Coaches of Lake Sunapee Rowing Club

Message from
Coach David Pook

I think good coaches know how to communicate with their rowers and offer advice in ways that helps the rower improve, and my goal is to offer you some insight into your rowing stroke and ways you can modify it to be more efficient, effective, and ultimately make rowing more enjoyable.

I'll do that a couple of ways: by talking to you individually on the water during morning practices, and as well before and after rows to identify areas that we can work on as a boat. In everything I say my aim is to help you learn to analyze your own rowing technique and make lasting improvements that help you be the best oarsman or woman you can be.

My conviction is that rowing is the most fun when it's done well, so I will strive to make us all better technical rowers, believing that improving our technique will lead to the most enjoyable results. At the same time, it is fun now and again to raise the rating and really push. This requires everyone giving maximum effort and concentration, and it also demands everyone agreeing ahead of time to make the most of each and every row on the water. I'll do my part to make sure we're having fun out there, learning as we go, and I know that rowers will do the same.

Coaches

David Pook, Head Coach

David has been involved in rowing for many years. He was a competitive rower at the University of Pennsylvania and moved into coaching at Indiana University. David has also coached at the Bershire School, St. Paul's School and currently at the Derryfield School. David believes good coaches know how to communicate with their rowers and offer advice in ways that help the rower improve. His goal is to offer you some insight into your rowing stroke and ways you can modify it to be more efficient, effective, and ultimately make rowing more enjoyable.

Jim Lauderdale

Jim coached the LSRC advanced crew in the Fall 2009. Jim has extensive experience rowing and coaching small boats (pairs, doubles and singles). Jim coaches at Craftsbury Sculling Center and the crew program in the Advanced Study Program at St. Paul's School. Jim also builds wooden shells at his workshop in Springfield, NH.

Brenda Balenger

Brenda has coached Masters, Junior Boys, and Adaptive Rowers. She rowed with Upper Valley Rowing Foundation for five years and is trained in both sweep and sculling rowing technique and is one of the founding members of LSRC. Brenda is also an avid cyclist and is a member of the Tour de Stu Team and also completed the "ultimate" cycling route of the Prouty.

Nancy Vespoli, Guest Coach

Nancy Vespoli rowed for Dartmouth College and was a member of the 1980 Olympic team. We are very fortunate that Nancy is often in the Lake Sunapee area and is able to occasionally row with us or coach for us.

Martha Beattie, Coaching Consultant

Martha was on the first Dartmouth women's crew team and part of the first women's eight to participate in the Head of the Charles Regatta. She has founded several crew clubs, including "Martha's Moms" in Seattle, WA and the Hanover Boys Crew Team in 2000. Martha is a founding member of Lake Sunapee Rowing Club and will be a consulting coach.

Don Hayes and Katrina Mojzesz

Don and Katrina recently moved from Philadephia to South Royalton, VT where Don is attending Vermont Law School. Both are adaptive rowing coaches who have been volunteering with PRPD (Philadelphia Rowing Program for the Disabled) for 13 years. They have taught adaptive rowing as well as chairing the Communications Committee and the Fund Raising Commitee. Both have been instrumental in creating the LSRC Adaptive Rowing Program in partnership with New England Handicapped Sports Association (NEHSA).

Message from Coach David Pook