Case Study

Canadian Henley Summer Development Camp

This high‑performance rowing camp, hosted by the Washtenaw Rowing Center, brought together rowers from across the United States and Canada to train and compete at the Royal Canadian Henley Regatta. I partnered with the different teams to strengthen their mental performance and align their mindset with their boat.

Overview

Building Mental Strength On and Off the Water

The Canadian Henley Summer Development Camp was designed to prepare high school and college rowers for one of the most prestigious regattas in North America. Hosted by Washtenaw Rowing Center, the camp brought rowers from across the U.S. and Canada to train, compete, and grow as a team.

While the daily schedule focused heavily on technical drills and physical conditioning, the camp also recognized that performance is more than just strength and endurance. Athletes needed tools to manage nerves, sharpen focus, and stay resilient under pressure. That’s where my role came in.

I worked closely with both athletes and coaches to integrate mental performance strategies into their training. We built a shared language around confidence, focus, and composure, so that athletes could carry these skills from practice into racing.

By weaving mental skills into the rhythm of the camp, rowers learned how to steady themselves before races, recover quickly from setbacks, and align their mindset with the demands of their boat. This foundation set the stage for stronger individual performances and greater team cohesion when it mattered most.

Approach

Practical Strategies at Every Level

I engaged athletes individually, in small groups, and with the full team, while also working closely with coaches and parents to ensure mental skills were reinforced across the camp environment.

Team talks - Staying calm under pressure, preparing mentally for a 2K, shifting focus mid‑race.
Individual check‑ins - Personalized strategies and actionable steps.
Small‑group exercises - Practicing mental skills in realistic scenarios.
Parent information sessions - Helping parents understand how to support their athletes’ mental performance

Observing athletes from the launch during training

David’s clear and insightful approach, especially from someone who has rowed, resonated with the group greatly.

Kit Bennet, Head Coach, Washtenaw Rowing Center & Skyline Rowing

Impact

Results That Carried Into Competition

The camp’s focus on mental performance created measurable improvements in how athletes approached training and competition. Rowers reported stronger focus, greater confidence, and improved ability to reset after mistakes. Coaches noticed more cohesion within boats and a shared language around performance.

Reduced pre‑race stress and overthinking
Tailored strategies for individual athletes
Improved team dynamics and coordination
Built resilience for both practice and racing

Feedback Highlights

What Athletes and Coaches Said

Our athletes and coaches loved working with David on mental performance. David’s clear and insightful approach, especially from someone who has rowed, resonated with the group greatly. His attention to detail and follow‑up with easy‑to‑consume infographic analysis on athlete questions are next level when considering how to engage and have a substantive response to a complicated subject area.

Kit Bennet, Head Coach, Washtenaw Rowing Center & Skyline Rowing

Dr. Schary is a great educator and connected well to us since he was a rower too!

Cat, Division 1 Rower

Easy‑to‑understand talks that broke down our mental performance into clear, relatable categories

Layla, High School Rower

Very engaging and informative – the made sure everything felt relatable.

Tatum, Division 1 Coxswain

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