Coaching & Rowing
From the boat to the boathouse — rowing has been a constant thread.
Titan Rowing
Since 2022, Sam coaches at Titan Rowing — the Alexandria City High School rowing program, part of Alexandria Crew Boosters (ACB). The program runs on the Potomac and includes boys and girls squads from 8th grade through high school, with novice through upper boat levels.
Sam's approach: take kids who may have never seen a shell and turn them into cohesive crews. The focus is on technique, rhythm, and mental toughness. He holds athletes to high standards because the lessons learned on the water serve them for life.
USRowing Level 1 Coaching Certification
Coaching Philosophy
Sam's coaching methodology is rooted in science, intentionality, and developing the whole athlete.
- Evidence-based training — Periodization, progressive overload, and technical precision.
- Macro/meso/micro periodization — Structured training cycles that build toward peak performance.
- Year-round technique development — Drill sessions and video review to refine stroke mechanics.
- Teaching the "why" — Fostering intrinsic motivation and self-awareness in athletes.
- Recovery, nutrition, mental preparation — Treated as essential pillars — not afterthoughts.
Technology in Coaching
Sam integrates technology to enhance — not replace — the human elements of coaching.
- GPS-based speed and stroke rate tracking on water
- Heart rate monitoring for training zone compliance
- Erg data analysis for indoor benchmarking
- ReadyAll.org — built specifically for athletes and coaches to share training data
Personal Rowing Journey
Woodbridge High School
Where it all started — first strokes, first races, first love of the sport.
Drexel University
Captained the Varsity Heavyweight 8. Learned what it means to lead from seat.
Vesper Boat Club
Trained with the Lightweight High Performance program on Boathouse Row.
Masters Rowing
Continued competing with Occoquan Boat Club and Alexandria Community Rowing.
Coach
Giving back to the sport — coaching the next generation at Titan Rowing.
Rowing is where Sam learned the discipline, resilience, and relentless drive he carries into his professional career. The early mornings, the soreness, the moments when you want to quit but your crew is counting on you — those lessons shaped everything.
“There's nothing like 5am glass on the Potomac.”
Before the world wakes up, the river is still. The oars catch, the shell glides, and everything else falls away. It's meditative. It's grounding. The Potomac at dawn is Sam's reset button — the place where clarity finds him.