Coaches Corner
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Meet The Coaches

 

Al Somma - Kearny High School Principal 

 

Al Somma was the assistant crew coach for four years and then served as the head coach for twelve years, retiring in 1992.  In addition to being the head boys coach, he introduced the girl's program in 1986.  When he took over the head coaching position in 1983, we had 33 boys in the program and when he retired in 1992, the program had a total of 160 members (boys and girls) combined. He coached the boys Junior Four to a National Championship in 1983, the first in our program's history.  Our Girls Junior Four also won the National Championship in 1988 and coached several teams that made the National Finals on ten occasions, with seven team placing in the top three.  He had several teams make the finals of the Stotesbury Cup Regatta eight times and five placing in the top three.

 

Al Somma was fortunate to coach three members of our program that went on to make National and Olympic Teams:  Jeff Klepacki was a three time Olympian, Jennifer Dore a two time Olympian and Dan Fraser was selected to the National Jr. Team in 1982.  Jen and Jeff were also members of the U.S. National Team that won the World Championships.

 

He is presently the Principal of Kearny High School and was fortunate to have coached our Men's and Women's Head Coaches when they rowed for KHS.  He is very proud of them and the way they have continued the great tradition of the Kearny Crew Program.

 

Scott Fuchs - Head Coach Men's Team

Scott Fuchs started out his coaching career for the Kearny High School men's crew team as a volunteer coach under Jon Zimmerman in 2000.In 2001 Coach Fuchs became the men's novice coach were he developed and taught incoming rowers for two seasons.

 

In his first year as being head coach, Coach Fuchs started off with a bang having his Men's Lightweight Four win the 2003 New Jersey Scholastic Rowing Championship, since then he has won an additional two times. Over the next few years many of his boats have done exceptionally well at the major regattas including medaling at Nationals and The Stotesbury Regatta.

 

A 1994 graduate of KHS, Coach Fuchs started his rowing career in 1991 under the coaching of Al Somma. He then rowed under Jon Zimmerman competing in various boats, but always seemed to end up in his favorite four seat. During his junior year he was a member of the Junior 8 that was the first and only 8 ever to win a New Jersey Scholastic Rowing Championship from Kearny as well as receiving a bronze medal at Nationals.

 

He is currently a seventh and eighth grade resource math teacher at Lincoln School in Kearny. Coach Fuchs has also been the Kearny High School men's swimming coach for the past five years.

 

Coach Fuchs is currently attending Montclair State University pursuing a Masters in Middle School Mathematics.

 

Dave Paszkiewicz  - Head Coach Women's Team

 

In addition to coaching crew, Coach Paszkiewicz teaches US History at KHS and is youth pastor at Kearny Baptist church.  He holds an MAR from Liberty University, a BA from The King's College and an ARA from Northeastern Bible College.  He is a life-long resident of Kearny and a 1986 graduate of KHS where he rowed for four years under Coach Al Somma.  He earned two bronze Stotesbury medals stroking the Junior Boys Four in 1984 and the Senior Boys Four in 1986.  He graduated as MVP, team captain and a four-year varsity letter winner.  In 2000 he was inducted into the KHS Athletic Hall of Fame.

 

Coach Paszkiewicz has been coaching for KHS since 1987.  He was a volunteer coach from 1987 - 1989.  He served as an assistant coach from 1990 -1994 and as girls head coach since 1995. Coach Paszkiewicz's proudest accomplishments include: Scholastic National championship Regatta: 1st Girls Lwt Four 1994, 1st Girls Jr Four 1998, 1st Girls Lwt Four 2004. Stotesbury Cup Regatta: 2nd Girls Jr Four 1998, 2nd Girls Lwt Four 2004. New Jersey scholastic Rowing Championship: 1st Girls Jr Four 1997, 1st Girls Jr Four 1998, 1st Girls Sr Four 1999, 1st Girls Mdwt Four 2000, 1st Girls Lwt Four 2004, 1st Girls Lwt Four 2005, 1st Girls Lwt Four 2006.

 

Crew has had a tremendous impact on coach Paszkiewicz's life.  It has taught him the value of teamwork and dedication.  He is indebted to coach Al Somma and former KHS rigger, John Sweeney.  He credits coach Somma with teaching him just about everything he knows about the sport and molding him into the man he is.  In addition, Mr. Sweeney's example  made a lasting impact on him which taught him crew is more than winning races, it is about molding character.

 

                                   John McKenna - Freshman/Novice Men

 

John McKenna began his coaching career with Kearny High School crew in the spring of 2005. Since then, he has earned his U.S. Rowing Level II certification, and spent a summer leading the 2007 Junior Summer Development Camp at Nereid Boat Club.  Before returning to his hometown where he currently coaches, John spent his last 2 years heading up the sweep program for Don Bosco Prep.  During his tenure with the Ironmen, McKenna assisted with the advancement and streamlining of the crew, which formed in 2003.  His contributions in these areas have been significant in Don Bosco's quest to be successful, both in the classroom and in the athletic arena.

 

A native of Kearny, John also began his own rowing career with the Kardinals.  As a senior member of the Men's Lightweight Four in 2003, he finished first at the New Jersey Scholastic Rowing Championship and medaled at the prestigious Stotesbury Cup Regatta.  In 2005 he continued his competitive rowing career with Nereid Boat club, earning gold medals in the Men's Flyweight 4+ at both the Royal Canadian Henley and USRowing Club Championship Regattas.

 

In addition to his work with Kearny Crew, John will also be assisting at the new Elmwood Park rowing site on the upper Passaic.  His experience will help launch and grow newly formed crews at both Bergen Catholic and the Academy of the Holy Angles. 

 

Chris McShane - Freshman/Novice Women 

Coach Chris McShane currently works as a substitute teacher in the Kearny School District (2008- present) and is actively seeking a full-time position as an Art teacher.  He has a BA in Graphic Design from New Jersey City University and an NJ Certification to teach Art K-12.  He has lived in Kearny his whole life and graduated from KHS in 2002.  He rowed for 4 years (1999-2002) at KHS, under Coach Kevin Flowers, Coach Scott Fuchs and Coach Jon Zimmerman.  He rowed in the Novice 8, Junior 8 and Senior 4 B. He won medals in high school, but didn't earn any major medals, but hopes to change that streak with the success of his current and future rowers. 

Coach McShane is in his second year coaching the Women's Novice and Freshman team. In addition to learning the sport as a rower at KHS, he is learning how to perfect the "other side" of crew (coaching) from Coach Paszkiewicz and also took advice from the past Novice and Freshman coach, Brian Flowers. Coach McShane hopes to learn the "winning formula" from Coach Paszkiewicz to help prepare the Freshman and Novice for their future success on Varsity. He also believes that crew is an excellent way to build exceptional character, learn about yourself, as well as, create lasting memories for the rest of their lives.  There is a great deal to learn as a first-year rower and his goal is for everyone to learn how to row well, how to row competively and of course, have some fun!  His first season as coach was successful and he hopes to have many more to come. KHS crew has a great legacy and tradition, with the stories of Mr. Sweeney, Mr. Somma, Mr. Paszkiewicz, Mr. Zimmerman, Mr. Fuchs and Mr. Flowers, he hopes that he can create some memorable moments of his own. 

Most people know that Coach "C" McShane, has a twin brother Danny (who also coaches for KHS as a volunteer). Chris and Danny rowed together in the same boats throughout their four years at KHS. Chris rowed on the port side and Dan rowed on the starboard side, completing the equal balance they share as twins. Coach McShane and his brother were the first two rowers in their family, but since then, their sister Jackie (who also rowed 4 years 2000-2004, serving as captain her senior year) and sister Alex (is currently rowing under Coach Paszkiewicz (2008-present)) have also caught the crew bug as well. To top it off, their parents are active crew parents completing the "family affair" with their Mom, Christine, (Crew Parent President 2003-04, 2009-current) and Dad, Danny "BB" involved consistently. There aren’t any more McShane kids on their way to KHS to join the team, so there will be a significant break until the future McShane grandkids begin to row and all 6 of the current "McShane's" hope to stay involved in the mean time. They believe the Kearny Crew team is like a family with all the hours we spend together and we hope that everyone shares the same love for crew as they do.