USRowing Launching New Masters Coaching Course; Register Now at the Pre-Launch Discounted Rate

USRowing is pleased to announce the addition of a Masters' Coaching Course to its learning and development offerings.

Masters rowers are one of the fastest growing groups of athletes, and they are rowing later and later into their lives. In order to successfully coach this group, coaches and administrators need to be flexible and adaptable to cover the needs of athletes that range in age from 21 to over 100 years old.

Aging athletes present a very different challenge for coaches in terms of physiology, biomechanics, and how a masters' ability to train regularly is affected by their life and work responsibilities. The aim of this course, which launches on Monday, June 26, is to give coaches the skills necessary to adapt to all types of masters athletes and the unique challenges this group represents.

This course is self-paced and hosted entirely online via Thinkific. USRowing strongly recommends completing Level 2 certification prior to taking this course, as much of the knowledge builds on what is taught in Level 2.

Pre-registration for the course will be offered at a discounted rate of $175 (regularly $250) through June 25 and is available through the USRowing member portal.

This course was written by Marlene Royle and Rebecca Caroe, founders of Faster Masters – a resource completely dedicated to the masters athletes. They believe that rowing is a "sport for life." As long as clubs, federations, and coaches know how to work with older athletes, masters can row with "adaptations" for as long as they choose. Showcasing adaptations is part of their innovation; finding solutions to challenges is part of their thinking; and overcoming structural impediments is part of their lobbying. Alongside, Faster Masters offers educational webinars and training programs for masters, coaches, and club boards.

Marlene Royle was among the first coaches dedicated to masters rowing. Royle's coaching career began in 1982, and she currently coaches masters on the water at Aviron Knowlton Rowing, Craftsbury Sculling Center, and Lemon Bay Crew Club. She founded Roylerow Performance Training Programs, the first online coaching service for rowing, in 1999 to coach masters with customized rowing training programs. Royle's coaching has produced a steady stream of World Rowing masters champions, U.S. and Canadian masters national champions, and Head of the Charles masters rowing winners.

Rebecca Caroe has coached athletes from age 10 to over 70 years old and enjoys helping masters rowers understand how a boat moves and ways to make it go faster. BBC News invited Caroe into its studio as the "Studio Expert" during the London 2012 Olympic Games. She lends her commentary services to local regattas in New Zealand and is part of the Henley Royal Regatta YouTube commentary team. Caroe rows at North Shore Rowing Club in Auckland, New Zealand, where she practices with a growing group of masters rowers.