Eric Costello

Eric Costello is an American rower and coach known for his achievements in lightweight rowing and contributions to collegiate and national rowing programs. He competed at the international level in events associated with the World Rowing Championships and the Head of the Charles Regatta, later transitioning into coaching and sports administration roles at university and club programs. Costello's career intersects with major institutions and competitions in North American and international rowing.

Early life and education

Costello was born in Sacramento, California, and raised in the Sacramento metropolitan area where he attended local schools before matriculating to the University of California. At university he studied while participating in varsity athletics affiliated with the Pac-10 Conference and the Intercollegiate Rowing Association. His undergraduate experience connected him to mates who later rowed at events such as the Henley Royal Regatta, the Head of the Charles Regatta, and the NCAA Rowing Championships. Postgraduate training included coursework related to kinesiology and sport science at institutions partnered with the United States Olympic Committee and USA Rowing.

Athletic career

Costello's athletic career began in collegiate rowing where he competed in lightweight and openweight crews at regattas including the IRA National Championships and regional regattas such as the San Diego Crew Classic and the Head of the Charles Regatta. He progressed to national selection with USA Rowing, representing United States lightweight crews at the World Rowing Championships overseen by the International Rowing Federation. During his competitive years he raced against crews from Great Britain, Australia, Canada, and Germany in events aligned with the Olympic regatta cycle and FISA World Cup Series. He trained at elite centers that collaborate with the United States Olympic Training Center and was coached by figures with ties to programs at Harvard University, Yale University, Princeton University, and Stanford University. His regatta participations included races on bodies of water like the Schuylkill River, Lake Natoma, and the Thames.

Coaching and professional involvement

After retiring from full-time competition, Costello moved into coaching at both club and collegiate levels, leading programs that compete within the Pac-12 Conference, the Ivy League regatta circuit, and regional associations such as the California Rowing Association. He has been involved in athlete development pipelines connected to USA Rowing's development camps and selection trials, and has collaborated with coaches from the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of Washington. Costello has also worked with high performance programs that coordinate with the United States Olympic Committee and national federations from Canada and Great Britain on talent identification. His professional roles have included head coach, assistant coach, and program director for programs entering events like the IRA National Championships, the NCAA Rowing Championships, and international regattas such as the World Rowing Cup. He has participated in coaching clinics alongside coaches from Oxford University Boat Club, Cambridge University Boat Club, and national teams preparing for the Olympic Games and the Pan American Games.

Personal life

Costello resides in California and maintains connections with rowing communities in the San Francisco Bay Area, Sacramento, and the Sierra Nevada training venues. He is active in partnerships with rowing clubs such as California Rowing Club and regional collegiate programs at institutions including the University of California and Stanford University. Outside of rowing he has engaged with organizations focused on athlete health and sport science that interact with the American College of Sports Medicine and the National Strength and Conditioning Association. His network includes alumni and former teammates who rowed for programs at Harvard University, Yale University, Princeton University, and Brown University.

Awards and honors

Throughout his career Costello earned recognition at domestic and international regattas including medals at national selection regattas and podium finishes at competitions governed by the International Rowing Federation. His crews received accolades at events like the Head of the Charles Regatta and the IRA National Championships, and his coaching work contributed to team successes at the Pac-12 Conference championships and regional championships. Costello has been invited to present at coaching symposia alongside representatives from USA Rowing, the United States Olympic Committee, and university programs such as the University of Washington and the University of California, Berkeley.

Category:American rowers Category:Rowing coaches