ROW COACHES

COLIN DARNTON, HEAD COACH

Colin’s rowing resume includes four years as a varsity crew member at the University of Michigan and a strong high school career with notable performances at regional and national championships. His love of the sport soon brought him to coaching,and he leads the Northwestern University Men’s & Women’s teams in addition to his role at ROW.

As Head Coach, Colin develops team training plans for water and indoor rowing and leads the ROW coaching staff in teaching rowing technique and conducting safe practices for both Novice and Masters team members. Colin says rowing has taught him how to tackle challenges by acting with intention and consistency. He hopes to instill in his ROW athletes a desire to row well, and is confident that every woman on the team is capable of becoming proficient in the technical aspects of the sport.

CERTIFICATIONS:

• First Aid/AED/CPR

• SafeSport Trained

• NASBLA Boater Safety Certified

MIA INMAN

Mia was originally introduced to rowing in high school through an ERG at her parent’s gym. She walked on to the Michigan State University Women’s Rowing team where she rowed her way through every racing boat from the 4N8 to the 1V8.

She comes to ROW after 3 years coaching high schoolers out of Eleanor Boathouse. Mia loves the mindfulness and intentionality that rowing requires and enjoys sharing this with her athletes. When she is not coaching, she is working as a High School Bridge Counselor for Chicago Jesuit Academy.

CERTIFICATIONS:

• First Aid/AED/CPR

• SafeSport Trained

• NASBLA Boater Safety Certified

KIERSTIN TOTH

Kierstin first heard about rowing on a campus tour of North Park University and knew she had to try it. Joining the rowing team as a walk-on her freshman year of college, Kierstin quickly fell in love with the sport and took a leadership role on the team. In 2019, she was introduced to ROW, and the rest is history! At ROW, you can find Kierstin in the coaches’ launch, coxswain seat, or anywhere in between! Kierstin’s favorite thing about ROW is coxing the Chicago River Half Marathon regatta, and watching the crew achieve an awesome goal!

CERTIFICATIONS:

• First Aid/AED/CPR

• SafeSport Trained

• NASBLA Boater Safety Certified

ANN MIKULECKY

Ann is both a volunteer coxswain and member of the ROW Associate Board. Becoming involved with ROW was her first experience with rowing; she had been a pole vaulter throughout high school and college. Ann wanted to find a way to stay involved with organized sports closer to home after COVID halted her track and field coaching in the suburbs, so she attended some ROW practices and events and fell in love with the sport, the team, and its mission. Sport truly brings people together and strengthens athletes both physically and emotionally. Her favorite part about being involved with ROW is the diversity of the team. “Everyone brings such a different perspective and experience to the sport and the team is so supportive and encouraging of each other.”

CERTIFICATIONS:

• First Aid/AED/CPR

• SafeSport Trained

• NASBLA Boater Safety Certified

RANIA HAMMAMI

Rania Hammami was born and raised in Tunisia, North Africa. She attended Bryn Mawr college and joined the Novice rowing team as a freshman. “Once I got into a boat, she never got out. I enjoyed the unity and sense of community that rowing offers, as the goal is not to stand out, but to blend in. It allowed me to focus on my performance for the greater good of the team, from all the way out in my ‘forever bow’ seat! I enjoy sweep rowing more than sculling, and really enjoy rowing a four when it is going super fast.”

Rania studied biochemistry and molecular biology and is currently working on her EMT certification. She enjoys coaching for ROW as it allows her to continue her involvement in the sport and share the knowledge she gained from four years of rowing competitively. “I am proud to be a part of the organization as I believe in the mission, and I’m looking forward to coaching for many seasons to come!”

CERTIFICATIONS:

• First Aid/AED/CPR

• SafeSport Trained

• NASBLA Boater Safety Certified

LEANNA BLANCHARD

Leanna has been a breast cancer survivor and member of ROW since 2018. Before discovering the sport of rowing, she had competed in gymnastics and running and performed as a modern dancer and violinist. She is also a licensed physical therapist, and brings her strong and unique background in human movement, passion for improving the lives of cancer survivors, and enthusiasm for lifting up her peers to her role as a coach. She enjoys every seat in the boat and believes that the principles of rowing are truly a metaphor for life.

CERTIFICATIONS:

• First Aid/AED/CPR

• SafeSport Trained

• Concept2 Indoor Rowing Coach

• NASBLA Boater Safety Certified

• USRowing Level 2 Certified Coach

JENNIFER LOCKBAUM

Jennifer came to ROW in 2018 as a breast cancer survivor and, though she had never rowed before, she fell unexpectedly in love with the sport and the team. She now believes that it is her duty to impart her love for rowing to others and take an active role in making sure her teammates row safely and have fun. It then comes as no surprise that when she was invited to earn her certification to coach on the ergs, she immediately advanced on the opportunity. Always one for a party, when she isn’t on the water herself, Jennifer is somewhere nearby rooting for her teammates. Outside of rowing, she received her B.A. from the University of Wisconsin at Madison, and she currently works in finance for Mesirow Financial.

CERTIFICATIONS:

• First Aid/AED/CPR

• SafeSport Trained

• Concept2 Indoor Rowing Coach

CHRISTINA McCLINTOCK

After joining their team as a walk-on, Christina rowed for four years with the Radcliffe Heavyweight Crew at Harvard College. A lifelong bow seat, she competed in the NCAA championships twice, helped the first varsity eight win its first "Case Cup" in eight years, and won the team's "Most Inspirational Award." Christina moved to Chicago for law school and initially became acquainted with ROW through environmental advocacy work through the Abrams Environmental Law Clinic at the University of Chicago Law School. She is currently a Staff Law Clerk at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit and is pursuing a public interest law career.  Outside rowing and law, Christina enjoys running, bouldering, basketball, and reading, and she also volunteers as a mentor and in animal rescue. She is an avid believer in the power of exercise, time spent outdoors, and the camaraderie of team sports, and is committed to leveraging those beliefs in her role as a ROW coach.

CERTIFICATIONS:

• First Aid/AED/CPR

• SafeSport Trained

• Concept2 Indoor Rowing Coach

• NASBLA Boater Safety Certified

DANIELLE REED-HUDSON

At 15, Danielle began rowing at Halifax Rowing Association in Daytona Beach, and she then rowed all four years at Stetson University, where she was part of the Florida school’s first boat to ever medal at Dad Vails in 2009. Following graduation, Danielle pursued rowing with Penn AC in Pennsylvania, where they were rebuilding a women’s program; at Embry Riddle University in Florida as a coach; and then in Asheville, where she rowed recreationally while pursuing other aspects of her career. In 2015 Danielle moved to Chicago and began rowing for Lincoln Park Boat Club, but a medical issue pushed her toward coaching; she has since coached various programs with LPBC, coached the St. Ignatius novice girls’ team from 2016-2018, and in 2020 she joined ROW.  Danielle is committed to making this sport accessible to a broader, more diverse group of athletes. She credits rowing with transforming her from an uncoordinated kid into an athlete and overall more confident human being and for pulling her out of her darkest moments. It is an incredible passion that she brings to the women of ROW!

CERTIFICATIONS:

• First Aid/AED/CPR

• SafeSport Trained

• NASBLA Boater Safety Certified

KAREN RICE-HEIDEWALD

Karen joined ROW in 2016 after having seen the team on a local news broadcast the prior year. Raised on the West Coast, Karen has always loved the water, and she viewed ROW as an opportunity to get back to the water on a regular basis. At the same time, Karen had never been athletic and thought she would be intimidated by the team’s athletes. But her fears were for naught. Karen soon fell in love with the team and, in short order, found her inner athlete, too. When the opportunity emerged to obtain her indoor rowing certification and become a coach, Karen knew this was a way to give back to the team that had given her so much. She believes her perspective coming from a non-competitive background helps when working with new members who are also new to team sport.

CERTIFICATIONS:

• First Aid/AED/CPR

• SafeSport Trained

• Concept2 Indoor Rowing Coach