Eric Hildebrandt
Eric as the Director of Rowing oversees the training of Central Ohio Rowing’s squads, including the coaching staff and the equipment.
Eric learned to row at the Great Miami Rowing Center in Hamilton, Ohio where he competed for four years while in high school. He continued his rowing career at The Ohio State University as a member of Ohio State Crew Club. While at Ohio State Eric was able to compete at several high-level regattas including the Dad Vail Regatta and ACRA National Championship. Eric's coaching careers has included stops at Dublin Crew, Xavier University Crew, and Central Ohio Rowing. Eric's goal for the team this year is to improve on some good results from last year, and have every rower make progress towards their individual goals.
Chris Swartz
Coach Chris
As Director of Rowing - Emeritus, Chris Swartz guides Eric and other coaching staff with his vast experience.
Chris comes to Central Ohio Rowing (COR) with a wealth of experience as a teacher, coach, and leader in the central Ohio rowing community. He taught history, philosophy, and US government at Upper Arlington for over 20 years before retiring in 2015. Chris attended and rowed at Marietta College and then went on to found the Ohio State Crew Club in 1978 while he was completing his Master’s degree. He has coached at Greater Columbus Rowing Association, Upper Arlington, and Pine Crest School in Florida, leading his teams to multiple medals, including 49 winning boats at Midwest Regionals. Chris is a United States Rowing Association Certified Coach and Coaching Education Instructor and has led multiple coach training sessions for US Rowing. He founded and coordinated both the Jack Speakmon and Blake Haxton regattas.
Chris’s philosophy can best be described as:
- Safety first and always
- Develop each member as a student, an athlete, and a person
- Build Central Ohio Rowing to be the pre-eminent youth rowing team in central Ohio
Chris Swartz
Director of Rowing
Robert Estice
Coach Robert Estice entered the rowing world at The Ohio State University where he competed with the club from 1984 to 1988. He became OSU’s varsity women’s coach in 1991 after a stint coaching both the novice men and women. Seizing on an opportunity to foster youth rowing in central Ohio, he then went on to serve as head girls coach at Upper Arlington high school from 1996 – 2006.
Robert's coaching style is informed by 30+ years of working in education and never passing up a chance to drive the launch and learn from high-performing coaches throughout the United States. Rather than list the medals his crews have won, he prefers to focus on the character-building aspects inherent in teaching the mental and physical discipline of rowing, as it instills perseverance, leadership, good sportsmanship, teamwork, and the pursuit of excellence.
Robert has a Bachelor’s degree in Physics/Science Education and a Masters in Curriculum Design. He currently teaches Critical Thinking, Science, and Electronic Media at Phoenix middle school in Worthington, OH. Robert has two brilliant daughters, Hana (24) and Sasha (19). He’s kept grounded by his wife, Stephanie, who is a meditation teacher in Worthington.
Kelsey Rodway
Kelsey found rowing after an ACL tear forced her out of many sports. She moved to Upper Arlington at the beginning of her sophomore year and a new friend, who was on the UA women’s team, dragged her to practice. She quickly fell in love with the sport and has never looked back. Each year in high school, Kelsey qualified for SRAAs and was named captain her senior year. Unfortunately, a back injury her senior year crushed her hopes to row collegiately. After five years away from the sport, Kelsey found herself on the master’s team at CRF (Chicago Rowing Foundation). Throughout her four years on the master’s team, the women’s 8+ won gold at Head of the Hooch in the open event and multiple medals at Master’s Nationals; including two golds. Kelsey began coaching in 2014 at CRF while she was rowing for the master’s team. While at Chicago, Kelsey coached middle school, novice and varsity women, masters, and learn-to-row. Since moving back to Ohio, she has coached the varsity girls at Cincinnati Junior Rowing Club and Upper Arlington. She is excited to now bring her enthusiasm for this transformative sport to Central Ohio Rowing.
Tama Carleton
Tama began rowing in the Fall of 1997 with Dublin Crew. While mending from a car accident, she became an assistant coach for Lisa Leppert with the novice boys, later to become a coxswain for the varsity women. Tama was a volunteer coach for varsity boys alongside Russ Merritt after HS graduation. (Had the pleasure of coaching Wes Davids.) Eventually, coaching full time with Gina Crooks for the novice women and assistant for the varsity men with Joe Lambert, as well as coming for the Upper Arlington Masters and GCRA. Tama joined Joe at Alum Creek to form the Arch City Rowing Club coaching all levels of rowers. All has come full circle with returning to team COR.
Most of her time coaching was spent focusing on individuals who had challenges with forming an efficient technique. Her goal is to grow the athlete without hindering their esteem. "I want to make sure a child who struggles will not be ignored or will not be given up on." Her success is not only found in medals around her athletes' necks, but in creating an atmosphere where individuals thrive off the water. She has officially returned to where it all began for her on the Scioto River. Feel free to ask her any trivia of the names on our boats and what it was like "back in her day."
Tama is a Level II coach with USRowing.
Heidi Thrush
Coach Heidi is passionate about rowing, having started rowing in high school and currently rowing competitively with GCRA. She's excited to give back to the sport and commuting through coaching at COR! Her proudest moment was winning the Chicago River Marathon race in the Women's 8+ in 2022. Heidi enjoys spending time with family, cooking, baking, traveling, and skiing.
CHARLIE SIPP
Charlie was a rower for Upper Arlington High School and became a coach for Central Ohio Rowing in 2019 working with the Novice Boys. He took a brief break in 2022 and is excited to be back coaching for COR.
