Coach JACKIE

I was an all-sport athlete in high school who played everything I could all the time. My high school didn’t have rowing though, so I didn’t pick up an oar until I was a freshman in college at the University of New Hampshire. I was targeted by the student recruiters because I am over six feet tall, and I’m so glad they convinced me to come out!

I fell in love with rowing for many reasons and I consider myself lucky to still be involved with the sport as a coach. The two big things that kept me returning to rowing year after year were the sense of family the sport created for me and everything it has taught me. I have not only learned who I am because of rowing, but I have also become a better version of myself. This is what gives me my passion and fire for coaching: I want to pass on what rowing gave me to others.

I started coaching while I was in college, and was one of the founding coaches of the Great Miami Rowing Center (GMRC) in Hamilton, OH. I led that program to their first ever national appearance in my first year as the head coach. I moved on to direct the youth program at the Indianapolis Rowing Center from 2010-2014 where we made youth national appearances every year under my leadership. Following IRC, I took a position at Smith College coaching while earning my masters degree in Exercise and Sport Studies. Following Smith, I was the Head Coach of Row New York Manhattan where I led that team to their first ever youth national attendance on both the men’s and women’s squads. I am currently the assistant coach at the United States Merchant Marine Academy, where we recently secured the Dad Vail National Championship in the Men’s Pair (2022).