Episcopal crew coaches



Boys

Allen Todd '91
Boys Head Coach
Coach Allen Todd began his rowing career at Episcopal, where he was a coxswain for three years, and after outgrowing that, rowed for his final three years. Under Coach Kirk Logan, he was a state runner-up as a coxswain and again as a rower, and he was the captain of the crew his senior year. Coach Todd went on to row for four years at Duke University, where he rowed lightweight at such fall races as the Head of the Charles, Head of the Schuylkill and Head of the Chattahoochee. In the spring he rowed at the SIRA and Dad Vail Championships and medaled at the inaugural ACC Championships and Mid-Atlantic Championships. After graduation, he coached the Duke novice boys for two fall seasons, leading them to a silver at the Head of the Chattahoochee in his second year. He returned to Episcopal in 1998, when he led the novice boys to their first ever state medals, as they were runners-up in the 8 and the 4. After three years, he took over the role of head coach, and under his leadership the boys crew team has won two state championships and ten state medals.
904.396.5751, ext. 1954

Michael Sartore
Boys Assistant Coach
Coach Mike Sartore began his rowing career at Dr. Phillips High School in Orlando, Florida. He earned his way into the Varsity Eight as a novice rower and competed at the Stotesbury Cup Regatta as a first year rower in the Midweight 4 category. Coach Sartore went on to row at Florida State University where he helped start the program from the ground up. After college, he worked as a sports reporter in Atlanta where he had the privilege to cover the rowing events in the 1996 Summer Olympics. Coach Sartore moved to Jacksonville in 1997 and began rowing with Jacksonville Rowing Club. He joined the Episcopal boys crew coaching staff in 2001. Since joining Episcopal, the Freshman Eight State Championship trophy has been named The Mike Sartore Cup in his honor.

Robert King
Boys Assistant Coach
Coach Robert King began his rowing career at Edgewater High School in Orlando, Florida. He earned state runner-up honors his freshman year, rowing in the varsity lightweight 8. He rowed in the varsity 8 and 4 the following years, and became the first African-American four-year letterman in Edgewater crew history. King went on to row at the University of Central Florida, racing and medaling in the FIRA state championship and SIRA championships. He moved to Jacksonville and attended Jacksonville University for the chance to row under the tutelage of Coach Mark Beckenbach. King coached the Jacksonville Rowing Club youth team for two years before joining the Episcopal boys crew coaching staff in 2005.

Girls

Cristi Peterson-Skeels '91
Girls Head Coach
Coach Cristi Peterson-Skeels (Coach Peterson) began her rowing career in 1986 as a 7th grader at Episcopal High School. She earned three varsity letters and in her senior year her teammates elected her the team captain. She also received the Coaches Award in 1991. Coach Peterson continued rowing in college for Stetson University's Division I varsity lightweight team. Upon gradation, Coach Peterson returned to Episcopal as an assistant coach and was quickly promoted as the head girls coach the following year. In ten years under her leadership, the girls team has won four individual boat state titles and the 2004 Womens Team State Champions title. Her varsity 4 won the 2005 Elizabeth Plate at the prestigious Stotesbury Regatta in Philadelphia and the same athletes placed fourth scholastically at the International Head of the Charles Regatta in Boston this fall. Many of Coach Peterson's athletes continue their rowing careers in college. In 2001, Coach Peterson was awarded the John Ryan Excellence in Coaching Award for the Upper School.
904.396.5751, ext. 1938

Leslie Meredith
Girls Assistant Coach
Coach Leslie Meredith began her rowing career at Lake Braddock Secondary School in Burke, Virginia, where she was a founding member of the team. While at Washington College in Chestertown, Maryland, her team won four regional championships, and was consistently ranked among the top 10 NCAA Division-III teams. Coach Meredith was recognized as a Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association scholar athlete, and was awarded the Senior Athletic Award. In her first season as their coach, Episcopal’s novice eight won the Jacksonville City Championship.

Melissa Gothard
Girls Assistant Coach
Coach Melissa Gothard, who began coaching at Episcopal since 2004, began her rowing career in 10th grade. She competed throughout high school with Jacksonville Youth Rowing, a community team previously run by the Bolles School. During college, she rowed at the University of Florida, and currently rows with Jacksonville Rowing Club in both sculling and sweep events, as well as serving as a coxswain. In 2006, she competed at the FISA World Masters’ Regatta in Princeton, New Jersey.

LeAnna Kemp
Girls Assistant Coach
Coach LeAnna Kemp grew up in Kansas City, Missouri. In 2005 she graduated from the University of Kansas, where she majored in journalism and was a coxswain on the rowing team. Following graduation, Coach Kemp moved to Jacksonville to join the Young Life staff, and subsequently declined an assistant coaching position at Kansas to continue working with Young Life and Episcopal.

Ashley Adams '97 
Volunteer Coach