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Boris Roque Alvarez, Head Coach
Boris Roque Alvarez joined Ridgewood Crew in 2012. He was the head coach of Nereid Boat Club from 2007 to 2014. In that time, he quadrupled the size of the youth program and developed a pool of elite young rowers competitive enough to qualify for US Youth Nationals and to represent the United States at the Under-23 World Championships. In 2012 he became the Ridgewood Crew head coach, leading the team to archive their best results in the 10 years team’s history. Since the spring of 2013 Ridgewood Crew has won gold medals at prestigious races including the Stotesbury Cup Regatta, Philadelphia City Championship, SRAA Nationals and multiples State Championship Titles. Born in Cuba, Boris is an excellent oarsman and coach of all skill levels who graduated from the National University of Physical Education and Sport in Ukraine. He holds a Master’s degree in Education along with US Rowing Level II and New Jersey Physical Education teacher certifications. Together with a team of very well qualified coaches, Boris oversees the youth programs at Ridgewood Crew. |
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Bob O’Connor, Assistant Coach
Bob began rowing in 1959 with St Joseph's Collegiate Institute in Buffalo NY under Head Coach John Bennett, and was elected Captain his senior year. During the summer periods until 1968, Bob competed with the Buffalo Westside Rowing Club and was a member of several successful lightweight crews, among them, the 1963 WSRC victorious Canadian Henley Sr 155# 8+, whose record time remains to this day. Bob also served as a WSRC board member from 1964 thru 1968. Following his military service, Bob returned in 1975 to rowing and to the WSRC. In 1979, at 34 years of age, Bob attended the US National Lightweight selection camp in Princeton, NJ, however was "deselected" with the last cut. (US LtWt 8+ went on to take World Silver in Bled, Yugoslavia). Bob along with another WSRC rowing member designed and built its present day boathouse. The original boathouse was destroyed by fire in 1975. In 2006, Bob joined the Western Reserve Rowing Association in Cleveland OH where he successfully competed at the Masters level. Bob took over the year round coaching responsibilities at Shaker Heights High School, guiding that program to its first three SRAA rowing medals. Following his move to Virginia in 2011, Bob joined the Rivanna Rowing Club, and assisted with coaching responsibilities under Myriam Pitts at Western Albemarle High School. WAHS succeeded in earning its first SRRA medal in 2014 In 2014 Bob moved to Randolph NJ. and joined the Nereid Boat Club. Bob presently assists with coaching duties with Boris Alvarez at Ridgewood High School in Lyndhurst, NJ. Bob is married to Dr. Mary Laughlin and has boy-girl twins. Bobby and Maggie both presently reside in New York City. |
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Michael Orlando, Assistant Coach
Michael is an alumnus of Ridgewood Crew where he rowed competitively from 2010 through 2014. He trained under coach Boris as a lightweight rower in both doubles and quads in the bow seat position. He was able to practice and compete year-round rowing for both Ridgewood Crew and Nereid Boat Club. Being coached by Boris throughout his rowing career forced Michael to push himself to new limits he did not realize he could attain. Michael has won prestigious medals during his time at Ridgewood Crew, including gold at the Garden State Championships and bronze at the Stotesbury Cup Regatta. After high school, he rowed for Roger Williams University in Rhode Island in a lightweight four. His boat had the opportunity to compete in the Head of the Charles 50th year anniversary regatta. After rowing at college for one year, he then created a triathlon club team for RWU where he competed collegiately for four years. During that time, he earned his undergraduate degree in Construction Management in 2018 and then his Master of Architecture in 2019. Michael has a passion for the sport of rowing which highlights his natural inner drive to succeed and is looking forward to passing on this motivation to the Ridgewood Crew Team as an assistant coach. |
Bridget Callaghan, Assistant Coach
Bridget is a former Ridgewood Crew athlete from 2011 to 2015. During her time on the team, Bridget earned many distinguished medals. Training under coach Boris, she won gold medals at the Stotesbury Cup Regatta in the JV4x and the V2x, and a silver medal in the V4x. Rowing for Ridgewood Crew gave Bridget a passion for rowing that she continued collegiately. At the collegiate level, Bridget transitioned from a sculler to a sweeper, mastering a new set of skills. Bridget continued to earn medals at prestigious regattas including Head of the Schuylkill, Navy Day Regatta, and Dad Vail’s. Throughout her eight-year rowing career, Bridget has learned so much about this extraordinary sport and she is excited to translate her skills over to coaching.
Bridget is a former Ridgewood Crew athlete from 2011 to 2015. During her time on the team, Bridget earned many distinguished medals. Training under coach Boris, she won gold medals at the Stotesbury Cup Regatta in the JV4x and the V2x, and a silver medal in the V4x. Rowing for Ridgewood Crew gave Bridget a passion for rowing that she continued collegiately. At the collegiate level, Bridget transitioned from a sculler to a sweeper, mastering a new set of skills. Bridget continued to earn medals at prestigious regattas including Head of the Schuylkill, Navy Day Regatta, and Dad Vail’s. Throughout her eight-year rowing career, Bridget has learned so much about this extraordinary sport and she is excited to translate her skills over to coaching.
