"This isn’t coming from a place of me being upset about not being on a boat or something, I was on the eight with the former coach and Bart afterwards. I can’t speak to how he is now, but I can around the time he started, and I think this is relevant now considering he’s on leave. The people who were on the team around Covid were kind of rough around the edges, the former coach recruited people who had 1 thing missing in their recruitment to get into another school, but that he thought would make the program much faster than it had been. I think he realized he had his hands full since the school wasn’t supporting his vision properly, and unfortunately we ended up with Bart after two years of him being around. Bart came in and completely nuked the team, and kind of tried to stick it to these guys who were already there with a culture that couldn’t have been any more different than before. He was more interested in being some weird therapist instead of getting results. By the time I was done we barely had enough people to field an 8 for western sprints because people just kept quitting. Rowing in college is tough, but I’ve never seen a retention rate as bad as Barts. He’s basically Ted Lasso if he was ultra religious and dismissive of mental and physical health concerns. He genuinely has no concept of what good rowing is supposed to look like, because he never was a good rower. Almost every person on the team had more collective rowing experience than he ever had, and it really showed. I remember sitting with him and explaining rowing concepts to him when he first started because nobody had ever told him what they were. Anyways, I’ve had plenty of great rowing coaches before and after USD, but he definitely stuck out as the worst I’ve had by far. I really hope him being on leave ends up with him getting fired, it’s genuinely incredible that he is still there. I think it’s because they celebrate winning these Mickey Mouse events at head of the Charles and stuff like that, the school doesn’t know that they’re competing against mid tier D3 schools."

"Among all the questionable coaches I’ve had across my years as an athlete, Coach Bart Thompson stands out, for all the wrong reasons. I came into the program believing I’d be valued as more than an erg number, promised a culture where athletes could contribute their identity, voice, and growth. What I found instead was an environment built on control, fear, and image management. The team culture under Bart functions less like a collaborative athletic program and more like a rigid, top-down system where conformity is demanded and individuality is treated as a threat. Athletes are not encouraged to strengthen the culture, only to obey it. Any attempt to offer perspective, raise concerns, or even participate in shaping the environment is met with defensiveness, dismissal, or subtle punishment. One of the clearest examples of this dynamic is in how team leadership is handled. Captains aren’t voted on or nominated by athletes; they’re hand-selected. In practice, this means they don’t function as representatives of the team’s voice, they function as extensions of the coach. When athletes hope to express concerns, the feedback rarely travels upward. It dies in the chain of command because no one wants to contradict the person who holds total control of the program. It reminds me of that well-known comparison to the sinking of the Titanic: the iceberg was reported long before the collision, but because the people at the helm refused to listen to those below them, the ship kept accelerating straight into catastrophe. That’s what this environment feels like, athletes sounding alarms to a system that refuses to hear them. What became impossible to ignore were the behavioral patterns that aligned with well-documented traits of manipulative and narcissistic leadership: when control is challenged, the response shifts from addressing concerns to twisting narratives, minimizing the athlete’s perspective, and reframing oneself as the victim. Instead of open dialogue, the environment becomes one where your reality feels constantly questioned. Unfortunately, that pattern reflected my experience far more than I ever thought it would. Over time, this kind of atmosphere chips away at an athlete’s confidence, motivation, and sense of belonging. Instead of feeling like part of a team working toward something meaningful, you feel isolated, second-guessed, and constantly worried about saying or doing the “wrong” thing. You watch teammates shrink into silence. You watch morale erode. You watch the sport you once loved start to feel heavy and joyless. I’m choosing not to list specific incidents, because this review isn’t about one moment, it’s about a pattern. A pattern I believe future athletes deserve to be aware of. If you’re considering this program, know this: your work ethic won’t be the issue. Your talent won’t be the issue. The real challenge will be navigating a culture where honesty is unwelcome, leadership is unapproachable, and the truth is whatever the coach decides it is. Athletes deserve environments that elevate them, not environments that control them. And under this coach, I never saw the kind of leadership, integrity, or emotional maturity required to create a healthy, high-performing team."

"Please ask any guy on the team (including myself) what the experience is like. We lose half our athletes every year because they quit under Bart’s guidance. We do not improve, we do not feel valued by Bart and he BURNS through relationships like cigarettes. Stay far away from USD and this program. "

"Coach Bart was one of the most persuasive reasons I decided to come to USD. I felt he genuinely cared about me and my story, making me feel like more than just a number on an erg screen. He spent time reassuring my family that USD was the place for me, that he would be an extension of my family, "Developing us as young men, not just rowers", being a positive role model for us. Eventually, even "the father I never had" and similar forms of this statement were directed at me by Bart (I am not the only athlete he's made these comments to). This may sound quite contrarian to my respective star rating, which is because it is all fake. At the time this sounded all fine and dandy to me, but it really should have been the first of the red flags. He is beyond unfit to hold his coaching position or be permitted to have such control over anyone's life, especially those of young men and women. I can't truthfully say Bart is the only reason just about any passion I had for this sport is gone, but he has undoubtedly been the catalyst. I loved this sport as most all of us do but if you ask almost any rower they will tell you that they love winning more. This is not something Bart can foster for this team, or any team. Anyone can read enough on rowing and learn all the different ideologies of the stroke, however I believe in order to fully understand it and determine meaningful differentiations to these ideologies you have to have actually rowed, experiencing changes in the boat. Bart however, rowed a novice year in high school and far less than a semester in college. Bart experienced a back injury in college which would make you think that he would be sensitive to injury management/prevention. This is not at all the case. I as well as others have witnessed Bart be the direct cause of major, potentially career ending injuries, forcing athletes to do straining workouts when not cleared to do so, all while covering his own self through lies. Despite all his issues regarding lack of boundaries, manipulation, abuse, mindgames, extreme disrespect of time, blatant favoritism, lying, (the list goes on and on) there are certain things that are simply inexcusable. Bart has sided with an athlete, imposing next to no punishment after the athlete called female coxswains “sluts” for the way they were dressed. Despite not being an involved party in this situation, Bart involved myself and others also lacking involvement, saying “While I don’t disagree with what *athlete* is getting at, he’s going about it the wrong way”. There are many more examples of misconduct just like this that have made me incredibly uncomfortable, leaving me boiling with anger imagining how it must make the people said misconduct actually was directed at. There is simply no place for this behavior in our society, let alone on a collegiate sports team. "

"It gives me no happiness to write this, but Thompson is an unskilled and inappropriate coach. To such a degree that there is no positive athletic growth that can take place under his supervision."

"BART THOMPSON IS A TERRIBLE COACH AND MANY MANY GUYS HAVE CONFRONTED HIM DIRECTLY, COMPLAINED TO ADMINISTRATION AND FINALLY JUST QUIT. Amazing how athletes offering honest feedback are somehow cast as persecutors. Instead, consider that sometimes people are simply being held accountable for their choices. Frankly, if anyone is ending Bart Thompson's career, it's Bart Thompson himself. Chalking up the problems with this coach's behavior to some kind of inability to cope with a leadership style, or some kind of petty vendetta, is exactly how abusers persist in systems that require oversight by adults who 1) can recognize and cope with problems in coaching and leadership and 2) can set aside their own agendas to do what needs to be done to ensure student athletes are protected from individuals who manage power unethically. There are ample examples of this coach's inability to manage himself. The fact that a parent (?) needs to come online and offer their uninformed perspective is a great indication of adults with no actual understanding of the behind the scenes behaviors protecting a coach who simply cannot function is the problem. Coaches who cannot manage their tempers or their boundaries can cause serious damage to their athletes. We all have to face situations involving disappointment or disillusionment; it's part of facing the reality that some leaders do not possess the maturity to handle authority. Many of the ratings on this site - over the span of years - specifically call out Thompson's ability to sell himself and charm parents and administrators and incoming freshmen. You would think someone could entertain the possibility that what he sees on the surface is not all there is to the story. When you have rowed under this specific coach and you have been the target of his ranting and watched him lie and manipulate, when you've missed sleep and studying because he can't manage schedules or does not care to, when you've watched rowers' talent and drive wasted by a coach's inability to address their technical shortcomings, when you've watched a coach screw up lineups and sleep schedules so the boat can't perform....then by all means, please contribute your perspective. Otherwise, please keep your fan fiction to yourself. Students on the USD rowing team need to come forward, not engage in one of the hallmark functions of abusive contexts: secrecy."

"I wish I could open this with something positive, but honestly, there’s nothing worthwhile to say. Bart is what happens when someone thinks they’re the ideal rowing coach but has none of the substance to back it up. He buries himself in endless “research,” yet somehow still manages to understand almost nothing about the sport — probably because his own rowing career lasted all of one month before he quit because he has no grit. If you didn't know, quitting early tends to be a pattern with people who aren’t built for anything demanding and also for people who amount to nothing. He’ll go on and on about how his training is “polarized,” only to completely change his philosophy overnight like he’s hitting shuffle on his own ideas. He puts on an impressive performance for parents, alumni, and anyone else he needs to impress, acting as if he’s the most dedicated mentor on earth. But the second those people leave; he drops the act and becomes someone entirely different. Frankly, he should give up coaching altogether and go into sales, because that’s the only thing he’s genuinely talented at — selling an image of himself that disappears once no one is watching. On top of that, he demeans athletes constantly while presenting himself as morally flawless. He alienates his assistant coaches to the point that he’s burned through three in four years — because working with him is nearly impossible. The same problem drives his rowers away, too: he cares only about himself and his own ideas, no matter how misguided they are. He pushes athletes through injuries, pressures them to return too soon, and inevitably makes their conditions worse. And the favoritism? It’s blatant. He rearranges boats just to prop up the people he likes, even when they’ve clearly lost their seat races. It’s not about performance — it’s about his ego to prove to himself he is a good coach and knows what he is doing. The only good thing he has to say about himself all the time is how transparent he is, and he doesn't realize that anyone can do that. Additionally, his awful time management makes it extremely difficult to do well in school because he is constantly sucking up everyone's time on the squad as well as emotionally draining everyone, which makes it also impossible to have any energy to do schoolwork. Everything with him is a game, and none of it benefits the athletes. If you value your sanity or your college rowing experience, keep your distance."

"This site is not for people to lie about Bart Thompson it is for sharing the actual truth. It is not a debate site. Bart Thompson is an incompetent coach athletically and there is no argument against this fact. Bart Thompson is a toxic leader and there is no argument against this fact. Good athletic coaches know how to train. Good leaders dont create teams that run on secrecy. No one is allowed to talk about what it is really like? that's because the team knows its toxic. Sad when subjects defend there tyrant but that is what happens. This post is not about tearing Bart Thompson down it is about telling truths about someone who is an absolutely toxic leader. This is not a problem with a coach that talks a little too much. Bart Thompson forces his team to be his audience and his subjects and his slaves or best friends depending on how he feels that day. Coaches need there own life and friends and Bart has none of this. Disorganized and rude and defensive and frustrated. Expects devotion and loyalty beyond reason and fairness, rages when he doesnt get it. Yah he help you erg at 7 in the morning because he has no priorities and no life and no boundaries. Try to quit the team and you will be called weak by THE COACH, Try to question or confront Bart and you will be called a backstabber by THE COACH. Thats bad leadership. No actual knowledge: didn't even row for one year in college. Bart Thompson does not know what he is doing as an actual athlete because he is not one and never was. He covers this up by talking constantly and moving rowers around like chess pieces playing games. It is sad to see incoming freshmen fall for his show because yah, he should be in sales because he sells the whole program and team culture so they are excited. Once you choose USD other over options and move to S.D. and invest so much in the workouts and the culture, of course youre all in;.He seems like he cares about mental health but actually what he wants is control in everyones lives. Get your own friends Coach Bart. Bart yells and insults his rowers to "motivate" them. Completely unnecessary because they dont need to be beat into submission to work hard. So yah he will be overtly abusive. But mostly Bart Thompson plays games. He is good at this and knows how to dog whistle by using what youre insecure about to control you so it looks like nothing and you end up questiooning your own reality. You can create something that looks like a close team that is really sick which is what Bart Thompson has done. This coach is incompetent and never shuts up and I do mean that you will be sitting listening to him bask in the glory of his own sermons and you will want to die because he will not stop talking and this is because he finally got an audience that cant walk away. Thought you were done with practice at 3 PM so you could study for that midterm? Suprise, your going to listen to Bart lecture until 6. Thought you would have time to run back to the dorm and grab a shower? Suprise your now going to a unshceduled rowing meeting. 14 hour days during your break? Yah that will build team coherence because you have no time for anything or anyone else which is how Bart likes it. Row under him and you will eventually hate rowing unless you are chosen to be one of his golden boys and I would not count on it. Yes Bart picks a favorite but he also picks a scapegoat and will just wreck him from the inside out and thats what everyone is afraid of, ending up that guy. It's not tough coaching it is abuse and people have complained but he is a con and punishes anyone who tells the truth. He is always angry because we are ungrateful and he is trying to be our father figure? Guess what a lot of us already have fathers and were not looking for a father or a best friend or a BIBLE STUDY TEACHER we are looking for a ROWING COACH. I hope this site does not get flooded with a bunch of rowing team desperate posts. This site is to warn people and tell the truth. That is what i have done here. On this site I would guess positive comments especially posted recently on this page come from his favorites athletes-if you don’t fall into that category consider your rowing career and all movement towards achieving your rowing potential shut down. Have you heard the phrase even a broken clock is right twice a day. Same with this team. The team might get some periodic traction because once in a while Bart lucks out and gets a few talented athletes on the team but even great athletes CANNOT compensate for consistently bad technical and interpersonal leadership. Save USD rowing by installing a competent coach who is not a failed athlete with issues. Last I am not posting this because I have a personal grind against Bart Thompson because he is not the only guy with personality issues looking to be in control for once. This post is for people who cant OR WONT fight back because they have too much invested or just do not know what good coaching is. Fighting back does not mean trying to take Bart down personally. It means facing the truth and being willing to speak up. "

"Have you ever seen those instagram reels where the coach is awesome on your recruiting visit, and then becomes a conniving devil spawn? That is Bart Thompson in a nutshell. Bart Thompson is the epitome of a horrible coach, through his lack of leadership, little to no understanding of the sport and forcing his religious beliefs on his athletes, Bart Thompson has no place being a rowing coach. If you are considering any rowing program with Bart Thompson as the head coach do NOT go there. Before I support my thesis I would like to say this review is not coming from a someone who is mad they didn't make the V8 or wasn't happy with boat placement. From the beginning I was always a top 3 athlete with A final appearances at youth nationals, sub 6:15, national team recruitment blah blah blah. -Bart Thompson couldn't lead his team out of his own behind if he wanted to (because he already puts them there). Bart often prioritizes "friendship" and "family" over the own well being of the team. He firmly believes in humbleness and gratuity over speed and domination. While these qualities are not bad by themselves, they are when you are arguably the WORST team in the country and your coach thinks praying to god you don't lose your 8 bid at charles will work (it didn't). Never have I ever seen Bart become fired up with any sense of masculinity, this leads to a culture of slogging around and barely hitting your goals. As an athlete on his team you will slowly become adrift from your manhood and conform to his Catholic speed socialism, where you are not allowed to boast and scream about the accomplishments you have worked so hard to achieve. Instead you must ring a bell and hope the angels of heaven will come visit you in your sleep and bestow the praise your coach never gave you. -Bart Thompson is quite literally NOT a rowing coach, you heard me right he is NOT supposed to have this job. Barty got this job by reading the book of whoever hired him at USD, and then proceeded to rip put quotes from the book during his interview and praise the author. He did this because the only reason he was a rowing coach at Adrian was because there was a opening for the rowing coach that NOBODY would fill besides him. His only credential is bringing Adrian from last in their conference to first. At a momentary glance this does sound like a credible achievement before you look at who Adrian competed against. Adrian's conference is *MICHIGAN*, and not even UMich. Name one rowing team in that area, oh wait you couldn't, exactly all he had to do was have a boat average of 6:45 and boom he won. The point is Bart bragged to me about openly manipulating whoever hired him so he could get a job he doesn't deserve screw hundreds of athletes over and ruin a program at a great school. Personally I think the team is better run by former AC Kevin Hinkle or even team captains Derek / Rex. There is even proof of this during the 2024 Spring Bart insisted he must attend a priest initiation in Michigan, and during this team the team made monumental bounds without "barts constant nagging". -You better be Catholic AF. You know that meme of a middle east king saying everything leads to jail? That's basically Bart except its straight to his office for teachings about God. The amount of undermining comments about my own character I have received because I don't believe in God is insane "you might learn compassion for your teammates". This is really killer to the team in my opinion, you will sit after practice for upwards of 45 minutes while Bart gets his fix of being a preacher. He isn't just a preacher in team settings either, try having a 1:1 conversation with him he will talk for 10-15 minutes without stopping; you cant even cut him off. One time I was in my car having a phone call with him and I pulled over, muted myself and started slamming my head into my horn because of this devil spawn. If you are Jewish or Muslim its even worse, he will subtly undermine your religion and place catholicism over it. I am neither of these religions which is why I wont comment on their experiences, but what I have heard from others is utterly insane. -To conclude this flavourful complain Bart Thompson has no idea what he's doing, will invert your testosterone and will convert you into an alter boy. There is no way I could ever row for this guy, and im convinced the only way he got me to commit there was by taking me to the beach to go surfing. By the way his script for getting recruits is taking them to the pool where every teenage boy sees "Cake by the Ocean" and then "Surfing with the boys"."

"I rowed under Bart for some time and that was one of the worst experiences of my life. He made me hate the sport I loved and along with that made me hate myself. This man doesn’t believe in mental health and compared my eating disorder (which he caused) to his masterbation and porn addiction. His approach to coaching was fostered deeply in religion and would force all of us to pray whether you were Christian or not. He would force his personal beliefs and issues onto his athletes. And he was really weird with the women athletes. We reported him many times for abuse and violating hippa but nothing was done. I wish nothing but the worst for him and would rather die than ever see him again. "

"Bart Thompson is quite literally one of the worst coaches in men’s rowing. The list of athletes that have quit under his leader ship is astronomical. His coaching philosophies and training plan yield horrible results and his teams are riddled with injuries. He constantly puts himself above others, and fails to lead a program that amounts to anything. BE WARNED. "

"Talked over athletes about their personal lives, said their problems didn’t matter, said mental health doesn’t matter, made lots of athletes uncomfortable during their time. Made me hate a sport I loved because of bad coaching and ever worse narcissism. "

"He makes disgusting and vulgar comments to his athletes. He only rowed one semester in college and it’s evident he knows nothing about the sport. He’s very good at manipulating his athletes and the administrations he has worked for. "

"Here is my analysis of Bart Thompson. Please just acknowledge this is not out of hate or dislike but to warn other athletes of what they are getting into. This prompted me to write an essay that is shared with the athletics at his current position. In the intricate realm of coaching, the dynamics of power and control are often intertwined with complex psychological underpinnings, shaping not only the coach's behavior but also the experiences of the athletes under their tutelage. This essay seeks to delve into the multifaceted reasons behind a coach's pursuit of power and control, elucidate the potential childhood traumas that may fuel such behavior, and explore its detrimental impact on both the coach and the athletes. Moreover, it will scrutinize the necessity for a shift in team dynamics, exemplified by the coach's manipulative tactics, his personal struggles, and his attempt to instill a cultural ethos that fails to resonate authentically within the team. The compulsion for a coach to assert dominance and impose control over athletes often emanates from deep-rooted psychological factors. Research suggests that individuals in positions of authority may exhibit such behavior as a coping mechanism for underlying insecurities and a need for validation (Mischel, 1968). In the case of the coach depicted, being a middle child in a family of high achievers may have instilled a profound sense of inferiority, driving him to seek affirmation through exerting control over his athletes. Despite his own athletic failures, he fervently employs quotes and partakes in physical activities with the team, perhaps as a means to prove his worth to himself and others. Research suggests that individuals in positions of authority may exhibit such behavior due to feelings of insecurity and a need to compensate for perceived inadequacies (Mischel, 1968). In the case of the coach described, being a middle child in a family of accomplished siblings may have contributed to a sense of inferiority and a relentless pursuit of validation. As a failed college athlete and unsuccessful doctoral candidate, he may harbor deep-seated insecurities that drive his need for control over his athletes' lives and performances (Ryan & Deci, 2000). Childhood experiences wield significant influence over adult behavior, and unresolved traumas can manifest in maladaptive coping mechanisms. For the coach, a history of underachievement and familial comparison may have cultivated a fear of failure and a relentless drive to prove himself (Ryan & Deci, 2000). Moreover, his inability to assert boundaries or demand respect is evidenced by his tolerance of his wife's infidelity, a betrayal he endures multiple times. Despite preaching respect for coaches and superiors, he struggles to respect himself, further exacerbating his internal turmoil and need for control. Studies have shown that individuals who experience childhood trauma, such as neglect or emotional abuse or underachievement, are more likely to exhibit controlling behaviors in adulthood (Briere & Runtz, 1990). This may explain the coach's tendency to manipulate situations, fabricate stories, and exaggerate his own accomplishments as a means of gaining validation and control. Furthermore, the coach's attempts to impose a cultural ethos onto the team reflect his misguided understanding of leadership and teamwork. Rather than fostering an environment where culture emerges organically from team dynamics, he imposes his values and beliefs onto the athletes, undermining their autonomy and cohesion. This coercive approach not only stifles individual growth but also perpetuates a culture of distrust and dissonance within the team. In a psychoanalytic framework, the coach's behavior could be indicative of a pervasive personality trait disorder, such as narcissistic personality disorder, characterized by an excessive need for admiration and a lack of empathy (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). His relentless pursuit of control and validation, coupled with an inability to assert boundaries or demand respect, aligns with diagnostic criteria for this disorder. In conclusion, the coach's relentless pursuit of power and control, fueled by unresolved childhood traumas and personal struggles, perpetuates a toxic environment within the team. His manipulative tactics, personal insecurities, and misguided attempts to impose a cultural ethos undermine the athletes' autonomy and hinder their growth. It is imperative for the coach to confront his own demons, seek professional help, and foster a culture of transparency, collaboration, and genuine leadership within the team for optimal performance and well-being. I have put many references which I invite you to double check and just know this is my two cents. "

"Inconsistent in principle and leads teams to standstills. Is aware of the lines not to cross with NCAA and good standing, but tends to stand at them with the cost of moral. Solid training plans with weak execution, more concerned with self interests than of his athletes"

"Way to destroy my program. "