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Yaz Farooq enters her second season as head coach of the Stanford Women's Rowing program. Under Farooq's direction, the Cardinal returned to the medal podium at the PAC-10 Championships in 2007 with a silver medal finish by the varsity eight. The varsity eight also received an invitation to the NCAA's in Oak Ridge, Tenn., where they finished tenth. Farooq assumed the head-coaching duties for the Stanford women's rowing program in 2006 and directed the Cardinal to its first-ever victory in the Varsity 8+ at the Head of the American in Rancho Cordova, Calif. Stanford also placed sixth (among universities) last October at the Head of the Charles Regatta in Boston. Farooq left a successful career in sales and marketing to coach at Stanford. She is world renowned for her work as a coxswain coach and was a premier coxswain during her competitive career for Team USA. She also served as rowing analyst for NBC's telecasts of the 2000 Sydney Olympics and the Athens Olympics in 2004. "As a member of the U.S. Team I rowed with several Stanford oarswomen and appreciated their commitment to being the best on the water and in life," Farooq said. "Stanford scholar-athletes are winners who make a difference in the world. Many life lessons are learned in the boat and on the racecourse. The progress this team has made in one short year is remarkable, and they have the potential to do so much more--and they will. I am honored to play a part in the development of these very special women." Farooq coxed the United States National Women's Eight from 1989 to 1996 and competed with Stanford rower Diana Olson at the 1992 Games in Barcelona. Four years later Yaz was selected by her peers to be Captain of the women's rowing team at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. A three-time winner of silver medals at the World Championships in 1990, 1993 and 1994, Yaz's career highlight came in 1995 when her eight captured the gold medal at the Worlds in Tampere, Finland. It marked the first time ever the United States women had won. Yaz started coxing at the University of Wisconsin in 1984, where she was recruited for her "big voice" and tiny stature (she is 5'4" on a good day and 105 lbs.). She was voted Captain and MVP her senior year. In her spare time Farooq works with her husband, Roger Waterman, to produce instructional DVD's for coaching coxswains. She also hosts COXSWAINation.com: a web resource for coxswains of all levels. | |||||||||||||||
