        General Information   |
Coaches:
KARL D. BECK, BOYS NOVICE COACH Coach Beck joined Wayland-Weston Crew in the spring of 2007. He is a 2004 graduate of the University of New Hampshire, where he earned an interdisciplinary bachelor’s degree in mathematics and economics. He is a 2000 graduate of Carrabassett Valley Academy, Carrabassett Valley, Maine and attended Contoocook Valley Regional High School in Peterborough, New Hampshire. He is pursuing a career in real estate in the Greater Boston area. Coach Beck went out for crew as a freshman at UNH. Highlights of his Wildcat rowing career include a gold medal in the Intermediate 4+ at the 2003 U.S. Rowing Association National Championships, and second place in the Senior 4- in the 2003 Royal Canadian Henley Regatta. Since college, rowing with the Gentle Giant Rowing Club, his 8+ has taken first place in 2006 Textile River Regatta, and placed second in the Club Eights in the 2006 Head of the Charles Regatta. He is a member of the Riverside Boat Club, Cambridge, where he trains and competes in single sculls. He has been active with the Head of the Charles Planning Committee, and has served as Finish Area Launch Site Setup Co-Chair. What is your favorite rowing memory? My freshman year at UNH we went to the Dartmouth Invitational Regatta in the late fall. Even though it was a very cold day we decided to row in tank tops to show our toughness. It was actually starting to snow a little bit by the time we started that head race. We rowed a fierce piece, passing several boats along the way to the finish. It turned out that we had the fastest time out of all the freshman boats. After that race I knew that I was addicted to crew. How did you get involved in crew? When I was a senior in high school I went to a ski academy at Sugarloaf Mountain in Maine. The year turned out to be a pretty big bust in terms of my skiing career. My race results were weak and I tore my ACL and meniscus in my left knee in the spring. I took that as a sign to find a new sport. One of the teachers at the school had actually coached novice crew at UNH, the university that I chose to attend. He saw my size and pointed me in the right direction. After knee surgery and a summer full of physical therapy, I joined UNH men’s novice crew. What has rowing done for you personally? Through my year of being a novice at UNH, I learned how to test myself and my abilities. It brought a new sense of focus and confidence to my life. Why do you coach? There is no greater reward than helping someone to reach his or her potential. Favorite written quote? “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” ~Ghandi Favorite spoken quote? “Don’t chase the dream, live it!!” ~Karl Beck
THOMAS R. BOHRER, BOYS VARSITY COACH Coach Bohrer joined Wayland-Weston Crew in fall of 2005. He has over 20 years’ experience rowing and coaching. He is a two-time Olympic silver medalist (1988 and 1992), three-time medalist at the World Championships, and member of the U.S. National Team 1987-1994. In 1989 the U.S. Rowing Association, the sport’s governing body, named him its Athlete of the Year. In 1992 he was elected captain of the U.S. Olympic rowing team. He is head rowing coach of the venerable Union Boat Club in Boston, and is president of TBfit.com, a rowing and strength training company. Before joining Wayland-Weston Crew, he was head coach of the Competitive Boys Program at Community Rowing, Inc. in Newton, where his crews were among the fastest in New England and the U.S. Coach Bohrer is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), Certified Personal Trainer (CPT), personal trainer for the Union Boat Club, and works with athletes in many sports. He conducts seminars for coaches at the Northeast Rowing Center and the Joy of Sculling Coaches’ Conference. He manages and teaches rowing at the Concord Recreation Department in Concord, MA and is a strength trainer for AccesSportAmerica, a non-profit organization dedicated to the fitness and function of children and adults with disabilities. He is a regular columnist for Rowing News magazine. Originally from New Jersey, Coach Bohrer graduated from Babylon Junior-Senior High School, Babylon, NY. He earned a Bachelor of Environmental Science degree from the Florida Institute of Technology. He lives in Concord with his wife, CB Sands-Bohrer, and their children Sally, Sabrina and Si. CB was a seven-year rower on the U.S. National Team, winning gold medals at two World Championships. What is your favorite crew memory? I have a multitude of memories of rowing. Some of my favorites are from the Olympics, but my best is from a race that I did one year at the Head of the Connecticut Regatta. I rowed in a pair and it was a nasty day, cold and snowing. We had just finished the race and my partner and I had to row two miles back to the dock. It started to get dark, but the wind died down and my partner and I had this great row back to the dock. It was quiet. I felt as though we were the only ones out there. The boat was balanced well, you could hear the oars going in and out of the water. It is during some of those moments when no one is around to see you that you figure things out and just enjoy being part of the sport. How did you get involved in crew? I started rowing during my junior year in college. I transferred to Florida Institute of Technology. I was very much dedicated to working out at the time. I did lots of long distance swimming in the ocean, where I was a lifeguard on Long Island. I knew that F.I.T. had a crew team and my friend told me that if I really liked to work out, I should try rowing. I signed up the first day I got to school. Four years later I won a silver medal in the Olympics. My friend was right. What has rowing done for you personally? Rowing is such a close-knit sport. I felt once I joined the college rowing team I had an instant group of friends that had a common interest and who would do anything for you. I met my wife through rowing, I got my first job through rowing. What it has really taught me though is how to focus my energy. When I was in college I had to take a semester of 20 credits to graduate. It would have been easier not to row—which was not an option—take fewer credits and graduate over the summer—also not an option—or really balance my time well, stay focused, and do what I needed to do. I had the best semester ever both in academics and athletics. I still think about that today. Yes, I don’t like to hear excuses from students about how busy they are. Why do you coach? I think of all the good things that I have learned from rowing and want to pass them along to others. As an athlete I never thought I could get as much enjoyment from teaching others as I did from competing. I was wrong. Watching a person improve and seeing that person gain confidence in themselves is a wonderful feeling. Favorite written quote? “What are you going to do to help your team win today?” -Bill Belichick, Head Coach of the New England Patriots resident of Weston. Favorite spoken quote? “Go fast in the boat, not in your cars.” ~John Macuga, one of my assistant coaches at CRI.
THOMAS P. COLLINS, BOYS ASSISTANT VARSITY COACH Coach Collins joined Wayland-Weston Crew in the spring of 2007. He is a member of the faculty at Weston High School, where he teaches biology. He is a graduate of Woonsocket Senior High School, Woonsocket, RI. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Secondary Education and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology from the University of Rhode Island. He is a member of the Narragansett Boat Club and the U.S. States Rowing Association. Coaching and rowing highlights:
What is your favorite rowing memory? One of my favorite rowing memories was when I coxed a men's lightweight 8+ at the '89 Dad Vails. Our coach completely neglected our boat all season long and did not expect much from us at the regatta. In fact, he even considered not taking our boat. Well, we marched through the heats and made it to the Grand Finals. Spite can go a long way. How did you get involved in crew? A friend in college said, "Let's go check this out." The slideshow was really cool. What has rowing done for you? It has taught me patience and how to deal with frustration. It has made me more counter-intuitive. It has become a metaphor for living. Why do you coach? I find satisfaction in seeing people do what they thought they could not do. Favorite written quote? "I was not put here to blow sunshine up your ‘skirt.’" Favorite spoken quote? "I was not put here to blow sunshine up your ‘skirt.’"
BRIAN J. DeDOMINICI, PROGRAM COORDINATOR, GIRLS NOVICE COACH Coach DeDominici joined Wayland-Weston Crew in fall of 2007. Coach DeDominici is a graduate of Mount St. Charles Academy, Woonsocket, RI. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree cum laude in Sequential Art from Savannah College of Art and Design, Savannah, GA. At college he rowed and coxed for four years, capturing third place in the 1998 Dad Vail Regatta 1998 in the open novice 8+ (rower), first place in the 1999 John Hunter Regatta in the open men’s 8+ (rower), and first place in the 2001 John Hunter Regatta in the open men’s 4+ (cox). After graduation, he served as Assistant/ Novice Coach at Savannah College of Art and Design, 2002-2007. He has served as Assistant Coach for the TBFit.com High School Winter Training Program since 2007, and Novice Women’s Coach for Clark University in Worcester, MA since 2008. He holds a Level III coaching certification from the U.S. Rowing Association. He is an avid single sculler, and enjoys surfing and roller/ice hockey. What is your favorite rowing memory? My favorite rowing memory is my first novice race. A crab right off the start caused the boat to turn so sharply that we left the course and had to cut through a group of boats on their way to the start. Our cox was yelling at us to keep our heads in the boat so I didn’t realize how far off course we were until I heard someone say “Hi Brian.” When I looked up I saw our own varsity 4, waiting for their start, and floating between us and the rest of our race. After dodging a couple more boats we made our way back onto the course and found we were a bow length up on the field. Inspired by this, we went on to win our heat and final. In the final we took a more direct route to the finish. How did you get involved in crew? I played ice hockey all my life and was an avid snowboarder until I went to college in Georgia. I soon realized Georgia has no ice and no snow so I needed to find another sport. I was looking for something more competitive than intramurals and rowing seemed like something I would enjoy. What has rowing done for you? Rowing gave me confidence. It gave me two and a half hours every day where I did not have to think about school. It gave me a job where I never felt like I went to work. Why do you coach? I get the most satisfaction in seeing the light go on over a rower’s head. That moment when suddenly, whatever you are working on makes sense to them. Sometimes I don’t even know what made it happen. All I know is that, now they see a new level of potential for themselves. Every once in a while you get to see nine lights in a boat go on at once. That gives me the most satisfaction. Favorite written quote? “The only man who never makes a mistake is the man who never does anything.” ~Theodore Roosevelt Favorite spoken quote? “It’s as easy as shooting fish in the dark.” ~Scott Nohejl, former head coach
JEFFREY P. DOHERTY, GIRLS VARSITY CO-HEAD COACH Coach Doherty joined Wayland-Weston Crew in fall of 2007. He is a graduate of Bishop Guertin High School in Nashua, NH. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Ithaca College in Ithaca, NY, where he rowed for three years. Currently he rows for Riverside Boat Club in Cambridge, where he is Captain of the Men’s Sweep program, and has stroked his Riverside team to a third place at the Head of the Charles Regatta. He has been sculling as long as he has been sweep rowing. When not coaching or rowing, Coach Doherty is in tool and fastening system sales with Morrison Building Trades Supply Inc., Plymouth, MA. What is your favorite rowing memory? My favorite rowing memory is winning third place in the Club 4+ at the Head of the Charles. It was a great race, I remember every stroke, and there was a lot of hard work leading up to that weekend. I spent about 3-4 hours waiting for the official times, and during that time I heard we were third and I heard fourth, so when I learned we officially finished third it was amazing. How did you get involved in crew? I started rowing spring semester of my sophomore year (January 2005). Going to college was the first time in my life I was not apart of a team and I was getting bored of “college life” without sports. I had a friend on the team and after talking with him and with my parents I decided to try out rowing. From the first time I got on an erg I never looked back and it is the greatest choice of my life. What has rowing done for you? Rowing has done so much for me, but most of it is the things you just cannot describe to someone else. Why do you coach? To deliver the sport that has brought me so much joy to a new generation. Also watching the girls progress technically and physiologically has been great. Favorite written quote? “No amount of cajoling could make someone work as hard as an oarsman without getting paid for it: therefore I really must want to row.” ~Stephen Kiesling, U.S. Olympic gold medalist and author Favorite spoken quote? “It's really simple. If you kill the erg, and your boat’s winning all the time, you're gonna go to the Olympics and probably win a metal. If you're doing poorly on the erg, and your boat’s behind, you won’t go the Olympics and you won’t win a metal. It's pretty simple.” ~Mike Teti, U.S. Olympic oarsman and coach of the gold medal-winning 2004 U.S. Olympic Men’s Eight
JESSE B. LIPCON, ASSISTANT COACH Coach Lipcon joined Wayland-Weston Crew in fall of 2002. He earned Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in Electrical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1965 and 1966 respectively. He is a 1961 graduate of Curtis High School, Staten Island, NY. At M.I.T. he was varsity coxswain 1963-1965. He coxed the U.S. National Team men’s eight in 1966. He went on to a career in high technology, and is a member of the board of directors of M.I.T. Crew Alumni Association. Coach Lipcon and his wife Lynn are long-time residents of Wayland. What is your favorite crew memory? I have three memories: 1. Least favorite—April/May 1963, M.I.T. varsity races lost to Harvard by a foot-and-a-half and to Wisconsin by less than a foot in two successive weeks. 2. Favorite—June 1963, winning the American Henley Regatta Championship over Vesper Boat Club, (who represented the U.S. in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics and won the Men’s Eights gold medal) and St. Catherines Boat Club (Canadian national team), and placing third in the I.R.A. (Intercollegiate Rowing Association) National Championship in two successive weeks. 3. June 2003, 40th reunion of the above crew, representing M.I.T. in the I.R.A. alumni race. How did you get involved in crew? I went out for crew at the beginning of my freshman year at M.I.T. What has rowing done for you personally? The lessons learned in crew—teamwork, discipline, leadership, perseverance in the face of adversity—contributed as much to my career success as the coursework at M.I.T. Why do you coach? To give something back by introducing young people to this great sport.
CORNELIA W. NEWELL, GIRLS VARSITY CO-HEAD COACH Coach Newell joined Wayland-Weston Crew in fall of 2005. A resident of Weston, she is a graduate of The Medeira School in Greenway, VA, Harvard College (B.A. in English) and Columbia University (M.B.A./M.S.W.). At Harvard she rowed on the Radcliffe Varsity, coached intramural crews, and played ice hockey and squash. Following graduate school she embarked on a career in banking. Prior to joining Wayland-Weston Crew, she assisted Coach Bohrer with coaching the Competitive Boys team at Community Rowing, Inc. in Newton, MA. She is a member of the Executive Committee of Friends of Harvard & Radcliffe Rowing. She joined Wayland-Weston Crew in fall of 2005. What is your favorite rowing memory (or memories if you have more than one favorite)? That’s a tough question. I’m not sure I have just a single favorite memory. The good memories from college are hard races where the boat really ‘came together’ and the relationships forged among women who were spending long hours together in all sorts of conditions to be the best athletes and team mates we could possibly be. More recently, the memories center around my Wayland-Weston crews … watching the moment when one of the rowers suddenly figures out what it means to push themselves or figures out how to fix some part of their stroke so that all their effort starts paying off. And seeing the effect on how well a boat races when the kids in the boat realize that they really believe in themselves and the other rowers in their boat. How did you get involved in crew? I started rowing in college. I loved the Charles River and thought rowing looked fun. By the time I discovered how much work it took to get a boat moving like that, I was already hooked. What has rowing done for you? Unlike many of the Wayland-Weston coaches, I didn’t continue rowing after college except for the occasional opportunity to race with friends who needed an extra person to fill out their boat. However, rowing gave me the opportunity to spend my four college years with an incredible group of athletes who respected one another for how hard they pushed themselves. It meant being part of a team that celebrated some great wins and had to get over some tough losses. It meant showing up every day and keeping each other focused no matter what else was going on in our lives. Where else would three roommates wake up at 6 a.m. on a Saturday morning to go run ‘stadiums’ and get to the dining hall for breakfast before anyone else had woken up? And remember it ten years later over dinner? Why to you coach? We, as coaches, can teach technique and develop workouts, but only the kids can find the spirit and drive within themselves to push themselves in daily workouts and in races. And, as they do it, they learn to do it together and make the combination of the individuals in the boat amount to much more than what each of them could do on their own. What I love about coaching is the opportunity to give kids the tools to create a place where they can expect a huge amount out of themselves and their teammates, and to support them in their effort to go after it. Favorite written quote? “Play for more than you can afford to lose and you will learn the game.” ~Winston Churchill |