The Faces Behind Rowing BC – LEANNE SAVAGE

In her own words:

My first introduction to rowing was in 2006. I was asked by a friend if I wanted to be part of her Corporate Rowing Challenge group. I had never rowed before, but thought it sounded fun, so I was in! I learned how to row in an 8+ on the Gorge waterway and it was just so much fun, I remember thinking: where has this been all my life! Our team was a disaster and our races involved crashing into our competition, but it didn’t matter as the coach was awesome and the group I rowed with was wonderful.  After that I was hooked and never looked back! 

When it comes to coaching, it is something I had never done before. I really wanted to give back to the community and help foster the love of rowing with other adults new to the sport. In the spring of 2010, I was given an opportunity to coach my first novice team for the Corporate Rowing Challenge at the Gorge Rowing Club and I loved every second! It was safe to say I had found my new passion in coaching and it would be something I would continue until today.  I have loved every second of coaching along. My goal is to specialize in adult Learn to Row pathways and programs and to be able to share that knowledge and vision with all clubs across the province so they may successfully implement these programs at their clubs.  

I am most proud of, and fondly display in my home, the 2018 Learn to Row Coach of the Year award I was given by Rowing BC. I was so incredibly honoured to win and to see that award as a symbol of how far I’ve come with coaching. In 2018, I was also asked to present at the Rowing BC annual conference. I was asked to speak about how I transition adult athletes from Learn to Row to full time members through an adult pathway. In the summer of 2019, I co-coached a Rowing BC developmental camp at Brentwood College and this past summer I was supposed to be the head coach of Zone 6 for the BC Summer Games…which unfortunately was cancelled due to Covid-19.

Currently, I’m in the process of obtaining my Personal Training Certification, it’s something I’ve wanted to do for awhile as I’ve feel it would supplement my knowledge base and help me be a better coach. When I’m not at the lake I’m usually with my family, the silver lining to the pandemic is getting to spend more time doing fun things with my husband, two young boys and three stepdaughters.