Chris Chase has spent nearly 30 years shaping athlete development in American rowing. As former Director of Junior and Masters Rowing and Safety for USRowing, he oversaw the U19 National Team system and helped create the American Development Model (LTAD). His expertise in athlete development, coaching education, and program growth continues to impact rowing programs nationwide.
Chris Chase began his rowing coaching career in 1996 when he founded the Saratoga Rowing Association (SRA) while working as a social studies teacher at Saratoga Springs High School. Under his leadership, SRA expanded into one of the largest and most prominent youth and community rowing organizations in the nation, making Saratoga Springs a premier rowing destination.
As a coach, Chase’s crews captured 36 medals across elite scholastic and youth regattas, including the Youth National Championships, Stotesbury Cup, SRAA Scholastic Nationals, Canadian Schoolboys, and the Head of the Fish. On the international stage, he served as a boat coach for the U.S. Junior National Team in the coxed four (2017 Trakai, Lithuania – 2018 Racice, Czech Republic, and 2019 Tokyo, Japan) highlighted by a silver medal finish at the 2018 World Rowing Junior Championships in Račice. He also oversaw the Junior National Team administration and logistics from 2019 – 2023, as well as the various Development layers that created the feeder system. During that time, the team earned 6 Golds, 1 Silver, and 3 Bronzes.
Beyond coaching, Chase has managed over 150 regattas—including the Head of the Fish, Saratoga Invitational, and NYS Scholastic Championships—and hosted the U.S. Junior B Sculling Development Camp. In 2019, he joined USRowing, where he served as Director of Sport Development Director of Coaching Education, and Director of Juniors/Masters/Safety over the years. In this role, he was overseen youth rowing initiatives, the U19 National Team pipeline, masters rowing, safety protocols, and the implementation of the American Development Model.
