Coach Tim Jacobs - Head Coach, Men and Women Coach Mike "Puddle" Antuma - Head Coach, Varsity Women He has been rowing since the 1999 – 2000 school year. Coach Puddle/Mike is a graduate of the Rockford Crew team rowing both in the lightweight and heavyweight categories. This is where he got his nickname, Puddle. The nickname is a rowing term referring to the ripple/splash created by the oar when pulling it through the water. As a freshman he was very motivated as a 125lb student to out pull his teammates. Out of this his teammates gave him his nickname, which he still uses today. He is a level 2 certified US Rowing Association coach. He has been coaching since 2005 for both the men’s and women’s teams. Coach Puddle/Mike graduated from GVSU with a bachelor’s of science degree in Physical Education and Spanish. In college, Coach Puddle/Mike participated in GVSU’s rowing program. He also works at Blythefield Hills Baptist Church. To find out more information about him or his church, feel free to go to the website bhbconline.org or contact him personally. He has a huge passion for rowing, to care for the youth of the Rockford area, and is excited to be a part of the team again. Coach Tim Vallier - Head Coach, Varsity Men Coach Rob Johnson - Assistant Coach, Varsity Women Rob has been involved with Rockford rowing since his brother joined the team its inaugural year. Rob rowed with the club 1998-2001, and is amazed how the team has grown to the varsity level it is today. He was fortunate enough to be able to continue rowing at Grand Valley State University where he got a degree in Therapeutic Recreation. College rowing was a whole new level of the sport he thought he was so familiar with. Rowing for Grand Valley 2001-2005 gave him many opportunities to further his love of rowing. He coached intramural rowing, served on the student board, and took a rowing coaching theory class.
Rob has been helping out with the Rockford team for several years. He's coached on the varsity men's squad, but is currently helping with the varsity women. He is a Certified Lifeguard, Wilderness First Responder, as well as certified in CPR and First Aid. He also has attained Level II Rowing Coaching Certification. Rowing has allowed him to travel all over the U.S., Canada, and even to Europe. It has opened many doors for him, but it all started here at Rockford with a decision to go out for a sport he was initially unsure about. Coach Eric Bennett - Head Coach, Novice Men and Women aka Grampa Crew - Learned to row at Washington-Lee HS in Arlington, Va. in 1957 (when only men rowed) under Coach Charlie Butts. The shells and oars in those days were all wood. The crews he rowed with were National Scholastic Champions for the 3 years he rowed in high school. He was selected to be part of the high school's crew team that competed in the Henley Royal Regatta in Henley, England in 1960. The night he graduated from high school he left for New York City to board the original Queen Mary. He traveled in second class and had the shell that was used in England as excess baggage which gave him the freedom to go into the crew's area where the shell hung from the ceiling. As a second class passenger he could also go into first class.
When Eric retired in 2006 he contacted Rick Anderson about volunteering and started doing repairs and other odd jobs as well as filling in when needed as a coach. He enjoyed coaching so much he expressed an interest in coaching full time and was hired the next year and also does much of the repair work and other odd jobs for the crew. He is also a regular in the Freshman Center gym classes each tri-mester exposing the freshmen to rowing history and the ergs. |
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 Fear the Ram! 27days until  
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