Coaches

Chris Ives

Head Masters Coach

Chris@pcrarowing.com

Chris started rowing in 1975 and began rowing competitively at UMass in 1978 winning Dad Vail Championship (Division II National Championship). In 1983 and 1984 he earned back to back invitations to the U.S. National Team training camps. His experience in the selection camps provided invaluable coaching as well as the opportunity to row with some of the top American rowers of the time. Despite missing out on the 1984 Olympics, Chris continued to row with former National Team members in NYC as a member of several Power Ten crews. In 1988 he competed in the 2x Olympic Trials with Jim McGowan of the New York Athletic Club. Chris has since then competed in innumerable masters regattas, winning medals at the US Masters Nationals, FISA World Masters, Head of the Charles, Head of the Schuylkill, San Diego Crew Classic, and the Canadian Henley. 

In 1995 Chris launched indoor rowing classes at the West Side YMCA in NYC and went on to represent and present the class for Concept 2 at fitness conventions throughout North America and Europe until 2000. From 2000-present Chris has taught indoor classes and coached at Saugatuck RA, Sarah Lawrence College, Greenwich Water Club, and EngineRm Indoor Rowing. 

Reid Johnson

Director of Youth Rowing, Head Boys Coach

Reid@pcrarowing.com

Reid joined PCRA after serving as an Assistant Men’s Heavyweight Coach at Princeton University from 2015-2017. During this time, the Tigers were Rowe Cup Champions at Eastern Sprints in 2016 and all heavyweight athletes medaled at the 2016 IRA National Championships. Prior to his tenure at Princeton, he was the Novice Boys Coach at Saugatuck Rowing Club in Westport, CT. There he led the team, racing as the Second Varsity 8+, to a gold medal at the Northeast Regional Championships in 2015. Many from that program went on to have highly successful high school and collegiate rowing careers and an athlete continued on to the highest level of the sport, winning medals at 3 consecutive Junior World Championships representing the United States.

Since his arrival in the summer of 2017, the Boys program has become a highly formidable and competitive outfit. The programs success has been marked by team speed and depth, with crews at all levels of the Varsity and Novice teams coming away with medals at the New York State Championships, Mercer Sprints, the Philadelphia Youth Regatta, the Independence Day Regatta, Head of the Riverfront and many others.

Recently the team has had significant success at some of the most prestigious events in the United States. In the Summer of 2022 the Boys Varsity 4+ earned a Bronze Medal at the USRowing Summer National Championships in Oak Ridge, Tennessee and that Fall, the Boys Varsity 8 set a program record by finishing 11th at the Head of the Charles in Boston. That was followed up by the teams first ever appearance in the A Final at the 2023 USRowing Youth National Championships in Sarasota, FL where the Boys Varsity 8 finished 8th and a Silver Medal in the Varsity 4+ at the USRowing Summer National Championships in Ohio.

Athletes from the program have been invited to the U19 USRowing Selection Camp and have gone on to row at various collegiate programs such as Princeton University, Yale University, University of Pennsylvania, Dartmouth College, University of Washington, Boston University, Cornell University, Holy Cross, Wesleyan University and Tufts University.

Originally from Darien, CT, Johnson rowed in high school at the Salisbury School and then continued on to compete at Hobart College in Geneva, NY. There he served as a Team Captain, was a member of the Student Athletic Advisory Council, won multiple Liberty League and New York State Championships, and finished in the Top 10 in the Collegiate 8+ at the Head of the Charles. He graduated in 2013, earning a degree in History.

Brittany Quirino

Head Development Coach

Brittany@pcrarowing.com

Brittany joined the PCRA coaching staff in early Spring of 2019 as one of the assistant coaches of the Development Team. Brittany graduated in 2017 from Iona College where she rowed for 4 years competing in the Division 1 MAAC conference. While at Iona, Brittany raced as a member of both the Varsity 8+ and Varsity 4+ throughout her career. She served as team captain and SAAC Chair (Student Athlete Advisory Committee) for three years. Her duties included getting her team involved in philanthropy outside of athletics to grow the community sense at Iona College. Before Iona Brittany rowed varsity for four years at Bay Shore High School. There she was team captain for three years and competed in 3 SRAA National Championships 2011-2013. During those years, she and her boat placed at the NYS Championship in Saratoga Springs, NY, including one 1st place overall finish.

Thomas Marth

Head Novice Coach, Assistant Varsity Boys Coach

Tom@pcrarowing.com

Thomas began rowing in high school at Fordham Prep where he rowed in the varsity eight and then moved on to Bucknell University where he sat in the stroke seat for the varsity eight. After college he competed for the New York Athletic Club, winning two club national titles. During Thomas' time at PCRA he's helped coach the lower varsity group to various medals while assisting with the development of novice level rowers in becoming varsity team members.

Leah Cesarini

Assistant Administrator

Leah@pcrarowing.com

Leah Cesarini joins PCRA as our new assistant administrator. Leah is an experienced manager with a passion for athletics and fitness. Leah competed on many athletic teams throughout high school. After graduating from Mercy College, Leah coached varsity cheerleading for Eastchester High School while managing event planning. Leah continues to enjoy time spent on the water and ride-alongs with our coaches to perfect her rowing skills.