Thiemke Takes Part In CRI Institute for Rowing Leadership
Release Courtesy of Rowing News Magazine
Brighton, Mass. – Clark men's and women's rowing head coach Erick Thiemke is one of seven members of the rowing coaching community selected to participate in the graduate-level Institute for Rowing Leadership sponsored by Community Rowing, Incorporated it has announced by CRI Executive Director Bruce Smith.
Classes for the inaugural group of seven students, featuring a year-long educational program to create dynamic coaches and leaders for one of the fastest-growing sports in the United States, begin this week.
As colleges and universities in the Boston area close the books on their classes for this academic year, the fellows at the Institute for Rowing Leadership at Community Rowing, Inc. – IRL@CRI – enter the classroom at the Harry Parker Boathouse in Brighton and head out to the water on the Charles River.
CRI's Institute for Rowing Leadership, which was established at the fast-growing nonprofit organization early in 2010, has attracted candidates from seven states. The Boston-Cambridge area's vibrant rowing scene makes Community Rowing, Inc. an excellent location for this first-of-its-kind innovative coaching education program.
"We are delighted to make Brighton the home for this innovative program - to serve the overwhelming demand for quality coaching in the U.S.," said Smith. "This is a major leap for programs at CRI and a huge boost for the sport of rowing."
The new Institute is the latest addition to a large roster of programs at 26-year-old Community Rowing, Inc. designed to bring the fun and fitness of rowing to young and old.
Students will 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.
Graduates of the IRL will be well prepared to take on leadership roles at all levels of the sport, and several internships will be available to graduates of the program. Three of the Fellows will be selected for internships with the Division 1 Boston College Women's Collegiate Rowing Program; positions with USRowing's U23 National Team will also be available upon graduation to selected IRL Fellows.
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.
Fellows' individual portfolios at the end of the program will be reviewed by members of the Institute and upon completion of the work.
A total of 68 credit hours of required courses and coaching assistance will be taught in eight critical areas: Philosophy & Ethics, Safety & Injury Prevention, Physical Conditioning, Growth & Development, Teaching & Communication, Sports Skills & Tactics, Organization & Administration, and Evaluation.
The rigorous curriculum has attracted a dedicated group of coaches, a fact not lost on IRL fellow Erick Theimke. "I'm really looking forward to spending time with like-minded coaches who are passionate about rowing and want to succeed at a high level," he said.
The inaugural-year fellows, for 2011-12, are:
Brenda Balenger – Founder of Lake Sunapee Rowing Club, Coach at the Derryfield School
Ashley Edwards – From Virginia, Former Coxswain at University of California Sacramento; Head Coach for Old Dominion University Men's Rowing
Katie Lane – Class of 2011 of University of Vermont; Coxswain of UVM Men's Crew Team
Patrick Larcom – From New Jersey, Master's Degree in Engineering, three years' coaching experience
Brendan Mulvey – Freshman/Novice Head Coach of Boston College Men's Crew
Katie O'Driscoll – Hingham Novice Girls Head Coach, Rowed four years at Ithaca University;
Erick Thiemke – Head Coach Men's and Women's at Clark University.
The Institute for Rowing Leadership's staff includes:
Andrew Taylor, Ph.D. – Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School
Christopher Hickey, M.A. – Founder of Institute for Sport Coaching; Executive Director of National Council for Accreditation of Coaching Education
Brent Bode, M.S. – Head Novice Girl's Coach at Community Rowing, Inc.
Michael Lagomarsine, M.S., CSCS, USAW – Head of Strength and Conditioning at Boston University's Athletic Enhancement Center
Adam Naylor, Ed.D., AASP-CC – Director of Sport Psychology and Coach at Boston University's Athletic Enhancement Center
Matt Zatorski, M.A. – Coordinator for the Institute for Rowing Leadership; Head Coach of Cambridge Rindge & Latin School Boys Crew
Ethan Curren, M.A. – Director of Coaching Education at Community Rowing, Inc.
