Thousands of rowers from around the world gather annually in Cambridge, Massachusetts to face off in one of rowing’s most prestigious events: Head Of The Charles. The largest multi-day regatta in the world, HOCR happens every October on the Charles River, bringing in hundreds of thousands of spectators. This year marks Head Of The Charles' 59th year and Fred Schoch’s 32nd year as the executive director.
The son of a rowing coach, Fred developed a passion for rowing at a young age. At just 10 years old he started as a coxswain and even steered a boat in the Olympic Trials. After a career as a high school English teacher, Fred's passion for . He spent 15 years as professional rowing coach, working at schools like Princeton University, Georgetown University and the Naval Academy. Fred then moved into sports marketing and regatta management. In 1990, he organized his first regatta, Challenge of the Hudson in New York, which was a great success.
The Challenge of the Hudson's success made Fred a natural choice when HOCR put out a national search for an executive director. Fred joined HOCR in 1991 as the regatta’s first paid, full-time employee. In his time as executive director so far, he is most proud of “overseeing the enormous growth of the event, which contributes $88 million annually to the Commonwealth.”
He attributes much of HOCR's popularity to the regatta’s location on the Charles River and in Cambridge: “Rowers from all over the world love competing here because of the energy of the city, the difficulty of the race course and the atmosphere of joy.” When not rowing or preparing for the regatta, Fred enjoys meeting the mix of students and professionals in Cambridge as well as exploring new restaurants.
HOCR’s Cambridge and Greater Boston ties extend beyond just the regatta weekend. “We have a wonderful partnership with Community Rowing, Inc. to engage with Boston Public Schools and Cambridge Schools’ middle and high school students to expose them to rowing and get them on the water,” Fred shared. The non-profit Community Rowing, Inc., Boston’s first public rowing club, aims to make the sport more inclusive plus more accessible to the Greater Boston community.
Today, HOCR is still powered by a small team. A committed Board of Directors, most of whom were rowers in college, runs the regatta. Additionally, 2,200 volunteers help make the esteemed event possible. Volunteers assist with everything from registration to sustainability initiatives. “We pride ourselves on taking a leadership role in [sustainability efforts]. We have banned plastic single use bottles and require our vendors to use compostable materials. We also have over 200 volunteers sorting trash,” Fred reflected.
Head Of The Charles will welcome over 11,300 rowers from 800 schools, clubs and colleges to Charles River October 20–22. Spectators are encouraged to gather along the banks of the river and watch the races, which kick off at 7:45am each day. For a premium viewing experience, tickets can be purchased online for Eliot Bridge Enclosure, a covered, riverside tent with a continental breakfast, a buffet luncheon, afternoon tea plus an open bar.
While watching the rowers, keep an eye out during Saturday morning’s Men's Grand-Master Eight’s race. You may spot Fred participating in his favorite part of the weekend: rowing down the river with friends. In addition to competing, Fred looks forward to visiting the “Boys in the Boat” tent at this year’s regatta. The new space will highlight the movie coming to theaters this December. The film follows the University of Washington's rowing team’s journey to the 1936 Olympics.
When asked about a treasured moment from past regattas, Fred couldn’t limit it to just one: “They are all special, but when the weather cooperates and the crowds number in the hundreds of thousands, I always feel proud of what we have produced.”
