USRowing published the High Performance Plan for the 2025 Olympic quadrennial today; you can see the full document embedded at the bottom of this article, or can download here.
Largely created by USRowing High Performance Director Josy Verdonkschot, the current document is similar to previous outlines of the quadrennial plan, with updates for real numbers for USOPC grants and other similar elements. It also includes increased stipend amounts, plans for training center locations, staffing outlines, Pathways programs improvements, Para rowing strategies, and unambiguously ambitious budgeting goals.
We spoke to Verdonkschot this week about several aspects of the plan and document.
Athlete Stipends
The document clearly outlines increases in athlete stipends for the quadrennial, which were based on cost of living estimates created using the MIT Cost of Living calculator. Verdonkschot said that the top stipends were set to be equal to the cost of living including housing, assuming affordable housing solutions can be created by USRowing.
Verdonkschot emphasized that the higher stipends will require full commitment to the recommended training load.
"We upgraded stipends for the athletes, but we also upgraded the criteria," he said. "People will need to be training."
Verdonkschot said he recognizes that the training program needs to be flexible in some situations, such as when an athlete has a fulltime job, but that there will be times when these alterations are not possible, such as when the entire team is gathering for training camps, selection, and final race preparation.
"If you train on your own and have a job, I understand that you might adapt the training plan, but we have to make sure that we are all on the same page," he said. Verdonkschot shares a monthly training plan that defines training zones and workouts with what he calls "the Olympic training pool," and also via a Slack channel that allows participants to get feedback and clarification. "Everybody has access to the training programs that we follow."
Starting the New Quadrennial - Small Boat Emphasis
Verdonkschot said that the emphasis early in the 2028 quadrennial will be on small boats.
"In 2022, our best pairs were Best and Grady on the men's side, and Wanamaker and Collins on the women's side, and we made sure they were in the pair - then a year later they were part of the four. You build it from small boats, and then you establish your priority boats."
Possible Event and Quota Changes
The document does not mention event and quota issues, but Verdonkschot shared some thoughts on possible scenarios.
"It all depends on the quadrennial Congress in March, and there might be decisions like compulsory doubling up, or even mixed events; we are not sure until then. I predict that there will be at least one mixed boat class for World Championships from now on, and that can offer opportunities."
Verdonkschot also expressed curiosity about quotas for LA2028; he outlined a few different scenarios, including requiring doubling up in the eights, which could dramatically change the type of athletes rowing in the eights. Verdonkschot said he doesn't mind the prospect of doubling up; "it could make the events more entertaining."
West Coast Training Center
The document describes the need for a training center on the west coast, which appears most likely to be in Chula Vista. Verdonkschot said that USRowing is currently investigating taking over operations of the boathouse at the site, adding that, each time the team uses the facility, they are already performing (and paying for) many of the tasks involved in running a boathouse, including course and launch maintenance and other roles that require rowing-specific skill and expertise. "It will be more cost efficient for them and for us." He said that this should not interfere with the use of the facility by college teams, with the possible exception of the 2028 Olympic year.
High Performance Clubs
"We will focus on the training centers plus the high performance clubs, and they will continue to play an important role," he said. "50% of the time we are in camps together, but for the other 50% of the time athletes can train at their club. And that is where high performance clubs like CRC, GRP, ARION and NYAC come in."
Staffing and Hiring
The staffing outline in the document includes Casey Galvanek and Jesse Foglia as the men's and women's coaches, respectively, and shows new positions for a sculling coach and an Embedded Scientist. Verdonkschot said that two 'high level' international applicants for the sculling position were interviewed recently, and the position would be finalized in the next couple weeks, while the scientist role would be filled in the next couple months. The coastal position would probably not be filled until September.
The day before we spoke, two ads for roles described in the document posted to the row2k classifieds. Verdonkschot outlined the purpose of the new 'Embedded Scientist' role.
"We need someone to push forward the use of technology without having our coaches need to do everything themselves," he said, "and to bring structure that we can also apply to under-19s and under 23."
Pathways Efforts
The plan outlines the expansion of the Pathways program, including the establishment of training centers. Verdonkschot outlined the value of having a dedicated site with equipment, boathouse management, and coaching in place for U23 and U19 camps and selection, as well as a place for athletes who are not quite at the elite senior level to train and develop. Sites under consideration include Oklahoma City and Charlotte NC, as well as other locations.
"If we are able to have high level training centers, then we need to increase the entry level of the people training there," he said. "We can't have 40 women training in Princeton, that doesn't work anymore. I need to offer higher quality to fewer people. TBut if you are being more exclusive at the training centers you need to find alternatives for athletes who are not ready yet. That is why we need to improve our cooperation with the clubs.
"But if we want to be efficient, we should also have a training center where we focus our Pathways activities, where we have boats instead of bringing everything, and to organize our camps all together. We can bring our under 19 and under-23 there, but it is also a place where upcoming talents could train year-round.
"Then if I have equipment there, it is used all year round instead of just for the camps. So you need a coach and equipment, and you can use the location also for winter camps, and for other people who want to come there and train. Instead of having a fleet that is hardly used waiting at one spot until the under-19s or under-23s go there, we would use that location all year round. To do that, we need critical mass, and to do that, we need to make it attractive for people in the pipeline who are not in school.
"So a Pathways talent center would be a place for people in the pipeline that are not yet there, and don't have a convenient spot with one of the high performance clubs."
Para Projections
The document states that expanded participation in fixed seat events might come from outside of rowing.
'As you can see in the document, I am pretty defensive about predictions for Para rowing," he said. "If you look at fixed seat, PR1 and PR2, there is no real pathway," Verdonkschot said.
""This is not so much about long term development. It is finding the right people and teach them how to row. You will find out quick enough if that person can row at the Paralympics or not."
Here, Verdonkschot mentioned several Para rowers from other countries who had developed in a very short period of time.
"So it is about scouting, and you have to look elsewhere," he said. "So this is why I emphasize the military and cross-over athletes, because right now there is not a pipeline."
Budget
Readers will notice that the projected budget shortfall is significant, totaling $17M for the quadrennial.
As a point of comparison, Verdonkschot cited the recently announced GB budget for LA2028 of $24M GBP (equivalent to $29.3M USD) for the Olympic teams and $3.7M GBP ($4.5M USD) for the Para teams. Rowing NZ has budgeted $6M NZD ($3.36M) per year for rowing, while the Netherlands have budgeted 2.95M Euros ($3.03M USD).
Verdonkschot added that, using the example of Caversham in GB and the Bosbaan course in the Netherlands, the grounds and operations of the training facilities are not funded by the NGB, but are instead maintained by local and national governmental agencies. These and other numbers are not captured in their NGB budget, so the actual difference is even bigger. "For every camp you do in Sarasota, you pay $150 per night per person," he said. "If you bring 40 or 50 people there for three weeks, do the math, it is a lot of money. But if we don't need to do that, it becomes much cheaper."
Verdonkschot also referenced the post-Tokyo "Reimagining USRowing" report by the USRowing High Performance Council, which recommended a budget of $15M per year (not per quadrennial) for LA 2028.
"I am at 25% of that recommendation," he noted. "But the biggest difference is their suggested investment in Pathways, which in all honesty makes sense, but would require a much bigger fundraising effort."
Verdonkschot believes that obtaining the funding is possible.
"It is not out of the ballpark," he said. "We have the economic power, so we should not be afraid to set this target. What we want to do is to execute a program we believe in, and not say 'Well athletes, the USOPC only gave us this amount, so that is what we can do.' Instead we calculate what it costs to live in New Jersey, California, or in Sarasota. Then we calculate how many days we train together at $150/day per athlete, the costs of coaches and staff, operations of the training centers, competition overseas, and we do the math. Then it is understandable for everyone, that this is what it costs. If you're not willing to pay that, then keep on dreaming.
"And I'm not afraid to put my head on the block; if we do it the way we should do it, then I am accountable. We need to commit, and the athletes need to commit, and if USRowing can commit, then this is what you can expect.
"If we won't reach the fundraising targets, but I will still execute this plan," he said. "If that happens, maybe we have to be creative, or have fewer athletes, but what we need to do. Period."
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