet to speak of. We had some smaller victories, but none on the level of a Youth 8+ at USRowing’s Youth National Championships. Some kids look at this year as a year to show what they are “made of”. Some of the younger kids and new families have no idea what it means to win at that level.

Our coaches communicate that deliberate hard work pays off. Getting that message to sink in is tougher than you think. The best thing about the motivation, is that winning nationals is a goal that exists within the kids. We are here to make certain that the kids meet/exceed their own established fitness and skill goals. The championship, the kids won, was a byproduct of Sarasota Crew meeting its mission.

row2k: What hasn’t your team accomplished/what are your future goals for the program?
Casey: Outreach, outreach, outreach!!! My goal is to make it so that no one with interest in the sport of rowing is left out. Increasing awareness and our scholarship fund coincides with that plan.