Derek Parsons '87

Head Varsity Coach

Derek Parsons is entering his 16th season as head coach of Washington-Lee crew. As head coach, he has led the Washington-Lee boy’s varsity crews to multiple medals at the regional level and the finals of the Stotesbury Cup regatta. From 2004 to 2007, the varsity eight finished in the medals at the Virginia Scholastic Rowing Championships. In addition to his success on the water, he’s mentored elite high school rowers who have gone on win Junior World Championships and to row for schools such as Princeton, Harvard, Yale, Columbia, Navy, Dartmouth, and Oxford University.

As a rower Derek rowed at Washington-Lee under the great Charlie Butt. His accolades include medals from the NOVA championship, and Stotesbury Cup Regatta. As a member of Potomac Boat Club, he continues to row on the upper Potomac and has organized a Washington-Lee alumni crew for the annual Head of the Potomac.

crewcoach@hotmail.com

703-577-8254

Robert Shaw '01

Asst. Varstiy

Robert is in his 4th year with Washington-Lee. A Washington-Lee alum, Robert rowed for the Generals from 1998-2001 under coach Derek Parsons.

After graduating from Washington-Lee, Robert attended the University of Iowa, where he rowed all four years for the Hawkeyes. His previous coaching experience includes two seasons as Head Coach of the Hawkeyes and two seasons at Yorktown High School, where he guided the Boy’s Novice 4 to a gold medal at the 2008 Ted Phoenix Regatta.

robert.w.shaw@gmail.com

Wilson DeSousa '96

Freshman/Novice Coach

Wilson is moving back over to the boys squad after past couple seasons with the girls squad where he served as the freshman/novice women’s coach. Coach Wilson’s rowing career began at Washington-Lee where he was a member of the varsity eight under Coach Tom Chisnell. As a coach, Wilson has led his crews to national success at both the varsity and freshman levels. In 2007 and 2008, while coaching the freshman women at Yorktown, he led the Patriots to consecutive medals at the Ted Phoenix Regatta.

Jim Owen '62

Novice/Asst Coach

A Washington-Lee Crew alumni class of 1962, Jim rowed as a lightweight for Charlie during his years on the team. Now retired from his job as a master elevator engineer, Jim starts yet another season as a coach with W-L, generously helping wherever he is needed. Jim has coached both the girls and boys over his 10 year career with the team, as well as acting as the chief repair technician and number one inventor. Powered by Dunkin.

jeowen@comcast.net

703-628-0828

George Kirschbaum '87

Head Coach

George returned to Washington-Lee in 2012 on the men's side having spent over 20 years coaching throughout the Washington, D.C. area. After graduation from Washington-Lee in 1987 as a National Champion coxswain for legendary coach Charlie Butt Jr., George picked up a megaphone for W-L in 1988, under Charlie's tutelage, and never looked back. Over the years he has helped develop and lead top ranked scholastic teams at Washington-Lee, Wakefield H.S., Holton Arms School, Gonzaga College H.S., West Springfield H.S., and Potomac Boat Club. Moments like helping with the selection and training of the Senior U.S. National Team lightweight women's quad for the World Championships in 2001 (2nd) and 2002 (3rd), standout as highlights of a long career, but it's the positive impact he can have on his athletes that he says is more important than the medals.

The author of the Down and Dirty Guide to Coxing, and columnist for Rowing magazine, George can't resist the pull of the water. Thus he returns to Washington-Lee and Potomac Boat Club, now as the women's coach, with an eye towards helping develop today's champion student-athletes.

george@startand10.com

703-582-6554

Gwen Sully

Assistant Coach

Gwen Sully enters her first season with W-L crew. Her extensive coaching background includes positions at Robinson and Woodson High Schools in Northern Virginia, Melbourne High School in Florida, and Penn State University where she developed many competitive and successful crews.
She has rowed competitively for clubs in Northern Virginia and North Carolina and has had the opportunity to train under several elite/Olympic rowers and coaches. She draws from her collective experiences with them in training young oarsmen and oarswomen. Gwen’s coaching philosophy emphasizes fostering an atmosphere of dedication to the sport, teamwork, respect, and good sportsmanship. Her goals are to build a firm foundation to support a solid, competitive rowing program, and to insure that all rowers come away from their experience with a sense of achievement, satisfaction and pride in their accomplishments.

571-344-5778

Jessica Ward '05

Freshman/

Novice Coach

Jess is entering her first year with W-L as the women's novice coach. Jess graduated from W-L in 2005. Her accompishments include winning bronze at the 2004 Stotesbury Cup as the cox of the Boy's Jr. Four.

Adrian Jackson

Trailer Driver Extraordinaire

Adrian, an Arlington County Public Schools employee, expertly pulls our boats from Oakridge to Saratoga, and everywhere in between. Who needs Allstate when you have Adrian behind the wheel!