High Performance Women’s Coach Foglia Champions Long-Term Athlete Development

Jesse Foglia joined the USRowing High Performance staff in January 2023, coaching the women's team through the 2024 Olympics. He spent numerous years coaching U19, U23, and senior national team athletes and boats for USRowing at the international level. He coached six seasons as the assistant heavyweight men's coach at Harvard University. Foglia was announced in December 2024 as the head women's coach for this Olympic cycle alongside Casey Galvanek, head coach for the men's team. 

You’ve coached at every level, high school, collegiate and Olympic. What lessons and experiences did you learn from those levels that you brought to the Olympic team?

I think the process has always revolved around looking for ways to continue to expand my knowledge and challenge myself. I think each change in landscape came at a developmentally appropriate time. In my early years, I didn't even know what the questions I should be asking or what I should be looking for in college or even think about the U.S. team. Ultimately I believe coaching is about communication. You can only communicate the knowledge you have, when you try and speak to things you don't understand is when you can get yourself into trouble. I understand more now and communicate more, but I try to avoid trying to communicate things I don't understand myself. 

You started as an intern for U19s, what advice would you give a coach who’s looking to make the jump to high performance coaching? 

I think it relates to what I was just speaking on about not trying to over estimate your knowledge. You can only coach what you fully understand. Surround yourself with a coaching network that challenges you and has strengths that might be outside of yours. Do as much observing as you possibly can of all levels and all coaches, there is something to learn from everyone. Finally I would say don't ever view an opportunity as below you. You need to start somewhere even if you perceive it to be below your capacity.

What was your favorite boat to coach so far in your career?

Picking a favorite would be an injustice to any of the athletes I have worked with. The thing I enjoy most about coaching is that no two experiences are the same. Each campaign is a little different and you are always looking for ways to problem solve and evolve in the way to work together to maximize the potential of a group of athletes or a crew. I appreciate that sometimes the most challenging experiences also provide the greatest opportunity for growth even if it may not feel like it at the moment. The one thing I can say is that each experience has its high and low points and it is never easy. Often the lower the lows the higher the highs. 

Now that the team is in a new cycle, what excites you about this new Olympic cycle?

Having a full quadrennial to build. Coming into my role in January of 2023, we were only seven months away from qualification and 18 months from the Olympics. I think we did a number of things well (only nation to fully qualify all boats for the woman, number of A finalists), but ultimately fell short of making it to the podium. As the coach, I take responsibility for not getting more out of our team. We have had a lot of change starting in 2022 as Josy has worked to create his vision of our HP system. As with any change, one of the requirements needed is time, and it isn't something that can be falsified. I feel more prepared to push our athletes toward their goals, better understand the standard we are pushing toward, and the process to do that. We have to keep moving the needle and recognize how the consistency of our approach will move us in the direction we need to go. Also who couldn't be excited to compete in a home Olympic Games?

What advice would you give any athlete considering trying out for a national team? What mindset will serve them best?

Nothing is going to happen fast. When you graduate college you in essence return to being a freshman again, and then the championship you are preparing for isn’t on a yearly basis like the NCCA, IRA, ACRA, it's once every four years. You can see the full four year cycle as being about the equivalent of a yearly collegiate cycle. Give yourself time and set yourself up for the long term. Find a job that is flexible, set short term goals that are developmentally appropriate, and learn to row the single at a standard that you can train - it gives you the most flexibility in terms of location and schedule. Take advantage of every opportunity to race a speed order event even if you don't feel ready. It is the only way to be able to evaluate where you are and as coaches we are always looking at trajectory over time. 

What is the drill that you feel like always helps your crew the most?

Front end pick progression. Building a solid drive rhythm is the first step to make a boat go fast. Make sure you are clear about what you are trying to achieve and are honest in your approach. Take your time and focus on movement as well as sensation.