Coach Interview: Cara Burns

Many row, few become coaches. 

Cara coxing at Iowa State

A coach can make or break a first rowing experience. 

For Cara Burns (the current Three Rivers Youth Coach) her experience at TRRA First Row eight years ago was not only inspiring, it was mesmerizing, as she describes her first time in a boat as a coxswain:

“I remember being mesmerized hearing my own voice. I was talking into a speaker, so I could hear it through the boat.”

From high school regattas to coxing a Big 10 boat her sophomore year at the University of Iowa, rowing has offered Cara many core memories. 

“I remember particularly Head of the Charles: we were all packed into one van and three of the tallest Varsity guys were in the back seat. 

It’s those little things (aside from the obvious answer of winning races) that makes [regattas] so memorable.” 

Cara credits her former Three Rivers coach, Tim Desrosiers, for being her biggest influence because “he was always fully honest with [her].” 

Gauging distance and power strokes

Now, after coxing at the University of Iowa on a Division 1 athletic scholarship, Cara has returned to Three Rivers Rowing Association with her own coaching manifesto: 

“I think it’s really important to stay humble but confident at the same time. You have to be able to go up to the start line and know you’re meant to win that race.”

Overall, Cara’s biggest focus this season is to make sure the girls team is supported. 

“I’ve done a lot of work in women’s sports and marketing for women’s sports because I believe that female athletes should get to feel the same way about their achievements as male athletes do.” 

Interested in rowing but don’t know where to start? Schedule a boathouse walk-through with Aodhán (aodhanridenour@threeriversrowing.org) or message Cara on Instagram (@trra_youth) with your questions. 

*Interview is edited for length and flow.  FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA 

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Who first got you into rowing? 

I first started rowing because my parents wanted me to earn a scholarship to a Division 1 college for athletics. They did some research and found rowing was a great way to do it. So I came to Three Rivers. I was actually going to go to a camp at another boathouse, but then my parents heard about First Row, which is a program here at Three Rivers where girls can get in a boat 4 days a week (8th grade or in High School at any Pittsburgh Public School). So I came to try it because it was free. 

There, I met my first coach Sam Finnigan, and she was the reason I fell in love with the sport. She introduced us all to the sport in a way that was inspiring and we all (our whole class) fell in love with it immediately. 

I guess I owe it to Sam Finnigan and my parents for everything I’ve achieved. 

Do you remember the first time you got in a boat?

I ended up being a coxswain but I started as a rower: 3 seat, because I was really small and didn’t know how to row. 

I remember my first time coxing a little bit better. I remember being so mesmerized hearing my own voice because I was talking into a speaker, so I could hear it through the boat. 

It was a weird feeling and definitely a core memory from my rowing experience. 

What makes regattas so memorable?

It’s a time when a lot of team bonding happens, for all teams. I mean, you’re staying in hotel rooms with people. You are also getting to know your coaches. Especially in high school, when our coaches would drive us in vans. I remember particularly Head of the Charles: we were all packed into one van and three of the tallest Varsity guys were in the back seat. It’s those little things (aside from the obvious answer of winning races) that makes [regattas] so memorable. 

Were you a very serious rower?

I would consider myself a serious rower or coxswain, yes. 

I was part of a Division 1 Big Ten program. My sophomore year we were ranked 18th in the country, and I was in the Varsity 8 that year. So that was the fastest boat I was ever in. 

I’ve had so many awesome experiences with other boats, but that was probably the most serious. 

Who was your most influential coach?

Tim Desrosiers from TRRA. He coached us [the Varsity Women’s squad] for about a year and a half here. 

I think he was always fully honest with me and I was the kind of athlete that was looking to get better at all times. 

I was super driven to become the best coxswain I could for my boat, and Tim would tell me straight up if I was doing something wrong, or what I need to change. It would be really hard to hear but I’m so grateful he did it. 

What are your biggest focuses as a coach?

Making sure the Varsity women’s youth team feels supported and like their athletic careers matter. 

I’ve done a lot of work in women’s sports and marketing for women’s sports because I believe that female athletes should get to feel the same way about their achievements as male athletes do. 

And I think one of the best ways to do that is supporting those athletes and making sure they know their careers matter, too. 

I just want them to feel super supported, super welcome, super heard. I want to make sure they can succeed to their fullest extent. 

What do you look for in a rower?

I guess humbleness. I think it’s really important to stay humble but confident at the same time. You have to be able to go up to the start line and know you’re meant to win that race. Or else you might now perform your fullest. 

I also look for super driven athletes. I do feel like you have to be a certain type of person to succeed in the sport of rowing. You have to be willing to leave nothing behind. 

Who should row and why?

Rowing is a really unique sport and there are so many different levels to it. You could row for so many different reasons. 

Whether you want to go for a relaxing paddle after work or you want to be competitive and do what I consider the hardest sport in the world on a big platform. 

Especially young women who want athletic scholarships to college. I don’t know why the sport of rowing doesn’t market more based on the fact you can get such good athletic scholarships for it. I think it’s a not-easy but really good way to become a successful athlete that people aren’t aware of. 

There are so many Division 1 programs in the country, but nobody knows about them. And so many of them have walk-ons, which are great. 

So take advantage of that in high school. Have something to strive for while in high school. Have that goal and be able to get a scholarship for rowing. It’s a really cool opportunity. 

Do you have a message for your team this season?

No matter what I’m proud of them. Because of the transition that we’re going through right now with coaching staff. 

I really do believe that they have a lot of potential. Like I told them the other day, the girls squad is small but mighty.