2023-2024 TEAM COACHES
Gwen Sully
Oakton Crew Program Director and Women’s Head Coach
Gwen began rowing in 1999 and launched her coaching career in Northern Virginia in 2004. She has served the rowing community for many years in various roles: fundraising, program development, and regatta management. With more than 20 years of rowing, sculling, coaching, and board of directors experience, Gwen is well-equipped and excited to build on the momentum of Oakton Crew’s established competitive program. She is a former board member of the Occoquan Boat Club and has held coaching positions with various NOVA high school programs, Resilient Rowing, Penn State Crew, GMU Crew, and several masters rowing programs in the metro area.
Gwen’s coaching philosophy focuses on development of the whole athlete, and on providing a safe and positive atmosphere where all team members can reach and exceed their goals, build confidence, and be successful in their racing endeavors.
She believes that giving young people the chance to find themselves, to mature and develop, and to transform into young adults is an amazing thing to witness. Doing it as a part of the crew “family” is particularly gratifying.
Gwen is a certified USRowing Level III coach and regularly attends coaching/rowing conferences and seminars.
Ryan Slanina
Women’s Assistant Coach
Coach Ryan began rowing in 2014 and coaching in 2018 for Oakton, coming back each season to support the team he’s grown to love. After coaching a men’s JR-4 to nationals his first season, he’s been consistently returning, striving to make the students the best rowers, and even more so, the best people they can be. With multiple seasons coaching men’s and the previous season coaching on the women’s side, he enjoys any opportunity to be able to work with whatever group needs his attention.
Coach Ryan’s goal every season is to help the students become more resilient, stronger, more responsible, and overall better humans for the world with rowing as the vessel to get them there. The most rewarding part to him is seeing them start from day 1, with little knowledge if any, and by the last race, seeing how far they’ve progressed. He’s always hoping the rowers take the hard-earned lessons in sport and take them to apply them in all facets of their lives.
Ryan takes plenty of time to focus on lifting, which will be used to coach rowers in the weight room. He also works full-time as a Firefighter/Paramedic in Fairfax County when not coaching, where much of his philosophy on personal improvement and physical training originates.
Tatiana Montione
Men’s Assistant Coach- Novice Lead
Regina Liu
Men’s Assistant Coach
Ed Messina
Novice/Land Coach
Coach Ed rowed during the ancient times called the 1980s. During this age they used wooden boats and oars made from mammoth tusks. Coach Ed’s rowing philosophy is: “Go big or go bigger and row hard or row harder, either works.” Coach Ed helped start the crew team at his University, rowed in Head of the Charles, and the National Dad Vale Collegiate Regatta. Coach Ed also rowed after college for Capitol Rowing Club in Washington DC. Coach Ed is the dad of Oakton rower Max Messina, so all rowers should feel free to ask as many embarrassing questions about Max as possible throughout the rowing season. Go Oakton!