Our Coaching Staff

---

Ava began rowing with Long Lake Rowing Crew (LLRC) in 2015 with the Juniors program. In high school, she competed across the Midwest and Ontario and won numerous medals at the NWIRA Championships, including rowing on the LLRC team that won the overall Juniors Cup in Kenora, Ontario. Ava also attended the prestigious Head of the Charles Regatta in Boston. She competed at the Midwest Regional Championships and advanced to the US Rowing Youth National Championships her senior year. Ava was LLRC’s inaugural captain on the Juniors team which highlighted the leadership and kindness she had been bringing to the team for many years. 

Ava was recruited to row for the University of Kansas (KU), a Division I program in the Big XII Conference. She developed as an athlete and coach under the leadership of accomplished coaches, Guillermo Lemus and Charles Sullivan. She consistently rowed in one of the top boats throughout her collegiate rowing career and graduated Spring 2022. Ava has been coaching for LLRC since 2020 and holds her US Rowing Level 2 Coaching Certification, as well as her Adaptive Rowing- Coaching Certification. We are so fortunate  to have Ava coaching with us again this summer for a 4th season!

In 2024  Ava will be coaching our Juniors program, our Masters evening program, and private lessons!

Nicholas has served as LLRC's head coach from its founding in 2014. He has been instrumental in guiding and directing our young club to a growing & successful community focused club. During these past 7 years, under Nicholas' coaching, LLRC has sent ten boats to the USRowing Youth National Championships, raced to four top-ten finishes at the Head of the Charles Regatta including one 1st place in the boys youth double, and graduated numerous seniors to varsity collegiate rowing teams.

In addition to his time at Long Lake, Nicholas served as the head coach of the University of St. Thomas Rowing Team, coaching three crews to the finals at the Dad Vail regatta and three to the finals in the club's first appearance at the ACRA Championships in 2016, and also coached at Hamilton College in upstate NY, for 3 collegiate seasons along with returning to LLRC to coach each summer. Coach Nicholas joined LLRC year round in 2018. 

Since learning to row in high school with the Burning River Crew and the Western Reserve Rowing Association of Cleveland, Ohio, he has rowed and coached with the Lawrence University Rowing Club in Appleton, Wisconsin, the Macquarie University Rowing Team in Sydney, Australia, and the Case Western Reserve Crew Club in Cleveland.

Coach Sandi has been coaching with Long Lake Rowing Cew since 2016. She brings

a wealth of knowledge and coaching experience to our club. Sandi is a fitness

specialist with a Master’s degree in Exercise Science and numerous specializations.

She is a US Rowing Level III certified coach. She has coached at the collegiate level at

the University of St. Thomas, University of Minnesota, and the University of

Cincinnati. Upon returning to Minnesota, she coached the competitive program at

the Minnesota Boat Club in St Paul.

Sandi McCarthy began her rowing career at the University of Iowa. There she

enjoyed numerous achievements including wins at Midwest Championships, Dad

Vails, Eastern Sprints and Collegiate Nationals. She continued rowing beyond

college with continued success and has medaled multiple times at The Head of the

Charles, US Elite Nationals, US Club Nationals, the US Olympic Festival and Canadian

Henley. Sandi also took some time away from Minnesota to train for the 1996 and

2000 Olympic Trials.

When not coaching, she is still training and competing with our adult members at

Long Lake. Her goal is to continue to improve her own rowing and coaching and to

race for as many years as she possibly can.

“There is something indescribable in the sport of rowing that only those who do it

well can experience. I am always excited to help those who persevere, find that

special experience.”

Ava Jaenchen is graduate from our LLRC Juniors program.  Her passion for rowing now continues in her coaching for LLRC!  Ava has a strong background in fitness and strength training. 

Ava is currently studying Graphic Design. 

Ava coaches for our Juniors, Masters as well as teaching private lessons. 

With over a decade of rowing experience, Laila has refined her skills through highly competitive participation during both high school and college. Growing up in New Jersey, she rowed on PNRA/Mercer, where she was honored to serve as captain of the women's team. Training in a boathouse shared with the national team and interacting with Olympians ignited her enduring passion for the sport early on. She was later recruited to row Division 1 in college at the George Washington University. 

Throughout her career, Laila has secured multiple Canadian Henley Golds, achieved 2nd place finishes at the Head Of The Charles Regatta (HOCR) and the San Diego Crew Classic, and consistently placed in the top three at the Atlantic 10 Conference (A-10s). 

Laila graduated with a BS in Exercise Physiology,   having a strong focus on rowing biomechanics, and injury prevention,  

Her senior capstoneproject focused on 

ESSENTIALS OFLONGEVITY IN

ROWING, emphasizing the importance of injury prevention to ensure longevity and excellence in rowing. 

Laila will be primarily coaching our morning masters group, teaching private lessons, and helping out with other coaching areas when needed! 

Katie came from a rowing family, and began racing indoors and on the water in both high school (NAC) and college (LMU) on the west coast. As a competitive athlete, both young and "old" has brought Katie to all of the top regattas across the country, from San Diego's Crew Classic in the spring, to Head of the Charles in the fall. As a USRowing Level II coach, and one of a select few of Concept2 Master Rowing Instructors, Katie continues to bring her love of the sport (both on and off the water) to a wide range of athletes across the country, typically on a consultative basis. As a small business owner, she has worked with athletes from youth through seniors, and has a particular passion for bringing the sport to special populations and the rehab/recovery demographic.