Coaching Staff

Helen Woznack, Head Coach, Varsity/JV Men:
2012 marks Helen's fourth year coaching the JV & Varsity Men's squad, and organizing Ridgewood Crew as their head coach.  Helen came to Ridgewood with 4 seasons of previous coaching experience and more than 10 years of her own rowing experience.  "The best part about coaching for Ridgewood are the positive attitude of the athletes and the help and support of the parents, families and board.  It is exactly this type of character that makes it a pleasure to be a part of the Ridgewood Crew team and why I hope to stay on as head coach for many more years to come."  Helen's mission as head coach is to keep the RC program growing, while helping each squad achieve their utmost potential.  Helen is USRowing Level 2 coaching certified and has attended the Joy of Sculling conference the past 5 years.  Still an active competitive rower herself, she holds 1 gold medal from FISA world Masters, 2 Canadian Henley gold medals, and numerous gold, silver and bronze medals from US Rowing Masters Nationals from the last 4 years.  She draws on this experience and her own current training to help make RC a successful, well rounded program.  You may contact Helen at coach@woznack.com

Becky LoBello, Coach, JV/Varsity Women:
Becky LoBello began rowing at St. Mary’'s College in Southern Maryland. She began her coaching career as the Men’s Team Head Coach her junior year and continued through her senior year. During her summers in college, she also  rowed with the Annapolis Rowing Club. After college, Becky took some time off from rowing to pursue her doctorate degree in Chemistry at Penn State University, which she received in 2008. After moving to New Jersey, she joined the Passaic River Rowing Association and currently rows and competes with the Masters Women’s Team. Becky joined the Ridgewood Crew in 2009 as a coach for the Boy’s Novice team and has been the JV/Varsity Women's coach since 2010. Becky is USRowing Level 2 coaching certified and has attended the Joy of Sculling conference the past 2 years. Contact Becky at CoachBex@gmail.com.    

Jackie Nolan, Coach, Novice Women:
Jackie Nolan began rowing at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, NY. After spending four years rowing, working hard, and having fun, Jackie graduated with her Bachelor's in communications in 2006. That following fall, Jackie began assistant coaching the Novice programs with Ridgewood Crew while working full time at a PR Agency in New York City. After two years, and while she was sad to go, Jackie left Ridgewood Crew and the state of New Jersey to pursue a graduate degree in counseling at the University of Mississippi (Go Rebels!) which she received in August of 2010 and has since made her way back up north. Jackie is a USRowing Level II certified and is really looking forward to rejoining the Ridgewood Crew coaching staff as the Novice Girls coach. You can reach Jackie at RCCoach.Jackie@gmail.com.

James Bigos, Coach, Novice Men:
James Bigos’ passion and respect for the nautical lifestyle started at he age of 5 when his father purchased their family sailboat. He began his rowing career during his sophomore year of high school for Ridgewood. While rowing for Ridgewood he competed at Scholastic Nationals both Junior and Senior year. During his freshman year at Bergen CC in 2010 he began his coaching career at North Jersey Rowing’s Learn to Row and Competitive Racing programs. James is pursuing his Bachelors Degree in Criminal Justice and is a prospective member of the United States Coast Guard. James looks forward to the coming back and coaching the team in which his rowing career began. James can be reached at  coach.bigos@gmail.com

Jessica Schneider, Assistant Coach:
Jessica began her rowing career in 2006 at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH.  Despite spending so much time with her team that she may well have majored in crew, she graduated in January, 2010 with degrees in Chemistry and French and a minor in Health Communication.  While at Case, she had the opportunity to row in major races such as the Dad Vails, the Head of the Charles, as well as many smaller Midwestern regattas.  It was with the Case crew team that she learned teamwork and a positive attitude are essential to successful racing.  After completing her undergraduate degree, Jessica moved back to her home state to pursue a medical degree at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of NJ.  Interested in continuing her rowing career, she immediately joined PRRA where she has been able to learn the art of sculling.  Also interested in pursuing other aspects of rowing, and after hearing the mission of our program, she sought out a coaching position with Ridgewood Crew.  This is her first coaching opportunity, and she is excited to be a part of a program that emphasizes the values she feels are important to making a solid crew team.  She looks forward to a great season and hearing from you via email at jessica.n.schneider@gmail.com.

Stacey Ornitz, Assistant Coach:
Stacey excitedly joins Ridgewood Crew for her first season!  She joins us as a competitive rower for Nereid Boat Club of four years, a USRowing Referee, and Membership Director on the Nereid Board.  She has also served on several regatta committees along the Passaic River.  Rowing accomplishments include erg races, racing for Nereid at Carnegie Lake Sprints, Quaker City Sprints, and Team Woz at the Head of the Passaic and Head of the Charles.  Prior to rowing, she was a competitive club swimmer for USA Swimming for 20 years, including four years under NCAA at SUNY New Paltz, where she studied Graphic Design and Art History.  She also completed a graduate program in Graphic Design at New York University, and works full time at KPMG.  Stacey can be contacted at rwcrewstacey@gmail.com.