Coaches

Men's Head Coach – Brett Rini

My rowing career started in 1994 when I joined Langley Crew because I was a little chubby, and wanted to try something new. Once I stepped in a boat, I was instantly hooked to the sport of rowing. Most of my first year was spent at 7 seat on the Freshman Boys 8 under the guidance of Coach Sean Parker. Over the summer, I learned how to scull and pulled my first 2000m erg test at 8:34. The following spring, after rowing part of the season in the JV Men’s 8, Coach Rob Ittig decided to put me in 3 seat in the Varsity Men’s 8. At the end of the year, I was given the Most Improved Rower Award and was appointed Captain for my junior year. My junior and senior years were spent in 7 seat in the Varsity Men’s 8. Over the course of my senior year, I trained and tested for the Junior National Team. At the end of the season, I pulled a 2000m erg test of 6:34.7 which was almost fast enough to get invited to the camp (6:30 was the cutoff). At the end of my senior year, I was given the Men’s Coaches Award (now the MVP award). I was also nominated for the All-Met team, and I received an Honorable Mention.

After graduating from Langley, I decided to attend Virginia Tech. I joined the crew team, and my boat won their race at the Bill Braxton Regatta in Philadelphia. After the Mid-Atlantic Erg Sprints, I earned a seat in the Varsity Heavyweight Men’s 8 under Coach Dave Shuster. The following season, I rowed 7 seat in the V8, and my boat won the Head of the Tennessee. I started my junior year in 2 seat, but after a couple weeks, my coach put me in stroke where I remained for my final four seasons at Virginia Tech. My junior year was the first year that I broke 6:30 on my 2K when I pulled a 6:26.8 at Erg Sprints. At the end of my junior year, I was given the Varsity Male Athlete of the Year by my coach and the Outstanding Team Member Award by my teammates. I also served as Treasurer of the team for my junior and senior years. My senior year at Virginia Tech was the best for the team. In the fall, my boat was 3 seconds out of first place at the Head of the Occoquan. In the spring, my boat came in 2nd at the Mid Atlantic Collegiate Championships just a few seconds behind longtime rival GMU. At the end of my senior year, I pulled a 6:22.6 to become the second fastest rower ever at Virginia Tech.

In May 2002, I graduated Cum Laude with a B.S. in Mathematics and minors in Spanish and Statistics. I have been coaching Langley since the 2003 season. I have obtained the US Rowing Advanced Level coaching certification, and know CPR and First Aid. When I am not coaching, I am working for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in Rockville, MD.

Women's Head Coach - Cara Frankenfeld

I have been with Langley Crew since the spring season of 2005. Coaching for me came about rather serendipitously when it became unclear when I would be able to return to training due to injury. It seemed like a rather random idea at the time, but, in retrospect, I don't know why it didn't occur to me sooner. It combines two things that I love – teaching and rowing. In my first season, I coached the Freshman Women. That year, the Freshman Women's 8+ placed fourth at States, qualifying them to compete at Nationals. In my second and third seasons, I was the Assistant Head Coach and Women's V/JV Coach. Over those two seasons, several boats finished in the top 6 at States. Last season, the 1st 4+ qualified to compete at Nationals. I believe that rowing provides an opportunity for athletes to push themselves to do things they didn't believe were possible. As a coach, I strive to teach the athletes the belief that how much they can accomplish is in their hands and to give them tools to achieve their goals.

When I am not coaching, I work as a Senior Scientist for Exponent and adjunct teach at George Mason University and George Washington University. I continue to row and train with Thompson Boat Center. My own accomplishments include first place finishes in the Lightweight Pair at Club Nationals in 2005 and at Club Nationals and Canadian Henley in 2007.

Assistant Coach - Aaron Arnold

My rowing career began in college quite literally at the dinning hall. A table-card advertisement for the crew team caught my eye, and after a short period of deliberation I decided to go out for the team. I was not the most athletic person prior to joining the team, my idea of exercise was a set of golf clubs and an eighteen hole course, but I soon found myself learning to love 4am practices and muscle soreness that never seemed to go away. I was completely “hooked on rowing” after my first regatta at the Head of the Schuylkill as a novice rower and I spent my remaining years at Virginia Tech as a light-weight rower- even placing in such notable regattas as SIRA and MACC.

I graduated in 2004 from Virginia Tech with a B.A. in Political Science and minors in French, History, and International Relations. Sad that my collegiate rowing career had come to an end (along with 4am practices), I decided to try my hand at coaching crew. I first began coaching under Erik Nienaber for a fall learn-to-row program on the Occoquan, as well as assisting the juniors program at Thompson Boat Center. Just as I fell in love with rowing, I became equally passionate about coaching.

The following spring season I found myself coaching the novice men for the Lake Braddock Crew Team. My first season as a coach turned out to be quite successful, culminating in a third place victory for the novices at the State Championship regatta along with a second place medal at the lower boat championship regatta. The following year I took charge of the varsity men, leading them to the finals at the State Championships; the farthest a Lake Braddock men’s varsity eight has ever been at States.

Apart from coaching, I am currently pursuing a Ph.D. in public policy at George Mason University. My areas of focus include rational actor theory and nuclear non-proliferation theory. When I’m not studying, I can usually be found in my office at SAIC where I work as strategic arms control analyst for a government client.

As the returning novice men’s coach for Langley Crew, I am extremely excited about the upcoming season, and I look forward to working closely with the team to develop superior athleticism and technique in the art of rowing. My coaching philosophy lies in the belief that hard work, dedication, and preparedness remain the tried and true methods for a successful race season. Finally, my advice to the new rower is to learn, work hard, have fun; and I hope that by the end of the season, you too will be as passionate about the sport of rowing as I am.

Assistant Coach - Theresa Bates

Theresa is a 2004 alumnus of Langley High School. She is now a senior at George Mason University. Having rowed all four years at Langley, she has relevant experience, brings a love of the sport, and is an excellent role model for the young girls on the team.

Assistant Coach - Jenny Hutchinson

Although I did not attend Langley High School , my interest in Langley Crew began when I was in high school. As a graduate of Herndon High School, we did not have a crew team, but our local rivals, Langley, had a team. Quickly I became interested in the sport and knew that I had to attend a college that offered rowing.

I began my rowing experience as a freshman at The University of North Carolina Wilmington. I rowed all four years for the Seahawks and served as Treasurer and President for the club’s executive board. In 2005 I was apart of the Committee that ran the first annual Head of the Cape Fear in Wilmington, NC.

After graduating with a degree in Business Administration and a concentration in marketing in May of 2007, I knew the best job market was back home in Northern Virginia. When I found out I would be moving back to the Northern Virginia area I knew I wanted to continue my rowing. Langley came to mind first, after all that’s where my interest in rowing began. I am very excited to finally be a part of the Langley Crew and am looking forward to the upcoming season.

Assistant Coach - James Augone

The sea, was a stormy one the day that James Augone began rowing, but tame it he did. James began rowing in 2003 when he entered Iona College. Rowing port side, James was the stroke of the novice eight in the fall before falling to a knee injury for part of the spring season. James sat bow seat in the Varsity four, Varsity eight and stroke in the JV Four his sophomore year, competing in the MAAC championships and earning a bronze medal in the JV Four. James also earned a gold medal in the varisty eight at Spring Metropolitan Rowing championships,and earned his first chance to row in the prestigious Dad Vail Regatta. James' junior year saw him sitting in three seat in the varsity four and stroking the varsity eight in the fall, as a result James was able to compete in the Head of the Charles for his first and only time in the Men's Varisty Four. In the spring James sat three seat in the Varisty Four and Varsity Eight.

Currently, James works for the Department of Housing and Urban Development's Neighborhood Networks Initiative and rows for Capitol Rowing Club with Head Coach Brett Rini. In his spare time James enjoys spending time talking about rowing, watching rowing and generally immersing himself in the sport when he isn't working.