Menu

Our Coaches

Paulette Bergh

Coach

Paulette started rowing while in college at PLU. After graduation she moved to Minnesota where she rowed with the Minneapolis Rowing Club for 7 years. She was the women’s captain there and started doing some coaching. After moving to Bellingham, she coached the WWU women for several years as the varsity coach. After several years of coaching there, she was elected to the board of directors at USRowing from 1994-1998. She is in the PLU Athletic Hall of Fame, and has won several medals including gold at US Nationals. Paulette loves all types of boating and makes her living on the water teaching sailing and powerboating. She loves sharing her love for the water and helping others build their skills. In addition to teaching sailing and yachting, she has been facilitating team building on sailboats for over 10 years. Paulette is especially passionate about rowing and has witnessed the positive influence the sport has on so many lives. She continues to both row and coach at WRA.

Sydney Bichsel​

Coach

Sydney began rowing as a middle schooler for Three Rivers Rowing Association (TRRA) in Pittsburgh, PA in 2011. After trying so many sports, rowing was the one that stuck. She fell in love with the rhythm and challenge of big boats and the Growing in competitive speed and ability with TRRA, Sydney qualified for and raced at USRowing’s Youth Nationals in a lightweight 4+ her senior year as team captain. After five years with Three Rivers, Sydney moved to Buffalo, NY where she was recruited to row for Canisius College. She raced all four years in the first varsity 8+ which broke school records for the highest conference finish. Sydney also co-captained her team for 2 consecutive years, earned All-Conference Second team and All-Conference Academic team honors. In the summers, she had the opportunity to row for West Side Rowing Club (WSRC) where she was able to race in several events at the Canadian Henley and earned the WSRC Women’s . 
Sydney began her coaching career working summer Learn-to-Row camps for both TRRA and WSRC. She interned for the USRowing Men’s High Performance team as well as the Midwest Olympic Development program over the course of several summers. She moved to Ashland, Oregon in 2019 where she began coaching with Rogue Rowing. There, she built and maintained a robust novice program and later became the Head Coach and Development Director of the juniors program. She believes that each athlete who comes into the boathouse matters and plays an integral role in building and developing long-lasting personal and team success. Focusing on building body and boat awareness, Sydney turns to what athletes can do rather than what they cannot. She aims to build an environment that is challenging, supportive, and welcoming to any and all who wish to show up for both themselves and their boatmates. 

Sam Breedlove

Coach

Coming soon…

Molly Mastrorilli

Coach

Molly began her rowing career in 2011 as part of a Learn to Row program at Rose City Rowing Club in Portland, Oregon. She rowed through high school and continued at Pacific Lutheran University for one year before returning home and turning her focus to coaching at Rose City Rowing Club. Over six years, Molly took on various roles, ultimately serving as the head novice coach. This experience allowed her to grow both as a coach and a rower, gaining a deep understanding of how to run a program and teach the fundamentals of rowing. While most of her rowing experience has been in sweep boats, the challenges of COVID allowed her to expand her skill set by coaching singles, often managing groups of 6-10 athletes. In the fall of 2023, Molly relocated to Bellingham and joined Whatcom Rowing Association, where she has worked with both juniors and masters athletes. She is now stepping into the role of Head Junior Coach.

Courtney Moeller

Coach

Courtney is in her ninth year as the top assistant for the WWU Rowing program, in 2017 she helped to lead the Vikings to their eighth NCAA DII National Championship and as assistant coach was recognized as the Vikings were named the DII 2017 Staff of the year. Before coming to Bellingham in 2015 to coach the Vikings she coached the  previous 10 years in the greater Seattle area. Two as operations manager of Renton Rowing Center, a community boathouse of the George Pocock Rowing Foundation, following eight as program director and junior women’s coach for Sammamish Rowing Association. In 2014, as junior women’s coach at PRC, her first novice eight, second novice eight and novice four all placed first at Northwest Junior Regionals. While at SRA, her teams captured points trophy championships at Brentwood Regatta four straight years (2008-11).  Her varsity eight was victorious at Brentwood Regatta, Opening Day Regatta and Northwest Junior Regionals in both 2010 and 2011. Her crews made appearances at U.S. Rowing Youth National Championships from 2008 to 2012, including fifth place finish by lightweight eight in 2009 and sixth place finish by varsity eight in 2010. Her Masters crews were regular contenders for medals at both local and national regattas including Tail of the Lake, Head of the Charles, Head of the Lake, Opening Day, and NW Masters Regionals. Member of WWU’s first NCAA Division II national championship team in 2005 as stroke of varsity four. Holds U.S. Rowing Level III coaching certificate. When she’s not at the boathouse coaching she can be found hitting the hiking trails or paddle-boarding with her right-hand girl, Lexie the Dog!

Tessa Patterson

Coach

Tessa discovered her passion for rowing in high school as a member of the Vancouver Lake Rowing Club in Vancouver, Washington. After three years of dedication and a memorable experience in the women’s 2-, her athletic journey faced an unexpected pause in 2020 due to COVID-19. During this time, Tessa embraced a gap year, channeling her energy into coaching summer programs at Vancouver Lake and working at Mount Hood Meadows. These experiences deepened her appreciation for the outdoors, a theme that has remained central to her life. In 2021, she moved to Honolulu, Hawaii, where she balanced academics, surfing, and occasional canal rowing.
Tessa transferred to Western Washington University in fall 2023 to complete her degree in Political Science and Law, and joined our team in April 2024. She continues to thrive in outdoor environments, working as a ski instructor at Mt. Baker. She is working on completing her level II coaching certificate and PSIA level III ski instructor certification. After graduating in March, Tessa is eager to further contribute to the Juniors and Master’s programs. Nature plays a vital role in Tessa’s coaching philosophy. Tessa believes that nature plays a vital role in sports, fostering resilience, focus, and a sense of community. Tessa is committed to teaching not just the technical skills of rowing, but also building the foundations for growth, teamwork, and respect for the environment we cherish so much. When she’s not at the boathouse you can find her out on the running trails of Galbraith or skiing the slopes of Baker.

Hugo Pizarro

Coach

Hugo first tried out rowing in 2018, simply as a way to stay active. He ended up sticking with it, rowing for Bainbridge Island through high school, competing at various events, including winning gold at the American Lake Fall Classic regatta in 2021, winning gold at regionals in 2022, and competing at nationals in Sarasota Florida, also in the spring of 2022. Hugo is now in his 3rd year at Western Washington University, working to complete his major in graphic design. He also rows for the WWU men’s team and enjoys his time practicing on Lake Whatcom every morning from 5 – 7 am. During the summers of 2023 and 2024, Hugo coached both Junior and Adult rowers at Bainbridge Island Rowing, on and off the water. Rowing has been a big part of Hugo’s life for the past seven years, and he’s excited for the endeavors that await.

Mike Snyder

Coach


In 1997 Mike had his hip replaced in Seattle. The surgeon told Mike, no more running or weightlifting, and that he needed to do a sport that wouldn’t jar his hip, something like rowing. Mike followed the doctors order and took up rowing. He attended a three-day rowing camp in Victoria and started out on Lake Padden rowing with Duncan Howett who tried his best to teach Mike how to scull. Whatcom Rowing did not exist then. Mike was transferred to Southern California for his job. There he joined Long Beach Rowing Association and raced in singles, doubles and quads. His double partner was a lightweight coach who taught him how to coach others.
In 2002 Mike and his wife sailed their boat to New Zealand visiting the many islands on the way. They sailed back to Bellingham in 2006, and Mike bought a used scull from Duncan and began rowing again. Eventually he found Whatcom rowing and joined. Mike filled in as a coach for Masters and coached many people in doubles. He bought his own double and have been coaching in it ever since. Mike attended the level two rowing course in Seattle obtaining a certificate as a level two coach. He takes private lessons and fills in whenever needed for the Club.

Owen Sykes

Coach

Owen started rowing in 2017 at Bainbridge Island Rowing (BIR) and quickly fell in love with the sport. He rowed at BIR for the rest of high school and went to Youth Nationals in the Men’s Lwt 8+ in 2019. Maintaining a connection to rowing through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic was difficult but not impossible, and lucky for Owen there was the opportunity to row during the lockdown. What followed was two years of small boat work which gave Owen his love for the details in technique.
Graduating high school 2021 Owen set his sights on pursuing a BS in Environmental Science at Western Washington University (WWU). He has been rowing at WWU since 2021 and has medaled at ACRA’s in 2022 and was elected as the captain for the 2024-2025 seasons. Over the summers, Owen would return to BIR to coach Juniors, Masters, and learn-to-row groups of all ages, fix boats and take time to row for himself. Owen’s favorite part of rowing, however, is getting new rowers hooked on the sport like it hooked him in 2017 and fostering a welcoming community so that new rowers can flourish.
When he’s not rowing, you can find Owen taking classes at WWU or exploring the great outdoors on his bike.