Message from the Coach

When you make the choice to come to Kent and row for the Kent School Boat Club (KSBC), you are joining a program with a long-standing sense of history and tradition. State-of-the-art facilities, a dedicated coaching staff, and a legacy of alumnae support, combine to create a program that has helped to teach rowing at a high level for over forty years.   Team unity is an important aspect of rowing for KSBC and rowers from the novice level to seasoned competitors find a welcoming environment where they can enjoy rowing as they learn determination, hard-work and other life skills. Aerobic, strength and technical training are all utilized to help each rower achieve to the best of their capabilities and goals. 

Head coach Garrison Smith

• Coaching experience: Coached at NMH (1997-98), Taft (1998-2004) and with the KSBC Boys’ (2004-07). Became the head coach of the girls’ program in 2007; since then 23 out of 27 Kent girls’ boats have medaled at NEIRA’s.  
• Other coaching experience: Southeast Jr. Development Camp coach, US Rowing Level III certification, speaker at NEIRA & JR Coaching conferences
• Rowing experience: Rowed at Yale University where he won the San Diego Crew Classic, the Head of the Charles, Canadian Henley and was a double gold medalist at the US Olympic Festival 
• Outside of coaching: Teaches AP Psychology, Ecology, Biology. He is an assistant coach for the Boys Varsity Hockey Team. He lives on campus with his wife & four children

Facilities

• Sill Boathouse: On-campus location, on the banks of the Housatonic River.  Boathouse contains a fleet of five eights, four bow-coxed fours, four pair doubles and two singles available for use by the girl’s team 
• Partridge Rowing Center: On-campus location adjacent to the boathouse, containing sweep/sculling tank, weights/workout room, 30 ergometers, club/meeting room, audio/visual capabilities, and girl’s/boy’s locker rooms

Racing

• Highly competitive schedule: Race against private & public schools and club teams
• Pre-season training & racing: Spring trip, fall Head of the Charles Regatta boat & club crew
• Post-season: Compete at Youth Nationals and, as warranted, the Henley Women’s Regatta 
• Summer opportunities: Since 2009 KSBC rowers have been selected each summer for the Jr. National Program

Record

• NEIRA Champions, 1st boat— 1983, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1996, 1997, 2005, 2016
• NEIRA Champions, 2nd boat— 1985, 1986, 1987, 2002, 2005, 2015
• NEIRA Champions, 3rd boat— 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015
• NEIRA Team Champions—2005, 2015
• National Champions— 1986, 1987, 2016

Alumnae

• College programs: KSBC alumnae go on to row at top Division I and Division III colleges
• National & international competition: KSBC alumnae have raced in the Oxford-Cambridge race, Henley Royal Regatta, Women’s Henley Regatta, Junior & Senior World Championships, and Olympic Games

Contact Coach Garrison Smith