Masters - Coaches
Marc Vignocchi,
Masters Coach
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Marc Vignocchi joined ZLAC in August 2006. He received his B. S. in Marine Engineering Systems with a minor in Offshore Engineering from the U. S. Merchant Marine Academy in 2004. He currently works at NASSCO (National Steel and Shipbuilding Company) as an Area Manager aboard the U.S.N.S. Alan Sheppard.
He rowed for over seven years in high school and college. In high school he rowed for the Sarasota Scullers and helped run their Long Skinny Boat camp for novice rowers. His coach, Peter DeManio, was "stern" but inspiring, teaching Marc techniques that helped him become a leader on the Kings Point team. In college, he served as captain of the crew team during his senior year at the Merchant Marine Academy. He attended the Youth Nationals in Cincinnati, Ohio, the Head of the Charles in Boston, and Dadvails in Philadelphia. He helped the college coaching staff train novice and varsity rowers on ergs, rowing tanks, and boats for singles sculling to 8+ boats.
During his time at the U. S. Merchant Marine Academy, Marc traveled the world as a cadet onboard merchant ships. He said, "I was part of the 9/11 relief effort in New York city, spent Christmas in Sardinia, and watched a ballistic missile test in Kwajalein in the Marshall Islands." One of his most vivid memories "was the time I got stuck inside of a cylinder of a slow speed diesel engine and was unable to jump to the top to get out without a ladder."
He moved to California in July 2004 to take up a job at NASSCO. He married his high school sweetheart that December. He continues to row, sail, and surf "any chance I get." He also enjoys hiking and mountain biking.
Marc's leadership experience includes officer training in different kinds of ships in Louisiana, Texas, and South Carolina. He has served as a Regimental Honor Guard Commander and a Regimental Waterfront Executive Officer. He is a member of the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers.
He is passionate about both rowing and shipbuilding. He designs and builds ships on a daily basis, enjoying "the luxury of testing and operating what I build." He worked on Alaskan Tankers for British Petroleum. He is currently working on T-AKE, a dry cargo ammunition ship that can be seen under construction at NASSCO.
He sees rowing "as the ultimate team sport" and enjoys both "the people and the type of challenge the sport presents." Coaching allows him "to share my passion for the sport with others." He says that it is important both to "push yourself and to have fun when you're on the water." He hopes ZLAC Master Rowers will look back at the end of the day and think, "I'm sore and I'm tired but, man, was that fun out there today!"
Nicole
Thompson-Box,
Assistant
Masters Coach
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Nicole Thompson-Box joined ZLAC in August 2006 as an assistant coach for the Juniors but now coaches the Masters. She is a recent graduate of the University of San Diego. She started rowing in 2002 after pursuing volleyball and basketball in high school. She loved being part of the USD team. According to Nicole, her most inspirational coach was Doug Thiemann who "showed me new ways of looking at training and pushing myself." Although she is new to coaching Masters, she is looking forward to working with ZLAC. She encourages rowers to "focus on your own impact to the boat" to avoid frustration and to improve the quality of the row.
In addition to rowing, Nicole works at SPG Solar which designs and builds the highest performing energy systems in the industry. Previously, she worked with two professional sports teams, San Diego Gulls (hockey) and the San Diego Surf Dawgs (baseball). She is a member of Alpha Delta Pi and an enthusiastic supporter of the USD Women's Rowing Team.
Olivia Morrow,
Assistant
Masters Coach
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Olivia began rowing for the ZLAC Juniors as a freshman in high school. Admittedly only rowing to "stay out of trouble and socialize", it was not until her senior year that she began to develop her passion for competition and skill as an athlete. After serving as captain her senior year, completing a successful season in the lightweight 4 and 8, and receiving the honor of "Most Outstanding Contributions Made by a Senior", she turned down a scholarship to row lightweight at the University of Wisconsin, to try out for the novice team at the University of Washington- the defending Division I NCAA National Champions.
As a freshman, Olivia made the team of 26 from an initial walk on group of 90 women. That year she rowed bow seat in the top novice eight and four, winning the Pac- 10 Team Championship. That summer, she was invited to row for the Pacific Northwest National Team Development Camp under the guidance of highly esteemed coach Jan Harville. As a sophomore, Olivia spent her time in between the JV and Varsity boats, eventually rowing bow seat in the JV that helped the UW team to a silver medal at the Pac-10 Championships, and a fifth place team finish at NCAA's. That summer, she rowed again for the PNW National Team Development Camp, and was selected to represent the group at the USRowing National Championships in Indiana, where she won a gold in the Senior/Elite 8, and a bronze in the Intermediate Pair. As a Junior and Senior, Olivia competed primarily in the Varsity 8, moving between two, six, and stroke seat. She earned a full athletic scholarship along the way, and was nominated by her teammates to represent the women's program as the Team Commodore her senior year. Olivia received several honors as a student athlete- she was a two time Pac-10 Second Team Honoree, recipient of the Gertrude People's Student Athlete Scholarship, the Pac-10 Postgraduate Scholarship, Mary Gates Endowment Leadership Scholarhip, and winner of the Provost's Medal for Academic Excellence.
Her hopes to try out for the national team were put at rest after breaking two ribs rowing. She has since shifted her focus to that of coaching- spearheading several programs teaching underserved and at risk populations to row, assisting the varsity and novice teams at UW, and serving as the head Men's Coach at the Lake Washington Rowing Club in Seattle.
Olivia recently returned to San Diego where she is presently working with the Masters team. Her favorite thing about rowing is "the challenge of realizing that the deeper one's understanding of the sport; the more humbled one must become." Outside of crew, Olivia is of a curious mind and enjoys "travel, people who tell me stories, salsa dancing, and the art of cooking". She is applying to medical school in the summer of 2009.
Amber Straight,
Assistant
Masters Coach
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Amber began her rowing career with ZLAC’s Learn How To Row Camp in 2001, the summer before her Junior year of high school. Although she ran cross country, track, and played soccer at her high school, there was something about the sport of rowing, being a part of a boat which she couldn’t experience in any of her other sports. She made the decision to concentrate solely on rowing for ZLAC’s Junior team. Amber participated on the Junior’s novice team and progressed to the varisty squad within her first year.
In her senior year, Amber was given the opportunity to row for the US Team at CRASH B’s in Boston, MA, as well as trying out for the Junior Olympic Team in 2003. Amber was awarded a four year scholarship at Duke University for rowing. Her main events were the varsity eight and pair racing. She was six seat in Duke’s starboard rigged boat. She was awarded Second Team All-American (2004-2005)and received South Region First Team All-Region (2004). After being a Varsity Letter Winner for three years, Amber had to turn down an opprotunity to row on the National Team in France due to problems she was having with her back. Amber’s Senior year was occupied with physical therapy for three bulged discs. She remained a part of the team by attending most team practices and aiding the coaches whenever possible.
Amber is very excited to be apart of the ZLAC rowing family once again. “Rowing is an extremely challenging sport which I love. I am looking forward to helping the Master’s Program.” Amber is one of the newest members of the ZLAC’s coaches.
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