MIKE CONNORS
Director of Rowing, Head Coach
Mike retired in 2019 after a 38-year career as an engineer and manager. He currently serves as the Vice-President of Chattanooga Rowing and volunteers as the Organization’s Rowing Director and Head Coach of CJR.
He began rowing at the US Merchant Marine Academy in 1977. He coached the academy’s team from 1983-85. During his rowing career he has won 7 US National Championships, 22 Masters National Championships, and 3 CRASH-B World Indoor Rowing Championships in the Senior Masters category.
Mike is the current Regatta Director for the Head of the Hooch® Regatta.
He holds a BS in Marine Engineering from the USMMA and a Masters in Engineering Management from UTC. Mike volunteers his time and shares his enthusiasm for rowing, so others can experience the enjoyment he has in this lifelong sport.
Matt Fanny discovered rowing in college in the early '90s and has been involved with the sport since then. Matt has coached at both the collegiate and junior level, as well as coaching Masters (adult) athletes. Along the way, Matt earned a Level III USRowing coaching certification and became an experienced boat trailer driver. Matt comes to CJR having most recently coached in Georgia and before that in Virginia for several years.
Matt is happy to be part of the CJR coaching staff and is looking forward to helping the athletes develop both on and off the water. One of Matt's greatest senses of accomplishment comes from being able to help athletes develop their skills and abilities both in the sport and in life.
MATT FANNY
Varsity Coach
Missy has been participating and competing in athletics all her life. As a kid it was gymnastics, tennis and track, as an adult running and rowing. As a first career and before raising two sons who are now in college, Missy was a ceramic artist and middle school art teacher. When her oldest son went to high school she began coaching indoor cycling and barre classes at area gyms. Through the Lookout Rowing Club's Learn to Row program Missy began her rowing journey. Completely hooked on rowing Missy began training and competing with the LRC Master's competitive program, earning medals both on and off the water.
Missy is a master certified indoor cycling coach, a certified UCanRow2/Concept 2 indoor rowing coach as well as a USRowing Level 2 certified coach. Other certifications include Barre, Heart Zone training, and SafeSport. Missy has been coaching with Lookout Rowing Club and the Chattanooga Junior Rowing program for 4 years. She also coaches at Balanced Studio and her home gym - "The Garage".
"I absolutely love working with beginners and novice rowers. Watching the light bulbs go off and athletes realizing what they can personally accomplish through the sport of rowing brings me so much joy. As an athlete I love that rowing is truly a lifelong sport. I hope to be competing for many many years! " - Missy
MISSY ELLIOT
Novice Coach
MICHAEL KINSEY
Assistant Coach
Michael Kinsey is a passionate coach working to help athletes to achieve longevity and the performance they desire. With an education in Mechatronics engineering from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, he brings seven years of rowing experience to Chattanooga Rowing. He is a D1 cheerleader for the University and member of LRC. Currently, he works in the Biomechatronics lab to create systems that will aid people with disabilities or recovering from injury. He is also presently interning as a systems engineer for Gestamp. Over the summer Michael will be working in Vermont at the Craftsbury Green Racing Project, and to create an organization to bring together businesses around Chattanooga to make art more accessible."
Kace Allen rowed with Chattanooga Junior Rowing during his junior and senior years of high school. After which, he coached for the program while enrolled at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga during his freshman and sophomore years. Upon graduation, he was hired with the Chattanooga Fire Department and currently works full-time as a firefighter, coaching on the days while not working on a firetruck.
Kace Allen
Assistant Coach