CASE STUDY
Discover how CrewLAB transformed Newport Aquatic Center’s Junior Women’s Rowing Program, leading to their most successful season ever.
ABOUT THE CUSTOMER
The Newport Aquatic Center (NAC) is a non-profit whose mission is to teach and inspire athletes of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds by fostering a passion for Olympic style rowing, kayaking, canoeing, and related marine activities. NAC develops exceptional athletes, by providing a positive and influential path for young adults, a common destination for devoted enthusiasts, and a teaching ground for environmental stewardship.
Powered by CrewLAB, NAC Junior Women had the best season in program history.
NAC’s Junior Women’s Rowing Program, based in Newport Beach, California, has seen remarkable growth and success under the Head Coach Weston Cole, who took over two years ago.
Upon stepping into the role, Coach Cole implemented CrewLAB to cultivate a dedicated, high-performance team culture. The results have been nothing short of transformative, culminating in the most successful season in the program’s history, driven by both top-tier speed and impressive team depth.
The challenges
Before implementing CrewLAB, NAC’s Junior Women’s Rowing Program faced significant challenges hindering their progress. The primary issues were establishing a culture of hard work and accountability, motivating athletes to engage in extra training outside scheduled practices, and limited team depth across all boat levels.
The coaching staff struggled to instill values of consistent effort and dedication across the entire team. Without a robust system to track individual contributions, it was challenging to foster an environment where every athlete felt responsible for their own development and the team’s success. Additionally, coaches found it difficult to encourage rowers to put in additional work on their own time, limiting the potential growth and improvement of individual athletes and the entire team.
These interrelated challenges created a cycle that was difficult to break. The lack of a strong culture of accountability and extra effort made it hard to build the depth needed for across-the-board success. NAC needed a solution that could address all of these issues simultaneously to unlock the full potential of their Junior Women’s Rowing Program.
Our solution
CrewLAB revolutionized NAC’s training approach by enabling precise tracking of additional workouts. This feature held athletes accountable for their extra efforts, fostering a culture of dedication and hard work. By providing a clear record of individual contributions beyond scheduled practices, CrewLAB empowered coaches to recognize and encourage consistent effort, leading to improved performance across the team.
Our platform’s real-time feedback system, featuring leaderboards and team posts, proved instrumental in motivating athletes. This feature created a sense of healthy competition among team members, inspiring them to push their limits and strive for continuous improvement. The visibility of each athlete’s progress not only boosted individual motivation but also strengthened team cohesion, as rowers cheered on and supported each other’s achievements.
Perhaps most significantly, CrewLAB played a crucial role in strengthening NAC’s team depth. By facilitating the development of competitive 3V and 4V boats, CrewLAB helped elevate the performance of all squad members, not just the top crews. This comprehensive approach to team development resulted in a more robust and competitive program overall, setting the stage for NAC’s historic success in various regattas and championships.
“CrewLAB helped with establishing the habit across all our teams – that we’re going to do the work, track the work and see how much that work adds up over time. All the feedback that you get through the leaderboard, and through the posts themselves – and the athletes wanted to share extra workout posts – established the culture of the entire team.”
The outcome
- Team Points Trophy winner at the Southwest Junior Rowing Championships
- 2nd place in the 1V8+ at the 2024 Youth Nationals
- 3rd place in the 2V8+ at the 2024 Youth Nationals
- 1st place in the 2V8+, 3V8+, 4+, and 4x at the Southwest Junior Rowing Championships
- 2nd place in the 1V8+ at the Southwest Junior Rowing Championships
RETURN ON INVESTMENT
Enabled precise tracking of additional workouts, holding athletes accountable for their extra efforts.
Provided real-time feedback through leaderboards and team posts, fostering healthy competition and motivation.
Strengthened team depth by helping develop competitive 3V and 4V boats.
TESTIMONIAL