RA media release:
Australian rowing snares prized recruit
The New South Wales Institute of Sport (NSWIS) and the Australian rowing fraternity have pulled off a major coup by capturing highly rated United States coach Curtis Jordan.
Jordan has been appointed as the Head Coach of the NSWIS rowing program and commences in his role on Thursday 4 February, thus filling the final place on offer in the National Training Centre’s across Australia.
The United States coach held one of the most successful records in the sport of rowing upon his retirement in 2009, but the lure of working in the Australian rowing program brought him out of retirement to take up his new position.
Jordan held the position of head coach at the Princeton University for 19 years and during this time was crowned as the most successful coach in their 130 year rowing history.
During this time Jordan’s feats included an unbeaten 2006 season where his heavyweight men’s eight crew finished with a record of 9-0. This included being the first collegiate crew to win the men’s championship eights since 1983.
Jordan has also coached four United States Olympic crews, with his best result coming in 1996, where he led the men’s lightweight four to a bronze medal.
National High Performance Director Andrew Matheson says Jordan’s appointment is another huge step forward in the national high performance program.
“Curtis has an extremely impressive record and has shown he has the ability to gain the best out of his athletes at the elite level,” Matheson said. “For NSWIS to gain his services is a credit to the program they are operating and his expertise will be of great value throughout their rowing program, and indeed right across Australia.”