Hillsborough High School Rowing Club Coaches
Jesse Tate, Head Coach
Head Coach Jesse Tate began rowing in 2003 with HB Plant High Rowing Association and immediately fell in love with the sport. As a college student and athlete at USF, Coach Tate helped coach their fledgling program and increased their men's team numbers to a record high of 24 athletes.
In 2014, he became Head Coach of Hillsborough High School Rowing Club and immediately reorganized the program. Fostering an environment of inclusiveness, positivity, and hard work on and off the water, 2014-2020 saw Hillsborough competing at the highest levels of Florida youth rowing. Over these five years, HHSRC regularly sent multiple boats to the grand finals of both FSRA Sweeping and Sculling Championships and fielded over a dozen boats to SRAA Nationals.
Through his nearly two decades of experience in this sport, Coach Tate's greatest passion continues to be helping student-athletes achieve their highest potential both on and off the water.
Allie Hendry, Novice Coach
Coach Allie started rowing in 2012 with Plant High Rowing. She then coached summer camps for four years with Plant High Rowing and two years with the City of Tampa from 2017-2020. Coach Allie graduated with her doctorate in Occupational Therapy in the spring of 2023. This is her second year with the team as the Novice Coach and she is excited to see what this year brings!
Shawn McCarthy, Land Coach
We are fortunate to have Coach Shawn as our Land/Strength coach, and we are the only team in the boathouse to have one! Coach Shawn's strength training programs prepare our rowers for successful performances and power in regattas. He says, "If all four athletes racing in a quad were 25% stronger, you add an extra person in strength to that boat without the added body weight. Think of how much faster the boat can move now! One of our girls missed out on reaching the national finals this year by .3 seconds. Many races are determined by 1-2 or 3 seconds. Strength training allows our rowers to be better prepared to overcome those odds."
Coach Shawn has an extensive career in the health and fitness industry, spanning over 20 years. He played high school and semi-pro football and was an Olympic weightlifting coach, powerlifting coach, and owner of CrossFit Sparta, one of the most extensive Martial Arts/CrossFit facilities. A martial arts expert, Coach Shawn earned a black belt in Tae Kwon Do and is a Krav Maga instructor. Coach Shawn is also a personal trainer and trains clients in his home gym.
Coach Shawn is no stranger to the rowing world. His daughter, a Hillsborough High School IB graduate class of 2022, rowed on the team for four years. During this time, he has trained our rowers in a strength and conditioning program during the off-season.
Coach Rosanna, Assistant Coach
Bio coming soon!
GO BIG RED!
If you have any questions, please contact any board member by email at hhsrowingclub@gmail.com. We welcome your input!
HHSRC is a non-profit 501(C)(3) tax-exempt organization.
Donations to the Club are tax-deductible under the IRS Code.