Coaches
Head Coach – Gary Summers
Gary Summers began his rowing career at Parkersburg High School in Parkersburg, WV, where he rowed during his three years in high school, rowing Varsity in his Junior and Senior years. After college, Gary began rowing in the competitive Master’s program with the Greater Columbus Rowing Association, (GCRA), Columbus, OH, from 1985 through 1986.
GCRA offered both Master’s and Youth programs, and quickly outgrew its capacity. As a result, Gary, and a few GCRA teammates, broke away and founded the Ohio Athletic Club, (OAC) in 1986, creating a master’s program. Gary served as a member of the Club’s Board of Trustees, its Head Coach, and rowed competitively from 1986 – 1993.
In 1988, Gary had the opportunity to train at the Florida Rowing Center, in Wellington, FL, where he participated in their Master’s Sculling Program.
In the fall of 1992, Gary and another OAC member coached a small group of 5 youth athletes from OAC who attended Westerville North HS. In the fall of 1993, he founded the Westerville Rowing Club (WRC), where he served as Founder, Head Coach, Board member and an officer of the club from 1993 – 1997. Within the first year of operation, the club was already winning medals and traveling throughout Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Tennessee, and West Virginia, competing in a variety of High School Regattas. In 1997, Gary and his family moved to Atlanta, GA.
After taking a couple of decades off, Gary realized how much he missed and appreciated the values of rowing, and, in 2023, he found his way to Stone Bridge Rowing Club (SBRC) where he assisted with the coaching of the “Summer Learn-to-Row” program. In the Fall of that same year, Gary coached the Experienced Youth Men in the combined Stillwater / P10 program. After the Fall season, Gary was brought on as the Head Coach for SBRC.
Gary lives in Ashburn with his wife, Heather. Together, they have two adult daughters, Morgan, and Madison, both of whom attended Stone Bridge High School. Gary is a CPA with 20 years in Finance, Private Industry, and 20 years with the Federal Government.
Gary is passionate about the sport of rowing and the comradery, teamwork, and discipline it brings to its athletes. He is committed to fostering youth rowing at SBRC, the growth and expansion of the club and to continue competing at the National level.
Assistant Coach – John Hillmann
John Hillmann is a first-year assistant coach for SBRC. Having rowed competitively in college and being a father of SBRC alumni, John has an intimate understanding of the sport and the invaluable life skills it imparts.
John is excited to join the coaching staff at Stone Bridge Rowing Club to share their knowledge and inspire the next generation of rowers. Their commitment to fostering teamwork, discipline, and a love for the sport is evident in every session on the water.
As an assistant coach, John is eager to work alongside Head Coach Gary Summers to provide personalized guidance to each athlete, helping them reach their full potential on the water. Their coaching philosophy emphasizes physical prowess, mental resilience, and sportsmanship, ensuring that every student-athlete gains valuable lessons both on and off the water.
