We are Hiring Summer Coaches!
VIRC is looking for summer coaching staff to help with our youth and adult summer programming. Interested? Apply now.
Email the completed application to Director@VashonCrew.com.
Ben Steele (he/him)
Ben Steele (r)
Head Coach & Rowing Director
Coaching Philosophy:
Accountability; we are accountable for our blade, our effort, and how we treat people.
Drive; we come to practice every day, trying to make this day better than the last.
Respect; we respect ourselves, our community, and most importantly our teammates.
Experience:
Head coach for VIRC since 2018
US Rowing Level 2 certified coach, Safesport.
Rowed with Green Lake Crew during high school and rowed collegiately for Grand Valley State University.
Firefighter/EMT for Vashon Island Fire and Rescue
Delany Steele (she/her/ella)
Youth Novice Coach & Boathouse Director
As a coach I try to create opportunities for growth, challenge athletes daily, and maintain high expectations. Como entrenadora, trato de crear oportunidades para crecimiento, desafiar a los atletas diariamente y mantener altas expectativas.
Experience:
Previous coaching experience at Commencement Bay Rowing Club, the University of Puget Sound, and Renton High School Experiencia como entrenadora en Commencement Bay Rowing Club, la Universidad de Puget Sound y Renton High School.
US Rowing Level II Certified Coach Entrenadora certificada de nivel II de US Rowing.
Aidan Teachout (he/him)
Adult Team Head Coach & Assistant Youth Coach
I believe it is the coach’s job to facilitate self-discovery and growth. This is done most effectively by offering input and then allowing the athlete to apply that input. I don’t mean that coaching is hands off but I like to give athletes the opportunity to fully connect with what they have learned.
Experience:
I have five years of rowing experience and five years of coaching adults and youth with VIRC.
Maya Krah
Youth Assistant Coach
Vashon native, Maya started rowing her sophomore year of high school and earned a seat with the Junior National High Performance Team for a Summer before getting recruited to a D1 school. She rowed all four years on scholarship at USD while working nights at an MMA gym and coaching adult novices in the summertime at the Mission Bay Aquatic Center. She returned to Vashon in 2018 to coach the masters program and bounced around masters and juniors for a couple of years before departing to pursue weightlifting and works as a full time weightlifting coach now.
Jeny Potter
Assistant Youth Coach
Jeny has been rowing and coaching around Seattle for 20 years after walking on to Purdue’s club team as a freshman. She most recently coached the Ancient Mariners Rowing Club, and has worked with middle school and high school athletes from Everett, Green Lake, Eastside Prep, and Pocock. As a masters rower, Jeny is proud to have PR’d on her 2k at the age of 37 and to have won the women’s masters four event at Head of the Charles in 2024. This spring season Jeny is excited to get back in a coaching launch and to be working with the crew on Vashon Island.
Lily Steller
Assistant Youth Coach
Lily has 7 years of rowing experience, including 3 years at San Diego Rowing Club in high school and 4 years at the University of Puget Sound. This is Lily's first year coaching after graduating from Puget Sound last year! Lily currently works in the Office of Admission at Puget Sound, and is looking forward to supporting the development of VIRC rowers and coxswains as both people and athletes. Fun fact about Lily - she recently started paddling with the Kikaha Outrigger Canoe Club in Tacoma, she loves boats of all kinds!