​This weekend is going to be exciting and busy for most of the Sammamish Rowing community. On Saturday we have a regatta for our Novice Masters at Green Lake and Sunday will be the highly anticipated 39th annual Head of the Lake Regatta hosted by the Lake Washington Rowing Club and the University of Washington. We wish all of our rowers the best of luck in their races this weekend as well as some of our alumni who are partaking in an exciting endeavor of their own.
 
SRA and University of Washington alumni Sam Goertz and Madison Mariani are having the grand opening of their new business - Crew Cup Coffee Rowsters. Goertz and Mariani will be serving their delicious brew at the Conibear Shellhouse from 4:45 am - 3:00 pm. If their coffee is as anything like their rowing then it is definitely a beverage you’ll want to try out.
 
Mariani told us a bit about her and Goertz’s new business. Mariani said, “Crew Cup Coffee Rowster’s is two ambitious rowers providing what everyone needs at 5:30 AM, a delicious cup of coffee at a price that doesn’t break the bank. We created this company because we love making, roasting, and sharing our coffee. We have always known we wanted to get into the coffee industry, and we felt that starting in a community we already know would be perfect.”
 
They have big goals for the future and hope to be a regular presence at all regattas in the Pacific Northwest and possibly expand further to national regattas down the road. Goertz is confident that coffee lovers will fall for Crew Cup Coffee Rowsters at first taste. He said, “Coffee lovers will love our coffee because we take great pride in the espresso we pull every day. We achieve the best flavors by sourcing raw coffee beans from around the world by targeting the local growth from around the coffee plantations. This delivers the most precise flavor to the coffee that we are looking for. The forefront taste of chocolate, notes of hazel nut, and a bright finish of caramel. We roast our beans strategically to bring these flavors to life, and tailor the grind of the bean to pull exquisite creamy espresso.”
 
Their catchy name directly ties to the sport that inspired them to become entrepreneurs in the first place. Mariani and Goertz credit their time at Sammamish Rowing Association for teaching them entrepreneurial lessons of teamwork, communication, and stubbornness. They also admitted that rowing gave them an incredible network of individuals who mentored them throughout their entrepreneurial career. Above all, Mariani added, “rowing and SRA taught us to push the limit on everything we do and to dream big. Because when you believe in something so much, anything can happen.”
 
Sammamish Rowing is incredibly proud of Madison and Sam and wishes them the best as they start their new endeavor. We encourage our community to seek out their coffee at the Head of the Lake, and hope to see them serving coffee at the SRA boathouse in the near future. When closing out our interview, Mariani finished by answering our question about what her favorite memory at SRA was. She replied, “There are so many! An easy one is all the life-long friendships and relationships we have built at SRA.”
 
The lessons, skills, and values of rowing extend far beyond the surface of a body of water. For Mariani and Goertz- rowing has given them the confidence to launch their own business. Whether it’s teaching rowing technique or business acumen, Sammamish Rowing has a little something for everyone to learn. 

What an incredibly exciting weekend for SRA. Our rowing community sent a small army of athletes to the Head of the Charles Regatta this past weekend and it was one to remember. With challenging competitors, penalty overturns, and tough racing conditions- our rowers battled through it all to earn top spots among some of the best athletes in the world. 

As Tom Woodman said in an email this past week, "it is the depth of rowers and how they all support the team that makes our group so successful at all levels, especially at big regattas like HOCR." Woodman went on to say that the head of the Charles is the most competitive regatta in the world for masters rowers. He had a special shoutout for the coxswains as he believed SRA sent the best group it ever has.

Our rowers overcame struggles both on and off the water. The Men's 4+ 40+ boat handled a boat collision mid course that was not their fault. They were given a minute penalty, but showed great determination and teamwork with Scott leading an appeal. Using Lia's GPS information, they achieved what Woodman thought was the first successful overturning of a penalty that he has ever heard of.

The Women's 8+ came together for this event and really showed us all that SRA is one big team. Women from different masters programs throughout the club did an incredible job of working out when to do extra practices and how to make the two team cultures mesh nicely together. Their hard work paid off in the end after placing top fourth of the boats in event 7.

Our Women’s 8+ 50+ placed 11th, our Men’s 4+ 50+ made the top ten with a 9th place finish, our Men’s 4+ 40+ also wedged into a top ten finished by placing 7th, our Men’s 8+ 50+ finished top five with a solid 5th place, and our incredible Women’s 4+ 50+ took home 2nd Place! Just incredible... our Men’s 8+ 50+ is believed to have been the first ever medal that an SRA 8+ has ever gotten in a Masters Event and the Women’s 4+ 50+ tied for the highest placing by a masters women’s SRA boat. Next year maybe they’ll even break that record... 

​What makes Sammamish such a strong and competitive team is our ability to come together with positive attitude, hard work ethic, no drama, and strong friendships among teammates. The fact that we practice at different times and days throughout the week is the only thing that actually separates us as rowers of the Sammamish Rowing Association. 

A huge congratulations is in order for our athletes. It’s incredible what you can accomplish when you discover your unbounded potential. Now it's time to get back to the boathouse and practice to make next year's Head of the Charles Regatta even better!

On a cloudy day early in October, four eights swept across Lake Sammamish for a total distance of over 24,000 meters during a Saturday morning practice. This row was less of a practice and more of a dedicated amount of time to honor SRA member Trista Becker who had recently completed her final round of chemotherapy treatment during her battle against breast cancer.

I heard about Trista through Coach Lee Henderson and Coach Dennis Ferrer. They sent me photos from the Length of the Lake Row, the name of the honorary practice, and told me a bit about Trista's story. Amazed- I had to know more. I reached out to Trista to see if she would be comfortable sharing her story with me and she graciously made time to share while still recovering from her last round of chemotherapy. 

The story begins just this past May when Becker was diagnosed with breast cancer.  Not even yet 40 years old, Becker admits she was surprised to find out from her doctor about how common breast cancer is in the Seattle area. Becker hopes to encourage women (and men) of all ages to get checked for breast cancer by their doctors. She remembers being told by physicians that she was too young to need a mammogram. 

Her treatment started just a week after masters regionals. Although her chemotherapy is over, Becker will still undergo surgery and radiation, but she says "stay tuned because I'll be back!". When asked about how she has been handling her diagnosis and treatment, she admits it has completely changed her life, but she sees it as only a temporary setback.

​Upon further reflection, Becker is extremely grateful for the role that Sammamish Rowing Association has played in her life just these past months. She said that talking with other rowers who went through breast cancer or who had family members with breast cancer was helpful, but the most profound impact was the meal train set up by her fellow teammates. Her teammates kept her company, cooked her meals, and created thoughtful care packages for her all throughout her treatments. She has plenty of fuzzy socks, chocolate bars, and coloring books.

Becker also acknowledged her friend and fellow SRA member, Celine Suzzarini, who Becker says, "has been the best friend a girl could ask for in supporting me emotionally through this time." Suzzarini helped organize the meal train, came to every chemotherapy treatment with Becker, and also came to other appointments and surgeries. When talking about Suzzarini, Becker said, "if I had not met her and the other rowers at Sammamish, my husband and I would be going through this process mostly alone." 

When talking more about Sammamish, Becker stated, "I am relatively new to where I live and made instant friends and a huge support group through the Sammamish community. My family lives far away so Sammamish has been like a family helping me battle cancer locally." Her teammates helped her know about hospitals and where to go as well as provided places to stay when she needed to travel longer distances to receive treatment.

​Despite the whirlwind that has been her life the past few months, Becker still rows when she feels up to it. "I have been coming to practice during times in the cycle when I am feeling up for it. The stress relief of crew as an outlet and keeping my activity level up through rowing has helped me with the side effects of rowing." Becker has taken a break from races, but she did row  in the Row for the Cure regatta with Celine Suzzarini. They won first place in the costume contest and their pink flamingo decorated double will be used on the website for next year's event!

​Sammamish is more than just a rowing association. Our boathouse caries more than just boats and ergs. Our boathouse serves you- individuals with your own stories to tell. Trista Becker's story is just one of hundreds that perfectly illustrates what our organization is about. Thoughtful stewardship, team success, safety, and personal discovery are our values, but our members blend their own values in every day through their actions. Sammamish Rowing Association sends its full support out to Trista Becker and her family, and hopes to see her out on the water more often.

Please follow Trista's advice and get checked for breast cancer regularly. For more information about the Row for the Cure regatta you can visit their website at https://seattlerowforthecure.org. 

The purpose of the Junior Rower Committee (JRC) is threefold: to act on behalf of and to represent the rower body, to serve as a formal advisory committee to the executive director, and to foster leadership development throughout the team. In this first year the committee will be focused on building processes, procedures, and systems that will lay the foundation for the future. The average monthly time commitment is anticipated to be 10 hours.

The minimum eligibility requirements and application process is outlined below:

Eligibility Requirements & Desired Attributes

• Rower must have completed at least one spring season and raced at Northwest Regionals.
  
• Rower must be committed to serving his/her teammates, have a genuine interest in supporting novice and middle school rowers, and demonstrate a passion for making the team better.
• Rower must have a genuine desire to collaborate with coaches to address team issues and create win-win solutions to team problems.
  

Application Process

• The deadline to apply is 3:00 pm on October 1. Application materials must be submitted together and delivered via email to Steven Freygang at director@srarowing.com. Only complete applications will be accepted. The application must include:
  • A personal statement describing why you want to serve your teammates and what you hope to achieve as a committee member (500 words or less).
  • Two letters of recommendation
    • One from an SRA teammate (current or alumni)
    • One from a coach/teacher/counselor/supervisor
• All applications will be reviewed by the team captains and executive director in early October to identify six finalists for an in-person interview. Rowers not selected will be notified in writing.
  • Team captains (experienced only) are automatic committee members and will serve as committee officers.
  • Interviews will be conducted by the team captains and executive director, but interview questions will be drafted by the coaching staff.
• Once all interviews have been completed, the team captains will appoint committee members by majority vote, and the executive director will vote in the event of a tie only.
  • The number of appointees will be equal to the number of team captains. For example, if there are five team captains, then five additional seats will be filled on the committee for a total of 10 committee members.
• The goal is to have the full JRC up and running by October 31.
  

All rowers who meet the minim experience requirement and possess the desired attributes are encouraged to apply.

Sammamish Rowing Association has established a three-year partnership with the Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA), a national non-profit developing "Better Athletes, Better People" by working to provide all youth and high school athletes a positive, character-building sports experience.

The partnership provides SRA access to PCA’s training for coaches, sports parents, student-athletes and administrators, comprising live group workshops, online courses, books by PCA Founder Jim Thompson and additional online resources, such as e-mailed follow-up tips and reminders.
 
PCA has partnered with roughly 3,500 youth sports organizations, schools, districts, conferences, and park-and-rec departments to create a Development ZoneTM culture, where the goal is using youth and high school sports to develop Better Athletes, Better People, Thompson said. “We look forward to working with SRA to create the best possible experience for the youth athletes. Our research-based materials combine the latest in sports psychology, education and practical advice from top pro and college coaches and athletes that help improve athletic performance while also ensuring kids take life lessons from sports that will help them throughout the rest of their lives.”
 
“Our coaches and staff are driven by the opportunity to positively impact the lives of our rowers,” SRA Executive Director Steven Freygang said. “The PCA partnership will help us expand on that opportunity and strengthen the connection between coaches, parents, and rowers.”
 
The workshops are scheduled to begin on September 8.  For information about the dates and locations, please contact Steven Freygang and click here to learn more about the partnership.
 
About Positive Coaching Alliance
Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA) develops BETTER ATHLETES, BETTER PEOPLE through resources for youth and high school sports coaches, parents, administrators and student-athletes. In addition to more than 1,800 free multimedia tips and tools at www.PCADevZone.org, PCA has partnered with roughly 3,500 schools and youth sports organizations nationwide to deliver more than 20,000 live group workshops, along with online courses and books by PCA Founder Jim Thompson that help those involved in youth and high school sports create a positive, character-building youth sports culture.
 
PCA resources, which have reached more than 8.6 million youth, strive to transform high school and youth sports into a Development Zone® culture, where the goal is to develop Better Athletes, Better People and the following become the prevailing models in youth and high school sports:

• The Double-Goal Coach®, who strives to win while also pursuing the more important goal of teaching life lessons through sports
• The Second-Goal Parent®, who concentrates on life lessons, while letting coaches and athletes focus on competing
• The Triple-Impact Competitor®, who strives to impact sport on three levels by improving oneself, teammates and the game as a whole.

 
PCA gains support from a National Advisory Board, including National Spokesperson and 11-time NBA Champion Coach Phil Jackson, and many other top coaches, athletes, organization leaders and academics who share PCA’s mission.
 

Sammamish Rowing Association is excited to announce the hiring of Ethan Currie and Elizabeth Wilson. Ethan and Elizabeth will be filling positions with the junior men's team and the 5am master's team starting this fall.
 
Ethan comes to SRA from Vesper Boat Club in Philadelphia and the Forman School in Litchfield, CT. He is currently the head coach of the junior summer program at Vesper Boat Club and worked as an assistant coach and history teacher at Forman, a private boarding school that specializes in students with learning differences. Ethan also worked for Mendota Rowing Club in Madison, WI for three years coaching their masters programs. Ethan will be coaching the junior experienced boys with Head Coach Eliza Dickson, and also the 5am masters with Head Coach Tom Woodman.
 
Elizabeth joins SRA having recently graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor's degree in sports management. While at Florida Elizabeth served in student government for four years and was also a program assistant and lead fitness instructor for University of Florida Department of Recreational Sports. Elizabeth is currently working for the PGA Tour in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL in human resources. Prior to college, Elizabeth rowed for Winter Park High School in Winter Park, FL.
 
"I am so excited to be joining Sammamish Rowing Association and I am ready to get back into the rowing community," Wilson said. "This sport has given me countless friendships and memories that I will cherish forever and I am so excited to create more. Rowing, in my opinion, is the most physically demanding sport there is, but it teaches you so much about grit, leadership, teamwork, and humility. I am thrilled to be given to opportunity to pass on the lessons I've learned from the sport to others." Elizabeth will be coaching the junior novice boys with Novice Coach Simon Williams, and also the 5am masters novice rowers with Head Coach Tom Woodman.

Sammamish Rowing Association is excited to announce that Dennis Ferrer will be returning as an assistant coach with the junior women's team this fall. Dennis will be assuming leadership responsibility for the team while Junior Women's Head Coach Kelley Pope is out on maternity leave through the end of 2018, and will continue as an assistant coach upon Pope's return in January.   
 
"In evaluating the options it was clear from the start that Dennis was the right person," Executive Director Steven Freygang said. "Dennis lives and breathes SRA, he knows our values and culture, will bring stability to the rowers and coaches on the junior women's team, and he already knows many of our rowers and families."  
 
Dennis played an integral role in the broad growth and success of SRA over the past five years. He has coached across multiple programs and worked with rowers at all levels. Dennis has coached multiple regional championship crews and led the Sammamish Men's Lightweight 8+ to a sixth place finish at the 2015 USRowing Youth National Championships - a program best. Dennis returns following a successful stint at Altig - American Income Life Insurance Company in San Jose, CA.     
 
In addition to coaching with the women's team, Dennis will be assisting the masters programs in role that will add a fourth coach to each masters team one day per week in anticipation of continued program growth. Dennis will also be filling a newly created director of membership and community position, focusing on member recruitment, engagement, and retention across the organization. In this role Dennis will serve as the community voice of SRA and will work to ensure that we are continuously adding value to the Sammamish rowing experience.

For Sammamish Rowing Association, California is indeed the Golden State. For the fourth year in a row, the Pacific Northwest rowing club’s men’s team swept up the gold medal – and an enormous trophy – in the Masters C (average age 43-49) race at the San Diego Crew Classic, the largest rowing regatta in the world. This powerhouse team also laid claim to two gold medals at the 2017 Head of the Charles, where it set a course record, beating the previous record by nearly 10 seconds.

The Head of the Charles and the Crew Classic are the two races every year that have the
toughest competition in the Masters category and have become our focus for our top rowers,” said Sammamish Coach Tom Woodman. He added that the result “was a testament to the conditioning of our crew and the depth of our team.”

Woodman, a member of the 1980 U.S. Olympic rowing team, has been coaching the Sammamish 5 a.m. team since 2007. Andy Lynch, who stroked the winning boat, declared that “being coached, trained, and selected by Tom Woodman year in and year out has been what really made such consistent success possible.” He also expressed appreciation for teammates who supported and pushed the crew “in the cold, in the dark, in the wind.” Lynch noted that winning at the San Diego Crew Classic for the fourth straight year was just as exhilarating as the first three, maybe more so since five of us did two events this year and that final was our second all-out 2k race of the day. That definitely made it harder to get ahead and stay ahead.”

A regular competitor in national regattas including San Diego, the Head of the Charles, and
Junior Nationals, Sammamish sent nearly 100 junior and master athletes to the Crew Classic this year and came home with a range of impressive results. The boys varsity and junior varsity teams both placed fourth overall, the first time either crew advanced to the Grand Final. The girls junior varsity team placed first in the Petite Final, defending its title from last year, and the girls varsity team placed third in the Petite Final. The Sammamish novice women A boat advanced to the Grand Final and placed sixth, while the B boat, competing in San Diego for the first time, placed fourth in the Petite Final.

In addition to gold in the Men’s C race, Sammamish masters took third in the Women’s E
(average age 55-59) race. With two entries in the Club 8 and both boats advancing to the
Grand Final, Sammamish paced third and eighth. Sammamish women and men placed fifth and eighth respectively in their D (average age 50-54) races, and Sammamish took fifth in the petite final of the Women’s Club event.

​Sammamish will accelerate toward the finish of the spring racing season with Junior Regionals in May, Junior Nationals and Masters Regionals in June, and Masters Nationals in August. Based out of Marymoor Park in Redmond, Washington, Sammamish Rowing Association has nearly 400 members on its middle school, high school, and masters teams, plus another hundred or more who come through the doors each year for Row for a Day and Learn to Row programs.

For more on Sammamish Rowing Association, follow the team on Facebook and Instagram
(@sammamishrowing).