About Us

The Washington Rowing School was founded in 2006 by Cindy Cole. Cindy currently leads all instruction at the school along with her team of experienced coaches.

What makes this a unique place to learn to row?

* High quality and stable boats
* Small classes -- with only 3-6 students per beginner class, these are virtually private lessons
* Highly experienced instructors
* Pleasant rowing space:
   - sheltered water (little wind)
    - little to no other boat traffic of any kind
* Launching from a comfortable county park setting:
   - ample, free parking
   - picnic tables
   - convenient to miles of uninterrupted trails of the Anacostia Tributary Trail System for hiking and biking

All lessons launch from Bladensburg Waterfront Park which is convenient to Kenilworth Avenue, Route 295, and the Baltimore-Washington Parkway.

Cynthia E. Cole, Founder and Lead Instructor

Cynthia has been active in rowing for over 34 years as both a competitor and as a coach. She has been a Private Sculling Coach at the Potomac Boat Club in Washington, DC since 2000. She also currently is the Head Coach for Walter Johnson High School in Bethesda, Maryland, a position she has held since the Fall 2004 when she first arrived to set up the competitive boys and girls rowing programs.

Prior coaching positions include Program Director and Coach of the Masters Women's Sweep Program from 1994-1999 at the Potomac Boat Club where she led a crew of 30 athletes to championships at local, regional and national competitions. (Head of the Charles: women’s masters 8- 1st place 1995, 1997; Head of the Schuylkill: women’s masters 8s- 1st places 1995-1999; Head of the Potomac: women’s club 8- 1st place 1999, women’s masters 8- 1st place 1995-1999.) From 1985-1989 she was Program Director and Coach of the Open Women’s Sweep Program where she started and developed the program to include 50 experienced and novice athletes. The team earned awards and recognition at local, regional and national competitions. (Head of the Charles: women’s club 8- 1st place 1987).

Cynthia's personal rowing experience started at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology where she was a member of the Varsity crew program from 1975-1979. Since then she has competed in the lightweight and open women’s sweep and sculling divisions plus masters sculling divisions where she continues to earn awards at local, regional and national competitions.

Cynthia holds a business degree from MIT as well as a Masters degree in Nutrition from the University of Maryland. She was President of the Potomac Boat Club, Washington, DC from 1995-2002 and on the Board of Governors from 1992-2004.

Click here to view Cynthia's full rowing resume.