About our Team....

SHHS Raider Crew is celebrating 14 years of junior women's rowing on the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland, Ohio, with seven seasons as a varsity sport. We train during the academic year, from fall head season through the Midwest Scholastic Rowing Championships in mid-May. The 2010 spring season had a roster of 21 rowers and coxswains, with a fleet of 8 shells, 36 oars, a boat trailer and equipment trailer, plus 11 rowing machines through donations and fundraising. In 2009-10 we raced in Columbus, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Erie, PA. During the fall and spring, Shaker Heights High School provides bus transportation to/from the boathouse on weekday practices. Winter training is conducted at the school.

SHHS Raider Crew has a strong history of volunteerism in events such as the Head of the Cuyahoga and Row for the Cure. We are a member organization of the Cleveland Rowing Foundation.

About our Coaches...

Bob Valerian, Head Coach

Coach Valerian coached the St. Ignatius Rowing team between 1990 and 2003, guiding the team to their first two Midwest Scholastic Championships and building St. Ignatius Rowing into the institution it current is. Coach V was an oarsman at Georgetown University, winning the Dad Vail Sprints during his time there. Coach V is actively involved in the rowing community in Cleveland and has served on the Board of the Cleveland Rowing Foundation since 2006 and has served as the President of the Cleveland Rowing Foundation since 2007.

Mark Silverstein, Assistant Coach

Mark Silverstein has been rowing for the last 15 years, beginning as a novice Summer League rower. Diving in head first after his first year he began competing with the Masters Rowing Program and has competed and medaled in numerous regattas including Masters Nationals. He has coached for 7 years including Head Coaching responsibilities for Cleveland State, Summer and Fall rowing Leagues, and soon the Masters Fall Recreational Rowing Program. A former Executive Director of the Cleveland Rowing Program, Mark is most proud of founding the Row for the Cure, starting and running a Visually Impaired Rowing Program, an Inner- city Rowing Program with the City of Cleveland, and collaborating with Hard Hatted Women to include rowing as part of their summer Rosie's Girls Camp. Mark is married with three children and two grandsons. He can usually be found at the Boathouse with his trusty companion, Scout!