Meet Chris Callaghan | Director or Operations
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We had the good fortune of connecting with Chris Callaghan and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Chris, is your business focused on helping the community? If so, how?
The San Diego Rowing Club is focused on the sport of rowing. SDRC has been around since 1888 and has members from all walks of life. We have a variety of programs for youths in middle and high school, and adults from 18 onward. Our oldest member is 90 and oldest still rowing is 83. SDRC has learn to row, development, recreational, and competitive programs as well as has rowing machines, bikes, and a small weight room for the members. The sports itself can be an individual or team endeavor lending rowing open to everyone of all backgrounds. The health benefits of the full body work out overtime are life transforming. Rowers learn how to work together towards a goal while improving physical health in a positive environment.
Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I found rowing as a walk on in college at Oregon State University in the Fall of 2000. Walking around campus, rowers tent to find the tallest, lankiest people they can find. After a successful college career, I moved to Philly and rowed with Vesper’s High performance program before getting invited to try out for a National Team boat in the summer of ’05, I was able to make a boat and move up to Princeton, NJ to train full time. I was able to made two boats while on the National Team, ’06 World Championships in the 4+ getting 4th and the ’07 Pan-Am Games in the 8+ getting Gold. I kept training and started coaching at Mercer Juniors where I found success and enjoyment giving back to the next generation. In the Fall of ’09 I stopped training and continued coaching though the HS season and then moved to San Diego to Coach the men’s HS team and help the club rebuild. Over the 12 years in San Diego, we’ve created best practices for clubs while doubling the youth team and tripling the adult membership. This has lead to financial stability and expansion of the clubs coaching staff. Success really does take a community and SDRC is blessed to have so many people willing to volunteer their time to improve the facility, those wishing to learn, and work together to be a top notch program representing San Diego proudly.
Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Spending so much time around Mission Bay, there are so many great places to check out at anytime of the day. Rowers favorite breakfast places are Olive’s Café, Mission Café and Kono’s or Konito’s. You can never go wrong with a Rocky’s Burgers, Taco Surf or La Perla, and World Famous for happy hour tacos. If you know someone at Mission Bay Yacht Club, having a beer at sunset overlooking the bay is hard to beat as well. Taking my dog for a walk and ball chase at Fiesta Dog Park is a must at least a few times a week after work or early morning as the sun comes up. Beach live is good with nearly perfect weather year around.
Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would like to thank all of San Diego Rowing Club for allowing me to come on board 12 years ago after retiring from the National Team and being put in charge of help the club back to glory. Over the years, we’ve had a encouraging board, employees, boatman, and countless coaches that have all had the goal of improving and reestablishing SDRC as one of the best clubs in the US. We have pushed ourselves back into the national scene at the HS and Masters levels. This has not been a one person effort, and for that, I’m thankful we all have a common goal that we’re achieving.
Website: www.sandiegorowing.org, www.sdrcjrs.com
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/san-diego-rowing-club/about/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/sandiegorowing/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCF1Qy2zp3aejeLzTewzV4lA