Nine new fellows have begun a year of training in coaching excellence at Community Rowing, Inc.'s "Institute for Rowing Leadership," launching the Institute's second successful year of operation.
In mid-June, only days after the 2011-12 fellows of the new Institute graduated and went on to new positions in the growing rowing community, the nine began classes at the Community Rowing, Inc.'s award-winning Harry Parker Boathouse and on the Charles River in Brighton, joining hundreds other recreational and competitive rowers daily.
"With this exceptional class of new students, we are looking forward to another transformative year for coaching education," said Bruce Harold Smith, Executive Director of Community Rowing, Inc.
Matt Zatorski, Coordinator of the Institute for Rowing Leadership, said, "After a terrifically successful inaugural year and graduating our first class of fellows, we're delighted to build on that success and spread professionalism in the world of coaching by welcoming our new Class of 2013 fellows."
The Institute for Rowing Leadership is a graduate-level program featuring a year-long educational program to create dynamic coaches and leaders for one of the fastest-growing sports in the United States. The fellows studied and did research.
Graduates earn an Advanced Certificate in Rowing Leadership. Fellows spend 16-20 hours a week in the classroom learning from Boston-area professors, coaches and professionals, and 16-20 hours a week on the water, coaching and implementing lessons learned in the classroom.
The Class of 2013 Fellows at the "Institute of Rowing Leadership" are:
- Ken Gifford, born in Castro Valley, CA, a licensed USRowing referee and a certified Level 3 crew coach with a Bachelor of Science degree Magna Cum Laude from New Hampshire College. Gifford served in the U.S. Navy and worked in the defense industry before he became a coach. He served on the board of the Amoskeag Rowing Club, the Manchester Central Crew, the Alden Ocean Shell Association, the International Recreational and Open Water Rowing Association, the Massachusetts Public School Rowing Association, and the New Hampshire Inventors Association. He has coached adaptive, junior, master, high-school and collegiate rowers and is certified by Concept 2 and RowBics as an erg instructor. He coached and helped start the Westford Area Community Crew Club, the Westford Academy Crew Club, the University of Massachusetts at Lowell NCAA Division 2 crew, and the Merrimack College NCAA Division 2 crew.
- Karl Harshe, born in Jackson, MI, who coaches Learn-to-Row and Crew League at Community Rowing, Inc. and helped Winchester High School begin its rowing program in the spring of 2012. Harshe started his rowing career at Michigan State University, where he competed for five years as a lightweight rower and coxswain. He was President of the club for two years and is currently the president of the MSU Crew Alumni Foundation and editor of the newsletter. After graduating in 2010 with degrees in Physics and Statistics, he moved to Boston to train full time with the Riverside High Performance Group. Last fall, Harshe coached a Champ 2x at Head of the Charles, earning an invitation back for this year's race.
- Ching-Ting Hwang, who was born in Taiwan and who recently graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biological Sciences and a minor in Science, Technology, and Values. There, she began rowing freshman year as a walk-on and quickly learned to enjoy the sport, rowing for the Fighting Irish all four years. After rowing with the competitive Masters for two summers at St. Louis Rowing Club, Ching-Ting decided that her involvement in rowing needed to continue beyond her college career. Ching-Ting is an avid athlete who delights in long-distance running and cycling. She is training for her first marathon with the hopes of completing an Ironman triathlon in the near future
- Patrick Lapage, from Shrewsbury, United Kingdom, who graduated from Shrewsbury School in 2008 and went to Harvard University. He graduated from Harvard with a major in Government and a minor in History of Science. Lapage rowed on his high school's varsity for three years and was on the team at Harvard for all four years. He represented Great Britain at junior and U23 levels. Lapage is hoping to use the Institute as a step to a career in coaching at the collegiate level.
- Caitlin Mance, born and raised in South Easton, MA, grew up as a competitive swimmer. She started rowing in 2002 at Narragansett Boat Club in Providence, RI, and continued to row at Cornell University, where she was elected captain her senior year. After graduating from Cornell with a Bachelor of Science in Biology, she remained in Ithaca to serve as the graduate assistant for the varsity women's team. In 2009, Mance moved to Boston to complete her Masters in Energy and Environmental Analysis at Boston University, and she continued rowing at Riverside Boat Club. She has spent the past two years working as the Development Coordinator for the nonprofit Save the Harbor/Save the Bay and has looked forward to returning to coaching.
- Erin McConnell, who was born in Springfield, MA, and began rowing her freshman year at Simsbury High School in Simsbury, CT. In the summer of 2007, she participated in the US Women's Junior National Team Development Camp. A recent graduate of the University of Notre Dame, McConnell received her Bachelor's Degree in Pre-Med and Psychology. At Notre Dame, she rowed with the Varsity all four years and helped the team win four Big East Championships. During her senior year the team received its first NCAA Championship bid since 2007. Since her first season as a novice eight years ago, Erin has been very passionate about the sport of rowing, and she is looking forward to sharing her love of the sport with others.
- Veronika Platzer, who was born in Germany, is in her fourth year as the Head Women's Coach at UMass Lowell and currently oversees the Club Men's Team as well as the Middle School Rowing Program in Lowell. Before that, she served as the Assistant Coach at University of Michigan and also at institutions in Virginia and Wisconsin. At Virginia, she coached the Varsity 4 to an NCAA title. From 2006 to 2010, she served as a US Women's Junior National Team coach, having coached the Women's Pair, Coxless Four, Eight, Quad, and Double. Platzer represented the United States at World Cup races in the single, double, and quad in 1993 and 1998 and was named to World Championship Team in 1993 for the women's quad. She won three consecutive NCAA titles as a discus thrower and was inducted into the Grinnell College Athletic Hall of Fame and NCAA Track and Field Hall of Fame. Platzer was named "NCAA Female Track and Field Athlete of Decade (1980- 1990)".
- Kevin Cadieux, born in Hartford, CT, who joined the military at age 19. He was a proud member of the 82nd Airborne Division U.S. Army. After completing three years of active service he entered the construction field and was self-employed 2010, also completing his six-year Reserve status. He has been active with the Veterans Administration and through that organization and the Veterans Program at Community Rowing, Inc., joining activities at the Harry Parker Boathouse two years ago. As a volunteer, he supports the Adaptive and Military rowing programs.
- Brandon Walz, who was born in San Francisco, CA, grew up in Dayton, OH, and attended college at Ohio State University. He began rowing with the Greater Dayton Rowing Association before continuing his athletic career as a four-year rower at the Ohio State University. Walz began his coaching career in 2009, directing the summer junior programs for his high school club. After receiving his Bachelor of Science in Psychology in 2011, he returned to coach Ohio State as the men's rowing coach, where he worked with both varsity and novice rowers.
The Institute is coordinated by Zatorski, who also oversees the annual "What Works' Summit early in the year and runs Community Rowing, Inc.'s Corporate Leadership Training Program.
"We're getting the word out and getting people involved in our certificate program," Zatorski said, welcoming the new class. The Institute for Rowing Leadership is registered and seeking the highest level of accreditation with the National Council for Accreditation of Coaching Education, the leading U.S. association responsible for professional coaching standards.
Zatorski said that accreditation is actively being sought as the inaugural year ends and the second begins. The program is unique in the United States. If the Institute were to become partners with an existing institution of higher education, its program could yield fellows a Master's Degree.
BACKROUND
The Institute offers a full-time education program of about 40 hours a week, including 16-20 in class and 20-plus hours on the water, weather permitting. Some fellows get paid while coaching and completing a practicum. The program costs $24,000 for the year. Some of the fellows in the first and second years received scholarship assistance.
."For the past century, coaches have relied on anecdotal exchanges of information to learn their craft," said Executive Director Smith. "But with the rapid growth of rowing we need more and better professional coaches than ever before. The IRL Class of 2013, who will have a detailed knowledge of every aspect of the art of rowing by the end of their studies, are going to fill a critical leadership role as rowing continues to change lives in the United States."
To earn the Advanced Certificate in Rowing Leadership, each fellow must demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of Coaching Methods, Sports Science, Rowing Leadership, and performance in a Coaching Practicum, or hands-on experience, both on the water and with equipment designed for rowers' training.
A total of 68 credit hours of required courses and coaching assistance are taught in eight critical areas: Philosophy & Ethics, Safety & Injury Prevention, Physical Conditioning, Growth & Development, Teaching & Communication, Sports Skills & Tactics, Organization & Administration, and Evaluation.
The just-graduated fellows are now assuming positions in Boston, Philadelphia, Seattle, New Hampshire, and Virginia.
Zatorski was on the Varsity Men's Team at Notre Dame University and is head coach of the Varsity Boys Crew at Cambridge Rindge & Latin School in Cambridge, MA. At Community Rowing, Inc., he is responsible for the planning, curriculum design, implementation and administration of the Advanced Certificate in Rowing Leadership postgraduate program.