Coaching Team

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Head Coach

Coach Julian joined us in the of Fall 2018 from Montclair Rowing where he coached for eight years as the sole boys team assistant prior to joining DC NRC.  Coach Julian brings a vast array of rowing experience to DC NRC. He started as a coxswain at an early age, was a high school sculler, and rowed competitively for the University of Michigan.  He has been coaching professionally since 2007. His coaching highlights include leading Montclair's Boys Varsity Eight in undefeated scholastic seasons in 2017 and 2018 as well as winning consecutive Stotesbury and SRAA gold medals. In 2018, every varsity and junior varsity boy won a medal at Stotesbury.  He has coached 5 athletes which have been selected to the USA Junior National team. In 2018 he coached the first scholastic crew to medal at Youth Nationals in the Boys Varsity Eight since 2011. In 2017 and 2018 all of his athletes won medals at the NJ State Championships. In addition, over the years athletes he has trained have been recruited to six of eight Ivy League Schools as well as the University of California-Berkeley and the University of Washington.

Assistant Coach

Coach Maxim, an alumni of our club, joined Churchill Crew his freshman year and watched over its transformation into Montgomery Boat Club. A four year varsity coxswain and two year captain, Maxim led the club to some of its greatest achievements, including a club best at the Head of the Charles. Following his high school career, Maxim continued on Georgetown where he ultimately earned his spot in the Heavyweight varsity eight and led the team to a record finish at the IRA National Championship. Maxim has also competed internationally, representing the United States at the Masters Worlds Championship in Budapest, Hungary. Having gone bow-ball to bow-ball with some of the world’s fastest boats, Maxim knows what it takes to build a championship crew.  

Middle School Coach

Sarah started rowing at LaLumiere high school in 2014 as a sculler competing in the 1x, 2x, and 4x events. Sarah also attended Ready Set Row, a month-long development camp for junior female athletes to learn how to sweep in 2016 in preparation for college. During her high school experience, Sarah qualified for the SRAA National Championship Regatta her sophomore through senior year and competed twice. Sarah also competed in the club national championship with Ready Set Row in 2016. Sarah then went on to attend Purdue University for her bachelor's degree in nutrition science and rowed for Purdue Crew. By Sarah's sophomore year, she was in the stroke seat in the women's first 8 and her boat was ranked first at the ACRA National Championship Regatta later that year. Sarah spent her senior year at Purdue helping her team and preparing for a career as a rowing coach.

Assistant Coach

Norah Fennelly, who joined the club in the fall of 2022 started rowing for Florida State University’s Club Rowing team in 2018. She competed at the American Collegiate Rowing Association National championship in 2019, placing 7th in the Women’s Varsity 4. In the spring of 2022 she placed 2nd in the Southeast region in women’s varsity 4+ and went on to finish 4th at ACRA in the same boat class. Throughout college she held the Secretary, Public Relations, Vice President and President roles for the club.

She started coaching for Capital City Rowing in 2020 as the Women’s assistant coach and stayed with the program for two years, coaching two novice classes. She finished her time with Capital City coaching a 2V4+ to silver at the Florida state championship, and a U174+ to a bronze medal finish at Southeast regionals and a Youth Nationals bid.

Assistant Coach

Coach Chris joined DCNRC in the spring of 2023. He is the Science Department Chair and science teacher at Landon School and has been wanting to bring crew to Landon ever since he started working there 4 years ago. This spring marked the beginning of what will hopefully be a long and wonderful relationship between DCNRC and Landon. 

Chris also coaches Landon’s Varsity swim and dive team, as well as their JV Water Polo team. He graduated from Johns Hopkins University, where he was part of their swim and crew teams and rowed for four years participating in the Dad Vail and Head of the Charles regattas. He later joined Alexandria Rowing Club where he again attended the Head of the Charles. Chris is excited to be getting back into the rowing scene and is looking forward to working with the wonderful coaches of DCNRC and the entire team. 

Middle School Coach

Jackie joined DCNRC in Fall 2023. She started rowing in 2020 at Washington State University while pursuing a degree in Human Development. In 2022, her boat won the Western Intercollegiate Championship women’s varsity 4 D2/D3/Club. At the 2022 American Collegiate Rowing Championships, Jackie was selected to be on the West Coast All Regional American Team. Jackie also has extensive experience working with government agencies and nonprofit organizations promoting youth engagement and healthy living.