JOHN HALBERG HAS big dreams for the Olympic Peninsula Rowing Association.
Among the biggest are to start a college rowing program at Peninsula College, and produce an Olympic rower.
These dreams might be far from becoming reality, but Halberg and the rowing association are taking steps toward achieving them.
One major step — and perhaps the biggest step — came late last year with the hiring of a new rowing coach.
And not just any coach.
Halberg, 76, posted a free advertisement in online rowing magazine row2K’s free classified section.
It was a blind ad, and he had now idea who, if anyone, would respond.
The next day, Rodrigo Rodrigues from Brazil replied to Halberg’s posting.
Rodrigues had an impressive resume.
The 34-year-old has more than 20 years of rowing experience, and has coached Brazilian rowers who have qualified for the Olympic Games and rowing World Cups.
He trained Fabiana Beltrame, who won gold at the 2011 World Championships in Beld, Slovenia, and at World Cup II in Hamburg, Germany.
Rodrigues also coached winners at the Senior, Under 23 and Junior South America Games.
After communicating back and forth and hosting Rodrigues for a visit, Halberg and the rowing association decided the Brazilian was the perfect fit to help grow the program.
“I keep [thinking]: Olympic Peninsula, Olympic Games; Olympic Peninsula, Olympic Games,” Halberg said.
“Put two and two together: There is an athlete here on the Olympic Peninsula, that if we can start them developing at age 12, or 15, or whenever, they can get to the Olympic Games.
“And I think Rodrigo bought into that challenge. Meanwhile, he’s doing what he likes to do. He’s a rowing coach, and he likes to coach rowing.
“What we need now is more athletes for him.”
To that end, and as part of National Learn to Row Day on Saturday, the rowing association will host an introduction to rowing for all ages and skill levels (including no previous experience), from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the boat house at 1431 Ediz Hook Drive in Port Angeles.
Rodrigues said he has always dreamed of coming to the United States, a country with a bigger rowing culture than his native Brazil.
He said the rowing association, and Port Angeles, are capable of success.
“We have good things. We have water, we have a couple boats — not a lot, but enough to start — and we have a coach,” Rodrigues said.
“We just need people to row, to be part of this system. And someday we [can] have a strong rowing program here.”
Rodrigues officially began his tenure as the youth rowing coach in December, and has already experienced success.
At Ergomania, the Pacific Northwest’s Indoor Rowing Championship in Seattle, the rowing association won many gold and silver medals.
Rodrigues admitted that improving “on earth” is much easier than on the water, but he added that succeeding at that level was comparable to helping Beltrame win at the international level.
“It was the same feeling for me, because . . . everybody was having fun, everybody was winning competitions,” he said.
“But, I would say, for me, my pleasure is just to see kids’ improvement — step by step.”
The rowing association is open to all ages, but Rodrigues’ main role is to work with the youth.
Starting June 24 and lasting throughout the summer, he will be teaching week-long, Monday through Friday, rowing sessions.
Although competing at a national or international level might be in the distant future, a rowing scholarship is one of the most attainable in college sports, especially for girls.
Rodrigues said some of the association’s rowers might already be competitive in the Northwest region.
He attended the Northwest Junior Regional Championships in Vancouver, Wash., earlier this month.
After watching the competition and seeing the times of the top rowers there, he realized that Aubree Officer, a Port Angeles High School student who Rodrigues said is probably his best rower, would already be able to compete at that level.
Perfecting the language
Rodrigues has already taken advantage of living on the North Olympic Peninsula, where the weather is completely different from his home country. (“There is no cold in Brazil, he said.)
This past winter, went skiing for the first time in his life at Hurricane Ridge.
He said he did well, despite taking no lessons and receiving little prior instruction.
One of the most difficult things so far in his short time in Port Angeles has been the language barrier between he and his rower.
Although Rodrigues, whose native language is Portuguese, speaks fluent English, he is taking classes at Peninsula College because so he can communicate at the highest level possible to those he is coaching.
And, because he is, admittedly, a perfectionist.
“The most hard thing for me is to explain feelings,” Rodrigues said.
“I love to use the movements communication, not just talking communication. It used to work better in Brazil.
“I would love to be able to explain more, but I will be able to.”
Rodrigues said rowing helps develop character, promotes better fitness, and offers a connection with the water and the environment.
“We teach you to work hard and respect everybody, respect the environment, respect the boat, your coach, your partner,” he said.
“You need to do that to be a good athlete.”
But, to be a champion rower, or someone who earns a college scholarship, a rower needs more than a casual interest in the sport.
“Everybody wants to be a champion, but just a few people like to row hard, and improve and be stronger, be faster,” Rodrigues said.
“That’s a very hard practice. We need to practice hard every day, to [get] there.
“I would say the secret to rowing is work hard.”
Learn to Row Details
■ When: Saturday from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.
■ Where: Olympic Peninsula Rowing Association boat house at 1431 Ediz Hook Drive in Port Angeles.
■ For more information about the rowing association, visit www.oprarowing.org.
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Outdoors columnist Lee Horton appears here Thursdays and Fridays. He can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5152 or at lhorton@peninsuladailynews.com.
