FOUNDERS ROWING CLUB
ALL-GIRLS HIGH PERFORMANCE ROWING
Our Coaches
Matthew Naifeh
Matthew Naifeh is the Head Coach of Founders Rowing Club and brings fifteen years of experience in the sport of rowing as both an athlete and coach. In ten successful years of coaching and program direction, Matthew has led athletes to train and compete at the highest levels of youth competition; his athletes' accolades include National Championship berths, invitations to USRowing Junior National Team Development and Selection camps, and international competition with the Junior National Team. Many of his athletes have gone on to compete collegiately—with scholarship—for top NCAA Division I and III programs including Boston College, the University of Michigan, the University of Virginia, Trinity College, and Stanford University.
Matthew was hired by the USRowing Junior National Team to serve as a Sculling Development Camp coach in 2010 and as a Women’s Sculling Selection coach in 2011 and performed in this capacity during the 2011 World Rowing Junior Championships in London, where the US Junior Women’s Quad had its best performance to date.
Matthew attended Southern Methodist University and earned his Bachelors in Business Administration in Finance from the Cox School of Business in 2010. He has also completed extensive study in psychology, as well as sport and natural sciences.
He is certified by USRowing as a Level 3 Coach and is certified by the American Red Cross in First Aid, CPR and AED.
Austin Boonyachai
Austin Boonyachai is an Assistant Coach of Founders Rowing Club with ten years of experience in the sport of rowing as both an athlete and coach. During his career as a junior athlete, Austin saw success as a member of both the Episcopal School of Dallas Men’s Crew, and the Dallas Rowing Club. Austin’s resume includes both Texas State Championship and Central Region Championship titles. As well, he earned berths to compete in the USRowing Youth National Championships, where he finished in the top ten.
Additionally, he has competed in both the Canadian Henley Regatta, where he and his doubles partner finished as the fastest US crew in their event, and has several times raced the Head of the Charles, for which he has a particular passion.
In 2015, Austin graduated from the United States Merchant Marine Academy with a Bachelors of Science in Logistics and Intermodal Transportation. During his time at the USMMA, he rowed for four years, and was a Team Captain for two years. Austin was the 3rd Company Executive Officer, and led a staff of 10 Company officers in command of 143 midshipmen. Austin has sailed the world aboard commercial and military vessels as a Junior Officer, with duties as navigator, deck hand, and junior engineering officer.
Austin has a passion for sport of rowing, racing and competition, and sound fundamentals of training and technique that make him an instrumental resource to his athletes, and pillar of the Founders Rowing Club Staff.
He is a Licensed Ships’ Officer, and is an Ensign in the United States Navy. He is a USRowing Certified Level 2 Coach.