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Craig Webster enters his first season as an assistant coach for the USC women’s rowing program.
A former head coach at UCLA with over seven years of collegiate coaching experience, Webster will be primarily responsible for coaching the Trojans’ novice squad and the Varsity Fours.
Webster began his collegiate coaching career at UCLA as the Bruins’ freshman/novice coach for his first two seasons (1992-93). After leading his squads to a fourth-place finish at the San Diego Crew Classic and consecutive appearances in the grand final of the Pacific Coast Rowing Championships, Webster was named UCLA’s head coach in the summer of 1993. The Bruins’ program was reverted to a club sport in 1992 and in 1994, Webster coached the first UCLA squad with non-scholarship rowers and without transitional funding, yet remained competitive against Pac-10 crews.
He spent four seasons at UCLA (1992-95) then accepted the head coaching position at Chapman University in February of 1996. Along with future wife and assistant coach, Renee, the two proceeded to build the Chapman program from the ground up. The inaugural 1997 squad finished third in the women’s novice four at the California State Championships and seventh in the men’s eight at the Pacific Coast Rowing Championships. In 1999, the men’s eight won a silver medal at the Western Intercollegiate Rowing Association (WIRA) Championships.
Webster moved to Atlanta, Ga., in the summer of 1999 so that Renee could pursue a doctorate in physical therapy at Emory University. Webster accepted a position as director and head coach of the Saint Andrew Junior Rowing Club coaching both the boys and girls. His boys eights crew qualified for the Youth Nationals three consecutive years (2000-02) and the boys fours qualified twice (2000, 2002). In 2001 the girls finished third at Head of the Schuylkill and eighth at the Youth Nationals, marking the club’s highest finish ever.
As an undergraduate at UCLA, Webster rowed four seasons (1986-89). He was a member of the Varsity Eight that won the 1988 San Diego Crew Classic Copley Cup, the 1988 Pac-10 Championship and placed fourth overall and second among collegiate teams at the 1988 Head of the Charles. His 1988 crew also competed at the Henley Regatta in Thames, England - one of the world’s most famous sporting events.
In 1989, Webster paired with fomer UCLA oarsman Mike Still to race nationally in the straight pair. They finished fourth at the U.S. National Championships in 1989 and 1990 and won the trials for the 1989 World University Games. Webster and Still represented the U.S. at the 1989 University Games in Duisberg, Germany, finishing sixth. Racing together in 1990, they again finished fourth at the U.S. National Championships and were training for the World Championship trials when a back injury ended Webster’s competitive career.
Webster graduated from UCLA in 1992 with a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry. He is a NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) and USA Weightlifting Certified Club Coach. Born on Jan. 12, 1967, in Bellflower, Calif., he and his wife currently reside in San Pedro.
