USA Junior National Team

[freespeed98]

Props to Montclair for taking down some big dogs today.

They were the big dogs this year. I've rarely seen a scholastic crew that size.

The montclair guys are huge they look like a collegiate crew in all honesty. I think the smallest guy was 6'1 or 6'2. they have a serious shot at henley I believe. It's also great for the sport they're having this run 1. as a public school and 2. as mostly juniors who'll be back next year.

[jeesh999]

Men's and women's rosters should be announced today.

[lt.wolf]

Ha, not to hard to figure out as the Instagram post are better than anything US Rowing could come up with.

[jeesh999]

I think those feeds are a great part of the team culture. And entertaining. But yeah, maybe "made official" rather than "announced" is more accurate.

[VikingGT]

2017 U.S. Under 19 National Team Roster as per USRowing official announcement.

* Indicates previous U.S. Under 19 National Team experience

Women’s Single Sculls -
Claire Campbell (New Canaan, Conn.) – Maritime Rowing Club *


Men’s Single Sculls -
Clark Dean (Sarasota, Fla.) – Sarasota Crew *


Women’s Pair -
Kate Burns (Ann Arbor, Mich.) – Skyline Crew *
Kaitlin Knifton (Austin, Texas) – Texas Rowing Center


Men’s Pair -
Daniel Stoddard (West Windsor, N.J.) – Princeton National Rowing Association / Mercer
Andrew Hickey (Yardley, Pa.) – Princeton National Rowing Association / Mercer


Women’s Double Sculls -
Jenna Hardman (Seattle, Wash.) – Seattle Rowing Center *
Sarah Brunsberg (London, England) – The American School in London

Men’s Double Sculls -
Gregory Cain (Denver, Colo.) – Mile High Rowing Club
Thomas Satterthwaite (Providence, R.I.) – Narragansett Boat Club


Women’s Four -
Kaitlyn Kynast (Ridgefield, Conn.) – Connecticut Boat Club *
Rose Carr (Newark, Del.) – South Jersey Rowing Club *
Riley Lynch (Vashon, Wash.) – Vashon Island Rowing
Kelsey McGinley (Westport, Conn.) – Saugatuck Rowing Club *


Men’s Four -
Harrison Schofield (Sarasota, Fla.) – Sarasota Crew
David Slear (Dallas, Texas) – Dallas United Crew
Leif Carlson (Larkspur, Calif.) – Marin Rowing Association
Evan Krum (Orange, Calif.) – Newport Aquatic Center *


Women’s Quadruple Sculls -
Anna Matthes (Cambridge, Mass.) – Cambridge Boat Club
Caroline Sharis (Bettendorf, Iowa) – Y Quad Cities *
Taylor English (Illinois) – Y Quad Cities
Kate Miles (Oakland, Calif.) – Oakland Strokes


Men’s Quadruple Sculls -
Emory Sammons (Fort Plain, N.Y.) – Saratoga Rowing Association
James Wright (Philadelphia, Pa.) – Germantown Friends School Rowing
Liam Galloway (Ridgefield, Conn.) – New Canaan High School Crew *
Augustine Rodriguez (Rye, N.Y.) – RowAmerica Rye


Men’s Four with Coxswain -
(c) Ryan Williams (Wakefield, Mass.) – Belmont Hill School
Oliver Babb (Atlanta, Ga.) – Atlanta Junior Rowing Club
Clay Watson (Palo Alto, Calif.) – NorCal Crew
Peter Chatain (Illinois) – New Trier High School Rowing
Clark Dean (Sarasota, Fla.) – Sarasota Crew *


Women’s Eight -
(c) Appy Chauhan (Seattle, Wash.) – Holy Names Academy
Julia Braz (Sarasota, Fla.) – Sarasota Crew
Fran Raggi (Winter Park, Fla.) – Winter Park Crew
Katryna Niva (Davis, Calif.) – Princeton National Rowing Association / Mercer *
Teal Cohen (Dallas, Texas) – Hockaday School
Christiana Congdon (New Hampshire) – St. Paul’s School
Azja Czajkowski (Chula Vista, Calif.) – San Diego Rowing Club
Jenna Van De Grift (San Diego, Calif.) – Cathedral Catholic High School *
Miranda Nykolyn (New York) – Long Island Rowing Club


Men’s Eight -
(c) Sydney Edwards (Sarasota, Fla.) – Sarasota Crew*
Gordon Holterman (Hillsborough, Calif.) – NorCal Crew *
Chase Barrows (Everett, Wash.) – Everett Rowing Association
Nolan Parks (Seattle, Wash.) – Mount Baker Crew
Harrison Burke (Westport, Conn.) – Saugatuck Rowing Club *
Kenneth Coplan (Upper Montclair, N.J.) – Montclair High School *
Nikita Lilichenko (Orinda, Calif.) – Oakland Strokes *
Christian Tabash (Vienna, Va.) – Gonzaga College High School *
Spencer Dettinger (Alamo, Calif.) – Oakland Strokes


Spares -
Owen King (Montclair, N.J.) – Montclair High School
Kristopher Schumann (Sarasota, Fla.) – Sarasota Scullers
Tori Del Valle (Calif.) – Marina Aquatic Center
Julia Abbruzzese (Ridgefield, Conn.) – Connecticut Boat Club
Abbey Phaneuf (Weston, Conn.) – Cambridge Boat Club


Coaches & Support Staff -
Kathryn Ackerman, team doctor
Chris Chase, coach, men’s four with coxswain
Anna Cherednikova, coach, women’s single sculls
Jesse Foglia, coach, men’s eight
Casey Galvanek, coach, men’s quadruple sculls, men’s single sculls
Nicholas Haley, team leader
Kaitlin Jackson, team physical therapist
Bill Manning, coach, women’s eight
Justin Ochal, coach, men’s pair
Steve Perry, coach, men’s four
Peter Sharis, coach, women’s quadruple sculls
Laura Simon, coach, women’s pair
Liz Trond, coach, women’s four
Jamie Whalen, coach, women’s double sculls


I'm interested in how a double entry will hang on in both the 1x and 4 at the internaitonal level. The men's selection seems a little suspect but we will see when the races go down the course.

[jeesh999]

The men's selection seems a little suspect but we will see when the races go down the course.

What is "suspect" about it?

[VikingGT]

The men's selection seems a little suspect but we will see when the races go down the course.

What is "suspect" about it?

A couple things direct and indirect from both an admin standpoint, conflict of interest standpoint, and practical selection standpoint. Let me preface this by saying that this is personal opinion, and more an institutional gripe then a "this year" gripe. I don't like the way USRowing does any selection at any level, but the junior level in my eyes is especially bad.

The most concerning thing to me is the conflict of interest having a junior coach, coaching the selection camp, either coaching a boat, or running the entire selection process. I understand that the only way to avoid any of this is to have a dedicated coach for and exclusively for the Junior National Team full time, which USRowing has as a non-existent factor in making USRowing great again, however having a coach that actively runs a program eligible to send athletes coach boats at the junior team seems like a conflict to me. (I'm not knocking Liz, Casey, or any of the double HS/JNT coaches in any years 16/17 season or prior)

However I feel the admin of having 5 rowers and 1 coxswain from the same team (only 3/5 rowers even racing at youth nationals iirc) making the camp, is a bit much, especially a team that is getting 3rd in the Varsity 8 while arguably Newport and Oakland should have more spots considering their faster boats consistently. I know Newport and Oakland had many seniors in their top boat, but they arguably have more depth of speed in their clubs (Both Newport and Oakland having their 3rd eights going sub 6:10, and their JV 8s within 10 seconds of the 1 and 2 national champions, comparable to top of B final crews if entered)

I believe the I.D. process is dated as well. their should be a trial system in place for selecting crews at ID camps beyond a simple 2k, a pairs and singles matrix would go hand in hand with the 2k as to see objective boat movability in relation to their 2k. Not just going on the water and seeing who is not a complete brick. Being to a couple ID camps as an athlete and sending athletes to them, they seem very dated and almost universally based around 2k time and making sure the athlete possibly sent isn't a complete goof. I also take issue with athletes not attending ID camp but being invited to selection, HP, Dev, or u17 camps, whether or not they are good enough should be irrevelant. You want to be on the team you do what everyone else does, ID then Camp, no skipping steps, even if you happen to have a very sociable and liked coach. (something I've seen alot of)

As far as practical selection, especially in regards to this years selection, I know some athletes were exempt from erg testing at camp and that can for sure affect selection of athletes for potentially the entire selection process (something to the effect of 3x750m, a selection favorite, can take days to recover if not prepared for properly or not recovered from properly and therefore could affect athletes negatively...)

The fact that some athletes were exempt from something other athletes had completed, especially something to the effect of an erg test at maximal, shows an uneven standard in regards to selection. If you can't erg for any reason, why are you in consideration for representation of our nation internationally, and if the coach is allowing you to skip a selection procedure, that is unacceptable and shows biased in a selection enviroment.

Also something that irked me was the seemingly random invite and demotion of athletes. Having athletes show up at selection a week after selection had officially started, after families had shelled thousands of dollars to attend and get to the location on time. Another thing that irked me is the transparency of the coaching staff in regard to the athletes.Thinking you are going to get seat raced one day to see where you stand, to then being told you are being sent to Oregon (HP) that night is not a train of thought an athlete should have, let alone multiple, in either direction up or down. I believe if you're at selection, the coaching staff needs to be transparent with you as an athlete. If you are one of the 51 selected athletes, knowing where you stand is very important, and knowing what to fix is even more of a priority, and the coaching staff not being transparent about what to fix, how to fix it, or just being apathetic to an athletes who wants to better themselves should not be a practice observed at the national team level, even if the athlete is not going to make a selected boat, he went to the Selection camp to be coached by the "best in the country" and even the 51st athlete should have some positive experience in regards to the coaching staff, and should be able to take something away form the camp.

Let me re-iterate the Selection camp is not for development, but for selection, and should be handled as such. I'm not advocating that the head coach needs to spend an alloted amount of time with an athlete, but you can change an athletes mindset in a sentence, and I think the supposed best coach USRowing can pay should be able to find a sentence to tell the group that everyone can grab something from to make themselves better as people and athletes.

The lack of smaller boat work in the beginning weeks is more subjective then objective but I believe a 4s matrix (for sweep and a 2x matrix for doubles) at the outset of camp could work wonders for establishing a rhythm and vision for what the camp wants out of athletes, what the camp is about (selection), and would give the athletes more then deciphering lineups posted the night after a row to figure where they are at in the system.

As far as admin I believe USRowing really needs to buckle down on a vision of stroke they want and tell coaches at the junior level what THEY want. If they are serious about sending athletes through the pipeline from u17 to Olympics, they need a vision, something they do not have, and if they do, they do not share it with many, including coaches actively sending athletes to the selection camp. If I as a coach want to churn out selection athletes, at this point their just going to erg for a long time because selection to me this year seemed more a power contest then boat movability.

Where are the Belen and lightweight athletes throwing down consistent 6 minute times in an 8, one of them has to be eligible and I'm sure they'd crush some kids invited right now. There are true lightweights throwing down times that are eligible for USJNT being invited to HP as a gesture, then going and beating some 'selected' athletes for the CanAmMex quad 40 pounds lighter and 20 seconds slower on 2k. Why is that something like that able to happen. We spend so much money on selection camps to have an athlete who almost didn't even attend the HP camp for worries of it becoming unproductive making a CanAmMex boat and more importantly beating a previously selected athlete.

I think there is a vast gap in what is considered fast, and recognition of whom has the ability of making a selected boat faster. As it stands a ~6:30 lightweight with a nationals medal will not make the camp opposed to a random kid from a random program with no rowing experience who has a 6:20.

A 200lb 6:10 novice will make the selection camp over a veteran 175lb 6:24 with international club experience and results. That shouldn't happen except in extreme cases.

My biggest problem as stated through a consistent theme is the inability of USRowing to be transparent. If I was told standards of technical ability, it would make things easier to assess in my own club, whether an athlete should firstly attend I.D. camp, and secondly attend a selection or HP camp once through the gauntlet of Identification. I have heard the HP camp was completely unproductive. I as a coach shouldn't be worried about the US NATIONAL TEAM CAMPS being unproductive for athletes. That is one of the most ridiculous things I've heard, and it really boils down to USRowing, not setting standards to attend in regards to rowing style and ability.

USRowing should have a standardized stroke. Not a token stroke, a standard one that they follow and practice, I sure would teach it at the junior level if bottom to top that was the same stroke used, however the fickle nature of USRowing leads coaches to more or less figure it out on their own and coach to the best interest of their club, leading to a variety of strokes that make half the selection camp just meshing styles, meaning those not in the know of what that years coaches' styles are, leads to an athlete who could have made contributions to the team but instead would be sent down or disregarded as 'too slow for selection'

I could go on for ages with my gripes with the way the system is worked, but honestly my "quick fix" for ID and selection... the Monday after nationals, or two days before TT, at the same location, hold a pair/single matrix, open to all entrants. top 16 sweep pairs and top 12 scullers get invited to selection camp. How much more transparent could you get as far as who gets invited to selection. If people don't want to race their athletes beforehand, then the USNT shouldn't be upset they aren't racing the matrix, if athletes don't want to race that much, maybe they aren't commited enough to go to the camp for the summer. Just my one cent.

[lt.wolf]

"jeesh999 wrote:
VikingGT wrote:
The men's selection seems a little suspect but we will see when the races go down the course.

What is "suspect" about it?


A couple things direct and indirect from both an admin standpoint, conflict of interest standpoint, and practical selection standpoint. Let me preface this by saying that this is personal opinion, and more an institutional gripe then a "this year" gripe. I don't like the way USRowing does any selection at any level, but the junior level in my eyes is especially bad.

The most concerning thing to me is the conflict of interest having a junior coach, coaching the selection camp, either coaching a boat, or running the entire selection process. I understand that the only way to avoid any of this is to have a dedicated coach for and exclusively for the Junior National Team full time, which USRowing has as a non-existent factor in making USRowing great again, however having a coach that actively runs a program eligible to send athletes coach boats at the junior team seems like a conflict to me. (I'm not knocking Liz, Casey, or any of the double HS/JNT coaches in any years 16/17 season or prior)

However I feel the admin of having 5 rowers and 1 coxswain from the same team (only 3/5 rowers even racing at youth nationals iirc) making the camp, is a bit much, especially a team that is getting 3rd in the Varsity 8 while arguably Newport and Oakland should have more spots considering their faster boats consistently. I know Newport and Oakland had many seniors in their top boat, but they arguably have more depth of speed in their clubs (Both Newport and Oakland having their 3rd eights going sub 6:10, and their JV 8s within 10 seconds of the 1 and 2 national champions, comparable to top of B final crews if entered)

I believe the I.D. process is dated as well. their should be a trial system in place for selecting crews at ID camps beyond a simple 2k, a pairs and singles matrix would go hand in hand with the 2k as to see objective boat movability in relation to their 2k. Not just going on the water and seeing who is not a complete brick. Being to a couple ID camps as an athlete and sending athletes to them, they seem very dated and almost universally based around 2k time and making sure the athlete possibly sent isn't a complete goof. I also take issue with athletes not attending ID camp but being invited to selection, HP, Dev, or u17 camps, whether or not they are good enough should be irrevelant. You want to be on the team you do what everyone else does, ID then Camp, no skipping steps, even if you happen to have a very sociable and liked coach. (something I've seen alot of)

As far as practical selection, especially in regards to this years selection, I know some athletes were exempt from erg testing at camp and that can for sure affect selection of athletes for potentially the entire selection process (something to the effect of 3x750m, a selection favorite, can take days to recover if not prepared for properly or not recovered from properly and therefore could affect athletes negatively...)

The fact that some athletes were exempt from something other athletes had completed, especially something to the effect of an erg test at maximal, shows an uneven standard in regards to selection. If you can't erg for any reason, why are you in consideration for representation of our nation internationally, and if the coach is allowing you to skip a selection procedure, that is unacceptable and shows biased in a selection enviroment.

Also something that irked me was the seemingly random invite and demotion of athletes. Having athletes show up at selection a week after selection had officially started, after families had shelled thousands of dollars to attend and get to the location on time. Another thing that irked me is the transparency of the coaching staff in regard to the athletes.Thinking you are going to get seat raced one day to see where you stand, to then being told you are being sent to Oregon (HP) that night is not a train of thought an athlete should have, let alone multiple, in either direction up or down. I believe if you're at selection, the coaching staff needs to be transparent with you as an athlete. If you are one of the 51 selected athletes, knowing where you stand is very important, and knowing what to fix is even more of a priority, and the coaching staff not being transparent about what to fix, how to fix it, or just being apathetic to an athletes who wants to better themselves should not be a practice observed at the national team level, even if the athlete is not going to make a selected boat, he went to the Selection camp to be coached by the "best in the country" and even the 51st athlete should have some positive experience in regards to the coaching staff, and should be able to take something away form the camp.

Let me re-iterate the Selection camp is not for development, but for selection, and should be handled as such. I'm not advocating that the head coach needs to spend an alloted amount of time with an athlete, but you can change an athletes mindset in a sentence, and I think the supposed best coach USRowing can pay should be able to find a sentence to tell the group that everyone can grab something from to make themselves better as people and athletes.

The lack of smaller boat work in the beginning weeks is more subjective then objective but I believe a 4s matrix (for sweep and a 2x matrix for doubles) at the outset of camp could work wonders for establishing a rhythm and vision for what the camp wants out of athletes, what the camp is about (selection), and would give the athletes more then deciphering lineups posted the night after a row to figure where they are at in the system.

As far as admin I believe USRowing really needs to buckle down on a vision of stroke they want and tell coaches at the junior level what THEY want. If they are serious about sending athletes through the pipeline from u17 to Olympics, they need a vision, something they do not have, and if they do, they do not share it with many, including coaches actively sending athletes to the selection camp. If I as a coach want to churn out selection athletes, at this point their just going to erg for a long time because selection to me this year seemed more a power contest then boat movability.

Where are the Belen and lightweight athletes throwing down consistent 6 minute times in an 8, one of them has to be eligible and I'm sure they'd crush some kids invited right now. There are true lightweights throwing down times that are eligible for USJNT being invited to HP as a gesture, then going and beating some 'selected' athletes for the CanAmMex quad 40 pounds lighter and 20 seconds slower on 2k. Why is that something like that able to happen. We spend so much money on selection camps to have an athlete who almost didn't even attend the HP camp for worries of it becoming unproductive making a CanAmMex boat and more importantly beating a previously selected athlete.

I think there is a vast gap in what is considered fast, and recognition of whom has the ability of making a selected boat faster. As it stands a ~6:30 lightweight with a nationals medal will not make the camp opposed to a random kid from a random program with no rowing experience who has a 6:20.

A 200lb 6:10 novice will make the selection camp over a veteran 175lb 6:24 with international club experience and results. That shouldn't happen except in extreme cases.

My biggest problem as stated through a consistent theme is the inability of USRowing to be transparent. If I was told standards of technical ability, it would make things easier to assess in my own club, whether an athlete should firstly attend I.D. camp, and secondly attend a selection or HP camp once through the gauntlet of Identification. I have heard the HP camp was completely unproductive. I as a coach shouldn't be worried about the US NATIONAL TEAM CAMPS being unproductive for athletes. That is one of the most ridiculous things I've heard, and it really boils down to USRowing, not setting standards to attend in regards to rowing style and ability.

USRowing should have a standardized stroke. Not a token stroke, a standard one that they follow and practice, I sure would teach it at the junior level if bottom to top that was the same stroke used, however the fickle nature of USRowing leads coaches to more or less figure it out on their own and coach to the best interest of their club, leading to a variety of strokes that make half the selection camp just meshing styles, meaning those not in the know of what that years coaches' styles are, leads to an athlete who could have made contributions to the team but instead would be sent down or disregarded as 'too slow for selection'

I could go on for ages with my gripes with the way the system is worked, but honestly my "quick fix" for ID and selection... the Monday after nationals, or two days before TT, at the same location, hold a pair/single matrix, open to all entrants. top 16 sweep pairs and top 12 scullers get invited to selection camp. How much more transparent could you get as far as who gets invited to selection. If people don't want to race their athletes beforehand, then the USNT shouldn't be upset they aren't racing the matrix, if athletes don't want to race that much, maybe they aren't commited enough to go to the camp for the summer. Just my one cent."

I don't agree with it all but some good words in this post

[completeIgnorance]

A couple things direct and indirect from both an admin standpoint, conflict of interest standpoint, and practical selection standpoint. Let me preface this by saying that this is personal opinion, and more an institutional gripe then a "this year" gripe. I don't like the way USRowing does any selection at any level, but the junior level in my eyes is especially bad.

The most concerning thing to me is the conflict of interest having a junior coach, coaching the selection camp, either coaching a boat, or running the entire selection process. I understand that the only way to avoid any of this is to have a dedicated coach for and exclusively for the Junior National Team full time, which USRowing has as a non-existent factor in making USRowing great again, however having a coach that actively runs a program eligible to send athletes coach boats at the junior team seems like a conflict to me. (I'm not knocking Liz, Casey, or any of the double HS/JNT coaches in any years 16/17 season or prior)

However I feel the admin of having 5 rowers and 1 coxswain from the same team (only 3/5 rowers even racing at youth nationals iirc) making the camp, is a bit much, especially a team that is getting 3rd in the Varsity 8 while arguably Newport and Oakland should have more spots considering their faster boats consistently. I know Newport and Oakland had many seniors in their top boat, but they arguably have more depth of speed in their clubs (Both Newport and Oakland having their 3rd eights going sub 6:10, and their JV 8s within 10 seconds of the 1 and 2 national champions, comparable to top of B final crews if entered)

I believe the I.D. process is dated as well. their should be a trial system in place for selecting crews at ID camps beyond a simple 2k, a pairs and singles matrix would go hand in hand with the 2k as to see objective boat movability in relation to their 2k. Not just going on the water and seeing who is not a complete brick. Being to a couple ID camps as an athlete and sending athletes to them, they seem very dated and almost universally based around 2k time and making sure the athlete possibly sent isn't a complete goof. I also take issue with athletes not attending ID camp but being invited to selection, HP, Dev, or u17 camps, whether or not they are good enough should be irrevelant. You want to be on the team you do what everyone else does, ID then Camp, no skipping steps, even if you happen to have a very sociable and liked coach. (something I've seen alot of)

As far as practical selection, especially in regards to this years selection, I know some athletes were exempt from erg testing at camp and that can for sure affect selection of athletes for potentially the entire selection process (something to the effect of 3x750m, a selection favorite, can take days to recover if not prepared for properly or not recovered from properly and therefore could affect athletes negatively...)

The fact that some athletes were exempt from something other athletes had completed, especially something to the effect of an erg test at maximal, shows an uneven standard in regards to selection. If you can't erg for any reason, why are you in consideration for representation of our nation internationally, and if the coach is allowing you to skip a selection procedure, that is unacceptable and shows biased in a selection enviroment.

Also something that irked me was the seemingly random invite and demotion of athletes. Having athletes show up at selection a week after selection had officially started, after families had shelled thousands of dollars to attend and get to the location on time. Another thing that irked me is the transparency of the coaching staff in regard to the athletes.Thinking you are going to get seat raced one day to see where you stand, to then being told you are being sent to Oregon (HP) that night is not a train of thought an athlete should have, let alone multiple, in either direction up or down. I believe if you're at selection, the coaching staff needs to be transparent with you as an athlete. If you are one of the 51 selected athletes, knowing where you stand is very important, and knowing what to fix is even more of a priority, and the coaching staff not being transparent about what to fix, how to fix it, or just being apathetic to an athletes who wants to better themselves should not be a practice observed at the national team level, even if the athlete is not going to make a selected boat, he went to the Selection camp to be coached by the "best in the country" and even the 51st athlete should have some positive experience in regards to the coaching staff, and should be able to take something away form the camp.

Let me re-iterate the Selection camp is not for development, but for selection, and should be handled as such. I'm not advocating that the head coach needs to spend an alloted amount of time with an athlete, but you can change an athletes mindset in a sentence, and I think the supposed best coach USRowing can pay should be able to find a sentence to tell the group that everyone can grab something from to make themselves better as people and athletes.

The lack of smaller boat work in the beginning weeks is more subjective then objective but I believe a 4s matrix (for sweep and a 2x matrix for doubles) at the outset of camp could work wonders for establishing a rhythm and vision for what the camp wants out of athletes, what the camp is about (selection), and would give the athletes more then deciphering lineups posted the night after a row to figure where they are at in the system.

As far as admin I believe USRowing really needs to buckle down on a vision of stroke they want and tell coaches at the junior level what THEY want. If they are serious about sending athletes through the pipeline from u17 to Olympics, they need a vision, something they do not have, and if they do, they do not share it with many, including coaches actively sending athletes to the selection camp. If I as a coach want to churn out selection athletes, at this point their just going to erg for a long time because selection to me this year seemed more a power contest then boat movability.

Where are the Belen and lightweight athletes throwing down consistent 6 minute times in an 8, one of them has to be eligible and I'm sure they'd crush some kids invited right now. There are true lightweights throwing down times that are eligible for USJNT being invited to HP as a gesture, then going and beating some 'selected' athletes for the CanAmMex quad 40 pounds lighter and 20 seconds slower on 2k. Why is that something like that able to happen. We spend so much money on selection camps to have an athlete who almost didn't even attend the HP camp for worries of it becoming unproductive making a CanAmMex boat and more importantly beating a previously selected athlete.

I think there is a vast gap in what is considered fast, and recognition of whom has the ability of making a selected boat faster. As it stands a ~6:30 lightweight with a nationals medal will not make the camp opposed to a random kid from a random program with no rowing experience who has a 6:20.

A 200lb 6:10 novice will make the selection camp over a veteran 175lb 6:24 with international club experience and results. That shouldn't happen except in extreme cases.

My biggest problem as stated through a consistent theme is the inability of USRowing to be transparent. If I was told standards of technical ability, it would make things easier to assess in my own club, whether an athlete should firstly attend I.D. camp, and secondly attend a selection or HP camp once through the gauntlet of Identification. I have heard the HP camp was completely unproductive. I as a coach shouldn't be worried about the US NATIONAL TEAM CAMPS being unproductive for athletes. That is one of the most ridiculous things I've heard, and it really boils down to USRowing, not setting standards to attend in regards to rowing style and ability.

USRowing should have a standardized stroke. Not a token stroke, a standard one that they follow and practice, I sure would teach it at the junior level if bottom to top that was the same stroke used, however the fickle nature of USRowing leads coaches to more or less figure it out on their own and coach to the best interest of their club, leading to a variety of strokes that make half the selection camp just meshing styles, meaning those not in the know of what that years coaches' styles are, leads to an athlete who could have made contributions to the team but instead would be sent down or disregarded as 'too slow for selection'

I could go on for ages with my gripes with the way the system is worked, but honestly my "quick fix" for ID and selection... the Monday after nationals, or two days before TT, at the same location, hold a pair/single matrix, open to all entrants. top 16 sweep pairs and top 12 scullers get invited to selection camp. How much more transparent could you get as far as who gets invited to selection. If people don't want to race their athletes beforehand, then the USNT shouldn't be upset they aren't racing the matrix, if athletes don't want to race that much, maybe they aren't commited enough to go to the camp for the summer. Just my one cent.

Viking GT, excellent post. Well thought out. And well put together. I will add my .02


I spent a long time responding only to delete it. There is simply so much BS/ignorance in your post I cannot take it.

Most of your points are supported by supposition and incorrect information.

If you have questions about your athlete or the process email or call. If anyone has a question email or call.

The staff wants to send the best athletes/boats to worlds to represent the USA! We can only do it if you let them participate. We cannot send an invite to someone that we do not know exists!

Casey Galvanek
usU19MensNT@gmail.com
941.961.8420

[VikingGT]

:

Viking GT, excellent post. Well thought out. And well put together. I will add my .02


I spent a long time responding only to delete it. There is simply so much BS/ignorance in your post I cannot take it.

Most of your points are supported by supposition and incorrect information.

If you have questions about your athlete or the process email or call. If anyone has a question email or call.

The staff wants to send the best athletes/boats to worlds to represent the USA! We can only do it if you let them participate. We cannot send an invite to someone that we do not know exists!

Casey Galvanek
usU19MensNT@gmail.com
941.961.8420

I'll take you up on that, I don't want to take away from what you're are trying to do and you are correct that a lot of my statement (probably 50%+) is supposition although I'm not pulling anything straight out of my a$$.

I'd love to talk about it further but don't want to get in your way at all so I'll email you about it.

I'm very happy and appreciative you're taking the initiative though to reach out to me when you can write me off as a random on an internet board.

[crewu]

I would prefer to see more junior coaches in place as junior national team coaches.

Recognize and reward the Nick Dantonis and Liz Tronds of our sport. Get the collegiate assistants out of it.

On a side note, doubling Clark Dean in the single and 4- guarantees neither boat will win. Amateur move.

I'm also curious as to what happened to Julia Cornacchia this year. Has she aged out or is she racing up at U23s?

[Ergsdontfloat]

I would prefer to see more junior coaches in place as junior national team coaches.

Recognize and reward the Nick Dantonis and Liz Tronds of our sport. Get the collegiate assistants out of it.

Dantoni is a great coach, no pretense in his style, hopefully he gets the call in the near future

[bulldog]

The men's selection seems a little suspect but we will see when the races go down the course.

What is "suspect" about it?

I don't agree with viking about the hypothetical big, inexperienced novice going 6:10. Yes we should get guys like that into the system, even at the expense of presently more polished boat movers. And btw teti and Gladstone will make the same call over an undersized gamer still sitting at 6:24 after 3+ years of rowing every day of the week.

However, I do agree with some parts - do I see 7(!) Slots on the roster allotted to Sarasota kids?!?! Seems a stretch considering they weren't even close to the best junior team in the nation. Even in their dynastic heydays, Oakland, saugatuck, and Connecticut never had so many selected.

[jeesh999]

Viking GT, excellent post. Well thought out. And well put together. I will add my .02


I spent a long time responding only to delete it. There is simply so much BS/ignorance in your post I cannot take it.

Most of your points are supported by supposition and incorrect information.

If you have questions about your athlete or the process email or call. If anyone has a question email or call.

The staff wants to send the best athletes/boats to worlds to represent the USA! We can only do it if you let them participate. We cannot send an invite to someone that we do not know exists!

Casey Galvanek
usU19MensNT@gmail.com
941.961.8420

Thumbs up on this. I'm excited for Jr Worlds and to see what these kids can do. I don't expect them to improve on the medal count but medal quality? Maybe. Naysayers should take a step back and look at the trajectory the team has been on over the last 4-5 years. They and the coaches are focused and motivated. They deserve our support. If you want to grouse and grumble about selection seems like it would be way smarter to wait until you see how the team performs.

[lightweightlion]

Our 4x got bronze last year and our 8 almost won it all. Let's wait and see how they do this year but a hella long post like above isnt really necessary based on last year's results.