PORT ANGELES — Rowing coach Rodrigo Rodrigues is leaving Olympic Peninsula Rowing Association to take a similar job in California.
Rodrigues’ departure comes after three years of developing a junior program for the Port Angeles-based rowing association.
Rodrigues’ new job will be as coach of a junior program in Long Beach, Calif.
Olympic Peninsula Rowing Association President John Halberg brought Rodrigues, who had a history of international success, to the North Olympic Peninsula from Brazil in 2012.
Rodrigues’ tenure culminated in Sequim’s Elise Beuke placing seventh at the World Junior Championships in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, last month.
Rodrigues served as a coach for the United States at the championships.
Beuke, who has been rowing for less than two years, all under the tutelage of Rodrigues, signed a letter of intent to row for the University of Washington.
The Olympic Peninsula Rowing Association had its best year in 2015.
Along with competing internationally, Beuke won the Northwest Regional championship and earned silver at the national championships in Florida.
Two other association members competed at regionals, Sequim’s Eric Prosser and Port Angeles’ Hannah Officer.
The club’s numbers also grew.
After taking only three rowers to the 2014 B.C. Championships in Victoria, the association had 12 rowers compete at the same regatta this July.
In a new release announcing Rodrigues’ departure, the rowing association said that it is “proud and excited for Rodrigo, and will use this opportunity to restructure the association with an expanding progressive board, new coaching staff and plans to continue growing the program for junior and adult rowers.”
