2024 Coach of the Year: Casey Galvanek

Casey Galvanek is the 2024 Rowing News Coach of the Year.

As the only coach to guide a U.S. crew—the men’s four—to Olympic gold—the first in the event since 1960, and the first gold for the U.S. men since 2004, Galvanek is an easy choice.

But we’re recognizing him for more than just what he achieved in Paris, winning at the pinnacle of our sport. He’s also been the leading figure, the true president, of Sarasota Crew, one of the top junior programs in the world in one of the most important rowing cities on Earth.

Since the inception of Sarasota Crew and the development of Nathan Benderson Park around the turn of the century, Galvanek has been at the forefront—as well as behind the scenes—of the great American rowing success story that is Sarasota, Florida.

“The community down here has been incredible,” said Galvanek. “It’s pretty impressive, the [additional] projects they are looking to do.”

Galvanek has been a central figure also in the success of the U.S. U19 national-team system, including developing many of the men who won medals, in both the four and eight (bronze), at the Olympics.

He coached the U.S. women’s lightweight double of Michelle Sechser and Molly Reckford for the Tokyo Olympics, when the boat was selected by trials. After that, “I got to coach a lot of different groups of athletes, which was exciting,” Galvanek said.

He developed a strong working relationship with U.S. National Team boss Josy Verdonkschot, who holds Galvanek in high regard, calling him “open-minded, loyal, and a team player,” and entrusting him to select both the men’s four and eight, the only two U.S. Olympic crews to win medals in Paris.

“I was still working with the juniors this whole time, too,” said Galvanek.

The bowman of the four, Nick Mead, made a point of recognizing Galvanek when the crew came off the water after winning Olympic gold.

“We four had the competitiveness and the willpower to do whatever it takes. But we didn’t necessarily know what that is. And he came in and guided us through the steps we needed to do.”

It wasn’t all medals and love at the beginning of working with the four in 2023, though.

“That was a little rocky,” recalled Galvanek, who joined a European training camp a couple of days late because of commitments to Sarasota Crew. “I was just making jokes, and the guys didn’t like it too much.

“It’s kind of funny, that was a big pushback against me from a lot of people,” Galvanek said. “And they were very vocal about it, too.”

“Josy just said, ‘Give it some time,’ and it ended up working out by the end of the summer—crossing the chasm of trust.”

That trust was rewarded when the summer ended with the four winning a silver medal at the 2023 World Rowing Championships. A consistent joke since then has been the crew’s calling him “just a high-school coach.”

“He’s very hands-on, and also very organized. He’s very much into detail,” said Verdonkschot, who has watched Galvanek develop through coaching a wide range of athletes successfully. “More tools in his toolbox.”

“I agree wholeheartedly,” Galvanek said. “Youth coaches are having to teach an unbelievably wide spectrum of skill. Some of the best coaches in America are junior coaches.”

He credits coaching education and being able to ask coaches like Mike Teti and Tim McLaren about how they explain the stroke for maturing his apprehension of the rowing stroke.

“I remember sitting in one of his presentations at the USRowing convention that helped me determine my technical image, how I present things. Every time I’d go to one of those conventions, Jim Joy’s or Chris Chase’s things, I always had great speakers. Those conventions are incredibly important.”

Galvanek attributes his coaching success also to “always trying to squeeze another bit out—those ‘little things’ are important.”

His advice for young coaches:

“Be patient. Learn every opportunity you have. Coaching education is not a joke; it’s very important to get in front of as many experienced coaches as possible, because you’re going to learn something if you’re open-minded.”

When this issue went to press, Galvanek and USRowing were working out the final details for his continuing to coach through LA2028, and he has no intentions of letting up.

“Most likely, you’re going to have to improve to win another gold medal,” Galvanek said. “I hope the athletes understand that the coaches are looking out for their best interest. And if they don’t improve—squeeze out another fraction of a second—they might not get a gold again.”

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