At Peninsula Community Rowing Club, Tongan American coach Anthony Heimuli is making an impact in his San Francisco-area rowing community, providing young athletes a deeper understanding of community and self. And with his eyes set firmly on the 2026 Youth Olympics and LA2028, Anthony is working to establish the Pacific Islander Rowing Association to develop high-performance athletes for international competition. 

Coach Cassandra Cunningham, founder of P3 Physical Education, and coach with Endeavor Racing Alliance, believes in the power of curiosity to drive success. This wide ranging conversation for rowers and coaches touches on the power of sport, positive mindset, being present, trusting the process, and blending with your teammates.

Bonnie Garmus was a competitive masters rower for years before an offhand comment during a business meeting prompted her to begin writing her first novel, "Lessons in Chemistry," which has been adapted into a hit Apple TV+ series. Everyone wants to talk with Bonnie about the book’s main character, Elizabeth Zott, so we turned the table to ask Bonnie about the role rowing plays in her life – and her best selling novel.

Established in 1892, ZLAC's unique structure allows for both competitive and social memberships. You don't have to row. New members are added to generational Crews to bolster cross-program and boathouse interaction and provide personal connections to members in a similar age range for support. As far as we know, ZLAC is unique in this offering. Be prepared to take notes and consider what more your club could do to help build and sustain community.

“Physical limitations only exist if you’re willing to find them.” That’s the philosophy of Mitch King, coxswain for River City Rowing Club in Sacramento, CA. Every day he does countless things that doctors said were impossible when he was a kid diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy. Mitch doesn’t call himself a disability advocate, doesn’t want to be an inspiration, and would rather folks didn’t try to tiptoe around his disability. We talk balancing coxing with graduate school, developing a coxing style, team building, motivation on the erg, and shattering expectations.

The World's Toughest Row is a 2,800-mile race across the Pacific Ocean. On June 12, 2024, Hannah Huppi, Phil Doyle, and Hunter Deuel of Horizon Racing, will join 20+ teams to shove off in Monterey, CA and race to Kauai, HI in unsupported, man-powered ocean rowing boats. We talk about star-gazing, rowing into the unknown, competitive drive, Cheez-Its, and fundraising for Laureus Sport For Good USA.

Gender Identity Policies series, part 3. Kevin Harris’s coaching career began in the early 1990s and culminated with 20+ years at the helm of the University of Tulsa women’s rowing program. Harris offers an in-depth and thought-provoking perspective on DEI, the importance of boathouses as welcoming spaces, the prevalence of transgender and non-binary rowers in the United States, and gender inclusion policies.

In this second episode in a special series on gender identity policies in rowing, we talk with Ann Strayer, OLY, Varsity Women’s Coach at Oakland United Rowing. Together with fellow OUR coach and Olympian Erin Cafaro they have written a letter in support of USRowing’s gender identity policy, highlighting the importance of welcoming transgender and non-binary scholastic athletes into the boathouse, and allow them to row as the gender they identify with.

San Diego Crew Classic is celebrating its 50th anniversary! Executive Director Bobbie Smith, Associate Director Megan Kalmoe, OLY, and Head Beach Master Lex Switzer share personal stories of their first time down the course, and talk about this historic regatta that kicks of the Spring season.