MEET THE COACHES

Ted Bristol

Head Coach

Ted Bristol has been coaching crew at Sidwell Friends since 2008, first as assistant coach and for the last twelve years, as head coach. He recently led the Sidwell Freshmen boat to qualify for their first ever Nationals (2022), during which they made the semi-finals.

He has a long history of rowing on the Potomac River, first serving as co-captain of the rowing team at George Washington University where he was voted Most Valuable Oarsman his senior year. He then coached the GWU freshmen men for a season and has rowed as a member of the Potomac Boat Club. Ted now rows out of Thompson Boat Center and coaches part time at Capital Rowing Club in DC.

Ted is the parent of two Sidwell graduates, Hannah (’10), who rowed for Sidwell, and Daniel (’13). Ted was a principal at Faegre Drinker Consulting, where he headed the public sector practice team.

Maggie Taylor

Maggie Taylor was a four-year student athlete at the University of Virginia (UVA). During her career as a rower, she served in various team and UVA Athletics leadership positions, ultimately becoming an ACC Champion and 4th place NCAA finisher in the Women’s Varsity 4+ event.

Maggie began coaching for Sidwell Friends during the 2021-2022 season and with Coach Laguarda, helped guide the Freshmen 8 to a silver medal at the VASRA championships.

When she isn’t coaching on the Potomac, Maggie works as a congressional staffer in the House of Representatives, where she manages a portfolio that includes issues of foreign affairs, intelligence, international trade, and humanitarian crises.

Assistant Coaches

Cecilia Laguardia

Cecilia Laguarda learned to row at Sidwell Friends and earned a seat with the varsity her freshman year. She was a four-year varsity rower, chosen to be team captain in both her junior and senior years. She graduated in 2013 and went on to row at Harvard for two years where she earned bronze and silver medals at the Ivy League championships.

After college, Cecilia became a science teacher in Colorado. She returned to Sidwell in 2021 as an Upper School biology teacher and assistant rowing coach. She and Coach Taylor helped guide the Freshmen 8 to the Scholastic Nationals in their first season working together.

Meet the 2022-23 Board

SFS Rowing is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that supports the Sidwell Friends School girls' crew team and raises the funds necessary to purchase and maintain equipment used by the team. The capital budget is amortized over ten years so that we can afford large purchases, such as new shells, without unduly burdening current families.

SFS Rowing's equipment currently includes two eights, two fours, a launch and motor, twenty+ ergs, three cox boxes, safety equipment, and lots of oars. We fund the capital budget with donations, primarily from current parents, and from large and small fundraising events.

Lee Ford

President

Lee moved from Vice President to President this year and also serves as member-at-large for the Sidwell Friends Upper School Parents Association. Lee's daughter Sidney is a senior and a coxswain on the team. Sidney joined crew as a freshman.

Marc Neilson

Vice President

This is Marc's first year with the board. His daughter Leia started with the SFS crew in 2022 as a freshmen. Marc has served on several Sidwell Parent Committees and was an active grade representative. Marc runs a corporate training consultancy and also coaches cycling and triathlon.

Michael Beveridge

Treasurer

This is Michael's third year on the board as Treasurer. Michael's daughter Nick is a senior starting their fourth year on the SFS crew. Nick also sculls and rows at Washington Rowing and TBC racing. Michael is an Executive Leadership Coach, as well as an enthusiastic, albeit glacial triathlete.

Dana Gershon

Secretary

Dana is the mother of seniors Bobbie (coxswain) and Cate Pesner. Dana is an attorney with a private practice that specializes in employment law. She served as co-president of SFS Rowing from 2017-2020 and secretary 2020-22. Her father was on Crew at Cornell (Class of 1958) and all four of her daughters have either rowed and/or coxed - two in college.

Nevil Singh

VASRA Representative

Nevil is a new member to the board and works as the VASRA representative, coordinating regatta schedules and volunteering. His daughter, Ananeah, rowed as a freshmen during the 2022 season. When not following Ananeah's various activities, Nevil runs his Immunology research lab at the UM School of Medicine.

Laura DeBonis

Merchandise

This is Laura's first year with the SFS Crew Board. Her daughter, Lia, joined the Crew as a Freshman and was part of the New Jersey Nationals boat in 2022. Laura fills a variety of rolls on the Board including merchandise management.