Coach Phil Levering, team principal, previously held the title of head coach for 13 seasons.
A 2006 graduate of St. Francis de Sales and among the founding members of the school’s rowing program, he then began coaching with Central Catholic in 2008.
In 2011, Coach Levering was named the head coach for the Titans and inherited an impressive crew that took a bronze medal finish at the spring Midwest Championships which led to a national championship appearance. From 2012 through 2016, Coach Levering led at least one crew to the National Championship Regatta by way of three Midwest (state/regional) Championships (Gold – 2015, 2013) and medaling qualifying finishes (Silver – 2014, Bronze – 2015, 2013). In 2014, the Men’s Lightweight 4 finished third among US schools.
Coach Levering takes pride in his athletes being students first, volunteering for school functions, and embracing the tenets of Jesuit spirituality while applying them within the program. He teaches that the team is “only as strong as its lowest contributor,” meaning that each student is responsible for elevating one another.
From 2013-2015, every senior varsity rower qualified for the grand finals at the Midwest Championships, a feat never accomplished in the program’s history. This level of depth and team-wide accountability serves as a model for the program moving forward.
