2026e8 - Felix DeCarvalho - St. Peters Prep

Felix DeCarvalho’s rowing journey began at Kearny High School, where the sport gave him structure, lifelong relationships, and a sense of belonging as the son of Portuguese immigrants. After continuing to train and race through Nereid Boat Club, he found his long-term place in rowing as a coach, helping build programs at Montclair, Don Bosco, and now St. Peter’s Prep. Over time, Felix evolved from a rigid, demanding young coach into a more athlete-centered leader focused on creating environments where kids love rowing enough to work hard at it. He is deeply concerned that rising costs and the growth of club rowing are making scholastic rowing harder to sustain, even though school programs are often the entry point for athletes who would never otherwise find the sport. His message to young coaches is simple: you do not need an elite rowing résumé to make a major impact—you need commitment, humility, and a real desire to help athletes grow.