David Calder
Head of Rowing
OLY, B.A. (University of Washington)
As a member of the Brentwood class of 1996 (Privett House), David Calder is no stranger to our school. Mr. Calder went on after graduation to represent Canada, rowing internationally at four Olympic Games, and retiring from competition after the 2012 London Olympics. In his racing career, he won numerous World Cup medals in the 2- and 8+, the World Championships in the Jr 2- and the Sr 8+, and an Olympic Silver Medal in the 2- at the 2008 Beijing Olympics—with fellow Brentonian Scott Frandsen (‘98).
Brian Carr
Rowing Coach – Junior Women's Lead Coach; Associate, Alumni Relations
B.A., P.D.P.P. (UVic)
Born in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, Brian Carr came to Canada in 1964 with his parents and younger brother, Rory. The Carr family moved onto the Brentwood campus in the fall of 1964—where the senior Mr. Carr served as Houseparent for 19 years. After Brentwood, Brian attended the University of Washington as a rower and fledgling geographer. Graduation from the University of Victoria brought him back to the Cowichan Valley, where he taught at Frances Kelsey Secondary School before answering his primal urge to return to Brentwood—where he promptly became a busy member of the Social Studies Department and key leader within the Brentwood College Rowing Club. Mr. Carr has continued his coaching service and is now Associate of Alumni Relations at the School.Brian’s wife, Leslie Reid Carr, taught Spanish and French at the school and was the Houseparent of Allard House from 2007-19. Their daughter Natalie (2011) and son Aidan (2014) both graduated from Brentwood.
Stephen Ross
Boathouse Manager and Rowing Coach
BPHED (Brock University)
Originally from Ontario, Mr. Ross has been involved in rowing for over 28 years. Before Brentwood he worked at Row Ontario as the Manager of Competition and Events for two years, and for 15 years in Customer Service and Operations for HUDSON Boat Works. On the coaching side, he was the volunteer Head Coach of the London Rowing Club for 9 years.
Rowing
What started as an inclination for a boarding school situated at the ocean’s edge (both at the original Brentwood Bay campus of the 1920s, and again at our current location) grew to become a competitive strength and cultural mainstay over many years. Today, with 25 Olympians in the sport from among our alumni—four of those Olympic Gold Medalists—and an increasing number of younger rowers medalling at regional and national events, the table is set for an era of increasing strength and exciting opportunity for students to test their mettle and find a true sense of collaboration and camaraderie in this unique sport.
The rowing program welcomes athletes of all skill levels—whether they are aiming for Olympic success or simply wanting to try out this exciting sport for the first time, there is something for everyone.
The Brentwood Rowing Program today is led by four-time Olympian David Calder (Privett ‘96), an Old Brentonian (alum) who has returned to the School to lead as a key member of the staff.
Brentwood’s oceanfront campus is the perfect venue for our students to experience the magic of rowing. There are few experiences that can compete with a morning practice as the sun rises over the still waters of Mill Bay. Further highlights of the rowing program include the exhilarating roar of the crowd as teams race down our shoreline when we host the annual Brentwood International Regatta or the thrill of competing at the Canadian Secondary Schools Rowing Association Championships (CSSRAs) in St. Catharines, Ontario—where Brentwood crews earned 5 Gold Medals in 2024.
Rowing Details & Schedule
At Brentwood, the Rowing Program has a wider variety of blocks available to its participants and can be taken during arts afternoons. Training throughout the year culminates in the competitive spring term where our crews travel to regional and potentially national regattas. The top members of the program will potentially have additional opportunities to attend such prestigious events as the Head of the Charles, Windermere Cup, and Royal English Henley.
New Boathouse
Launching directly off the Brentwood campus waterfront, our rowers train in the waters surrounding Mill Bay. Opened in the fall of 2024, the Anthony C. Carr Boathouse is leading edge facility to further support our crews both on and off the water.
Crew of ’72: The Year of Legacy
From an article in the Brentwood College website archive from 2007, the question is asked, “How did a mid-sized boarding school that offers no sports scholarships end up here, on the River Thames, nearly thrashing the…
Fueling the Races: Food and Waste Management at Regatta
Regatta weekend transformed Brentwood’s campus into an atmosphere of excitement, competition, sunshine, and lots and lots of boats. For three days, the campus was bustling with crowds and noise, as many races took place on the…
Beyond Medals: Rhythm, Faces, and the Creative Soul of the Regatta
At a rowing regatta, certain things are expected: coaches roaming the dock like they haven’t slept in three days, shells, split times, and oars all over the place. What don’t you expect is showing up to a…
ATHLETICS: April/May 2026
It is the busiest time of year for our many different athletics teams as they gear up for playoffs and seek to punch their tickets to Island, Provincial, and National championships. On the water, our rowing…
Where Students Choose To Be
+1 (250) 743-5521
admissions@brentwood.ca
info@brentwood.ca
2735 Mount Baker Road
Mill Bay, BC, Canada V8H 1K8