Greater Dayton Junior Rowing

Brent Figg: Head Junior Coach

Coach Figg brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the GDRA program. A four-year rower at the University of Cincinnati where he majored in German Studies, Coach Figg is one the few coaches who has coached on 4 continents. He has led countless crews to excellence.

In 2001, Coach Figg became the Head Coach and Director of Rowing at the College of William and Mary. In his first year, he led the Tribe Men's Four to 2nd place in both the SIRA and Mid-Atlantic Championships as well as a berth at the IRA National Championships. In 2003, he led the Women's Lightweight 8+ to an ECAC Championship and 4th place at the prestigious Eastern Sprints regatta. Also, in 2003, William and Mary's Men's Pair qualified for the IRA National Championships.

Following William and Mary, Coach Figg completed an internship in Adelaide, Australia. He studied under Rowing Australia coaches and learned boat building skills. Upon completion, Figg returned to Cincinnati to assist his mentor Tim Royalty at the University of Cincinnati with the Women's Varsity Program for the 2003-2004 Season.

From 2003-2005 Coach Figg was responsible for recruiting and development for the Bearcats. In 2005, he led the Women's 4+ to a 5-1 racing season and there best ever finish at the South/Central Regional. Coach Figg also led a summer sculling development program which yielded a 3rd place finish for the Women's Senior Quad at the US National Championships.

After the 2005 season, Coach Figg again turned his focus to crafting his trade, studying at the Goethe University in Frankfurt, Germany while volunteering as a coach FRG Germania 1869. After returning, Coach Figg was promoted to Men's Head Coach at the University of Cincinnati.

In the Spring of 2006, Coach Figg was also named Boy's head coach at the Cincinnati Country Day School. In 2006, CCDS qualified athletes in every sculling discipline for the US Rowing Youth Nationals. The Boy's Quad also finished 7th overall in the Nation and defeated the Australian Schoolboy Champions before losing in the quarterfinals of the Henley Royal Regatta. In 2007, the CCDS Boy's Quad finished 3rd at the Scholastic Nationals and also 3rd at the US Rowing Youth Nationals. That summer Coach Figg led two members of the Quad to berth on the USA Junior National Team representing the USA at the Junior World Championships in Beijing, China.

From 2005-2009, Figg led the Bearcats. During this time the team set historic firsts:  first trip to the IRA National Championships, first trip to the Henley Royal Regatta. In 2009, the Varsity 4+ won a silver medal at the American Collegiate Rowing Association Championships. 

During the summer of 2009, Figg coached at the Vesper Boat Club in Philadelphia, Pa. While at Vesper, his women won the US National Championships in the Women's Senior 8+ and Senior 4+. At the Canadian Henley, Vesper again struck gold with a win in the Women's Senior 8+ and 2nd place finish in the Elite Women's 8+.

Coach Figg currently resides in the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood of Cincinnati with his wife Alice, son Charles and pug Dutch. Coach Figg is a US Rowing advanced diploma holder and has completed coaching education in Canada, Germany and Australia. 

Alex Walters: Coach

Coach Alex Walters is a 2006 Industrial Design graduate of the DAAP program at the University of Cincinnati.  He rowed for four years, in his Senior year he helped lead the Bearcats to 7-2 record, qualification for ECAC National Invitational and the programs first appearance at the prestigious Henley Royal Regatta, in Henley-on-Thames, England.

Following graduation, Coach Alex coached with the University of Cincinnati as Head Freshman Coach as well teaching courses through the DAAP program. In 2007, he led the Freshman to one of the best seasons to date.  In 2008, he assumed the role of Novice Women's coach while working as a freelance designer.

Coach Alex is a US Rowing Level 2 certified coach and lives in Lebanon with his fiance, Ms. Rebecca Robbins and two dogs Amos and Gideon.

Dr. Denise Heuser: Coach 

Coach Denise Heuser is a 1980 Graduate of Stony Brook University, where she was a member of the Men's Swimming and Diving Team and the Rowing Team.  In 1998 she was elected to the Stony Brook Hall of Fame for her dedication to her alma mater.  Her groundbreaking presence serves as a model example for our young athletes.

Coach Denise has an incredible knowledge of physiology, kinetic movement and rehabilitation. She and her husband Dr. David Heuser run Dixie Chiropractic and spend considerable time working with athletes helping them reach peak performance. She has been coaching with GDRA since 2002 and is a US Rowing Level 2 Certified Coach.  

She continues to row as a member of the GDRA Masters team and is an active part of day-to-day training. Her son James is an alumnus of Greater Dayton Junior Rowing and is currently rowing for the US Coast Guard Academy, and her daughter Darcy is a swimmer at Stony Brook University.