Tim McLaren

Director and Head Coach

Tim McLaren, one of the world's foremost Olympic rowing coaches, has recently accepted the position as Director and Head Coach of the Oakland-based California Rowing Club. The California Rowing Club (CRC) was established in 2004 as a postgraduate athletic program to foster an elite group of this nation's best rowers. The club's goal is to support the US National Team effort at World and Olympic competitions by providing a west coast training base to complement the existing Princeton Training Center.

In his new role, McLaren will oversee all aspects of management and program development, from the recruitment of athletes to training and coaching. The California Rowing Club will be operating out of the former University of California's Ky Ebright building, located at the newly erected T. Gary Rogers Rowing Center. The University of California Berkeley's successful "Cal Crew" team is also housed at the T. Gary Rogers Rowing Center on the Oakland estuary, although the programs maintain separate facilities.

Outstanding UC Men's Crew Coach Steve Gladstone comments: "Tim's presence offers an unprecedented opportunity for our elite athletes to train at the highest level. In time, the CRC will develop into one of the nation's premier training facilities."

McLaren brings to the California Rowing Club more than 30 years' experience as an international athlete and world renowned coach. He has been involved in six Olympic medals, including a silver medal as a competitor in the Men's Quadruple Sculls from the 1984 Olympics, and five medals as a coach in different boat classes at the past four Olympics. He has also coached several medal-winning crews at under 23 level in both sculling and rowing and was a Rugby League player, coach and National Surfboat champion before his rowing career began. For the last fourteen years he has been Director and Head Coach of the University of Technology Rowing Club in Sydney (UTS), which has produced 30 Olympic representatives over three Olympic cycles.

A native of Australia, McLaren holds a Master of Applied Science degree in Exercise and Sport Science from the University of Sydney and also has a background in teaching English and History. McLaren was awarded the title of New South Wales Coach of the Year on several different occasions and was recognized by the government when he was awarded the Order of Australia Medal (OAM) for Services to High Performance Rowing and Coach Education (1998). He has run education programs in Australia and overseas and has been a part of the Cambridge (UK) Boat Race program for the past thirteen years.

When asked to reflect on his decision to accept the CRC position, McLaren says: "It's a big change for my family particularly but the people across the country have been very friendly and supportive. It's interesting for me to see how the University and National Team coaches and programs work together and I am looking forward to being a part of that. Athletes from UTS have had a lot of fun during our previous visits to Harvard and Princeton and there is a great environment for rowing here."

McLaren has recently arrived from Australia and is eagerly anticipating his family's arrival. His wife will be joining him in early January, along with their three teenage children.