DeDe Birch

DeDe is a graduate of Cal State East Bay with a master’s in Kinesiology specializing in Skill Acquisition and Sports Sociology.  DeDe begin rowing in high school for Skyline in Oakland and then became a member of the Lake Merritt Rowing Club.  She continues to row and compete in masters events and has a hard time deciding whether it is best to have one oar or two when on the water.  DeDe was the spare for the 1991 Pan Am Team and has been on two Olympic Sports development teams.  She has 20 years of coaching experience and has coached the sport of rowing at the junior, collegiate, masters and national level.  She has also coached cycling and power lifting in the past.

What is the best part about working at the Aquatic Center?

“I love the enthusiasm that everyone brings to the Center.  There is always noise at the Center which makes you constantly aware of how alive the water is!”