Six years and over 120 girls later…
Bre Fitzsimmons is Row New York’s loved and respected Queen’s varsity coach. She joined Row New York in 2012 after graduating from American University with a degree in History. She rowed throughout college and, to make ends meet, coached a high school team immediately after graduating. Bre was working in a law firm when she got the call from Row New York and realizing she missed coaching, she made a mad dash for New York City.
The success of the all-girls Queen’s program owes a lot to Bre’s leadership and her approach to the recruiting process. When evaluating potential new recruits, she is less concerned about raw physical strength, instead opting to for a more thoughtful process that includes a one-on-one interview. This additional step takes time, but it changes how Bre and her coaches select kids. And as a result, her team is strong and her program does not see as many drop-offs in a sport that is rigorous and time-consuming. As Bre explains, “We do an interview to get a sense of character; we are not looking for ‘one thing’. Instead, we are looking for those qualities that can help me build a strong, cohesive team––qualities like enthusiasm, a willingness to work hard, and a sense of commitment––though awesome athletic abilities certainly helps!”.
While rowing is her passion, Bre takes her responsibility of nurturing and helping to shape these young women seriously. Her student-athletes may or may not row in college, but her goal has more to do with ensuring they evolve into responsible, self-sufficient, and respectful young women. “It’s terrifying,” she said with a laugh when asked how she felt about launching so many young women into the next phase of their lives. But judging from the quality and success of our Row New York alumni, clearly, Bre is doing a lot of things right.
