Guenter Beutter
Director of Rowing/Sports Physiologist
Guenter Beutter was educated at Giessen University in Germany, majoring in sports science and psychology. He published research in lactic acid production, oxygen uptake and the use of magnesium supplements among high performance athletes. At 16, he began rowing for RC Wetzlar where many World Champion and Olympic Athletes trained. During his 4 years as a rower there, he medaled at German National Championships in a variety of boat classes. From 1984-1998, he coached intermediate and elite rowers at his club, earning many medals during his tenure, and gaining recognition as one of the most successful young club coaches in Germany. In 1988, he was recruited as a coach for the German National Team. He coached both men and women in sculling and sweep boats from 1989-1997. In addition to coaching, his responsibilities for the national team included athlete selection, preparation camps, cross training at high altitude, nutrition advice, lactic acid testing, and calculating and monitoring work-out plans (one of the few coaches in the world with this expertise). In 1998, Mr. Beutter moved to the US, as technical director of coaching and head sculling coach at Saugatuck Rowing Club in Westport, CT. He founded GMS Rowing Center in 2004. He has coached his club rowers at US Nationals, Canadian Henley, and World Championships, winning many medals. His junior athletes have been recruited and rowed for Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Brown, Dartmouth, U of Penn, Stamford, Cornell, among other universities. From 2009-2015, he was head sculling coach for the US Junior National Team. From 2006-present, he coached for the U23 and Senior US National Teams. During his international career, he has been a coach at over 30 World Championships, winning multiple medals.
Linda Leaden
Coach / Personal Trainer
Linda Leaden (Development Coach) attended Western Connecticut State University majoring in science. She has been working with children for over 35 years in many different capacities. Linda starting rowing at GMS when the club came to New Milford and fell in love with the sport. She is a US Rowing certified coach and a NASM certified personal trainer. She brings this knowledge to assist her rowers in developing their rowing technique and fitness. Linda is the head of our development program at GMS. Linda currently coaches our adult learn to row and novice program, middle school and high school learn to row and novice program, and private lessons. Coaching and instructing people on their wellbeing and fitness is her true passion.
Paula Meyer
Coach/Sports Dietitian
Paula Meyer (Intermediate Coach) is a US Rowing certified coach as well as a Registered Dietitian with a master’s degree from New York University’s Steinhardt School of Food Studies, Nutrition, and Public Health. As a Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics (CSSD), Paula provides counseling to adolescent, master, and elite-level athletes and currently serves as a consultant for sports teams and individual athletes. She is an active member of the ADA practice group Sports, Cardiovascular, and Wellness Nutrition (SCAN), whose members are experts in nutrition for athletic performance, fitness, and body composition. Her rowing career began in 1995 and highlights include many national and international training camps with Guenter Beutter, two-time gold medal wins and a course record at HOCR in WClub 4+, first place 1x finish at Henley Veteran Regatta, several Master National Championships gold medals in W1x, W2x and W4x, and 1x gold at Silverskiff Endurance Regatta in Turin, Italy.
