Clemens Reinke has been Maritime’s head rowing coach since the 2018-19 season. Boasting more than 40 years of experience as a decorated rower and coach at all levels, he has grown both the men’s and women’s teams since his arrival on Fort Schuyler.
Reinke started rowing in the mid-1970s, winning multiple gold medals at the German Scholastic and Junior Championships. In 1978 and 1979, he finished first in the junior single sculls at the famous Thames Head Race in London, England. Reinke was a part of the German Junior National Team and earned a medal for Germany at an international youth regatta in Austria in 1979.
After beginning his coaching career in 1981, Reinke completed his Class B coaching license from the German Rowing Association in 1983. He also holds a Level 2 coaching license from the U.S. Rowing Association.
Since moving to the United States, Reinke has coached youth, collegiate and masters rowers at the Nereid Boat Club and Passaic River Rowing Association, as well as Don Bosco Preparatory High School in New Jersey. He became head coach of the crew team at Teaneck High School in 2008 and helped students establish a crew team at Farleigh Dickinson University in 2009, volunteering as the program’s first head coach. Reinke also assisted in the development of a crew team at Leonia High School in 2011 and in setting up new rowing programs for the Teaneck Rowing Club.
He founded the Bergen County Rowing Academy in 2014 and currently serves as the organization’s president. Reinke is also an adjunct professor at Bergen Community College, where he teaches classes in religion and sociology.
