Mr. Loaiza has been rowing for nearly 25 years. He is an accomplished sculler, sweep rower and coach. He has rowed in Austria, Germany, Spain, Switzerland, Italy, Canada and Hong Kong and all around the United States. He has won many medals in various rowing competitions and has rowed with, trained with, raced with and coached with US national team members, Olympians, and World Champions.
He currently serves as the Men’s Crew coach at Susquehanna University.
His love of rowing is communicated in his coaching style which is positive and uplifting. One of his primary goals is to expose as many people as possible to the sport of rowing.
Derek Updegraff
Derek began rowing in 1990 at Bucknell University. After rowing for Bucknell and the Bachelor’s Barge Club Lightweight Development Club, he began assisting at Bucknell eventually becoming the Head Men’s Coach. He then went on to coach the varsity men at UC Santa Barbara to two Dad Vail medals. Upon his return to Bucknell, Derek assisted with the women’s team and is now currently assisting with the men’s program as he pursues a master’s degree in education. Derek was also very instrumental in the formation of the Central Pennsylvania Rowing Association, serving as its first head coach.
Derek particularly enjoys teaching all newcomers to the sport of rowing and making it accessible and fun for everyone.
RACHAEL GEBLEY
Rachael began rowing at Susquehanna University in 2001 under Coach Brian Tomko. She went on to gain experience in as many areas of rowing as she could. In the winter of 2004, Rachael added to her rowing resume by coaching CPRA members during the indoor erg season and transitioning to a coxswain/rower for CPRA during the summer of 2004. Her proudest accomplishment was coming together with her boat, the "Lite 8" to win the Mid-Atlantic Collegiate Crew Championships and securing a spot in the 2004 Head of the Charles. Rachael graduated from Susquehanna in 2005, leaving the area for graduate school at Miami University of Ohio.
After receiving her M.S. in College Student Personnel, Rachael took a job at Bucknell University - in part for her passion for small, private liberal arts institutions and also because of her love of the Susqehanna river and the local community. Rachael has been a member of CPRA since 2008 and currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors as the Social Chair. She can be found almost every Thursday evening at the river, enjoying the company of her fellow CPRA members at the "Thursday Night Social." In the fall of 2009, Rachael returned to her alma mater and the SU Crew team as a part-time Assistant Coach. She is still at Bucknell full-time as the Assistant Director of Residential Education.
Rachael is very interested in the psychological and mental challenges of rowing. She believes in the importance of yoga, cross training, proper nutrition, building team comradery, and lives by George Pocock's philosophy, "Harmony, balance, rhythm. There you have it. That is what life is all about." She maintains a regular blog, chronicling her coaching experience and the accomplishments of the SU Crew team at http://sucrewlog.blogspot.com. Rachael's heart belongs to rowing and she is excited to share that experience with others!