Charlie DiSilvestro serves as Head Coach for Drake University's Rowing program in Des Moines, Iowa. DiSilvestro has served as the head coach of the Drake women's rowing team since July 1993 when the program transitioned from club status to a varsity sport in the athletic department. DiSilvestro has led the program to great success on and off the water, including helping raise funds for the program's new home since 2016, the $1.3 million state-of-the-art Bright-Beckwith Boathouse, that provides Drake rowing and the Greater Des Moines rowing community with a proper environment to safely and efficiently hone their rowing craft.
The boathouse, which is located off the Des Moines River in Prospect Park, features three bays for boat and equipment storage, as well as a dedicated locker room and team room for the Drake rowing program. The heated indoor space allows the team to practice when water and weather conditions prevent outdoor training. DiSilvestro helped lead his team to a third-place finish at the 2019 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, the best MAAC finish for Drake since 2016 when it also earned a third-place showing. It was even more impressive after a challenging spring season due to the weather and high water on the Des Moines River that kept the team from being able to practice on the water in Des Moines since November at the end of its fall season.
