Pioneer Valley Riverfront Club Hires Bilingual Head Coach, Scott Branscomb

SPRINGFIELD — In a move to support growth, outreach, and overall program quality, the Pioneer Valley Riverfront Club (PVRC) hired Scott Branscomb as head coach. Branscomb, who speaks Spanish and English, will work with PVRC Executive Director Ben Quick and organization leadership to continue PVRC’s post-pandemic recovery.

Branscomb rowed competitively for UMass, where he graduated with dual degrees in Spanish and comparative literature before earning a master’s degree in teaching from the University of New Hampshire. In his 14 years of rowing experience, he has served community and club programs in a variety of roles. He worked the last four years in Connecticut as director and head coach of Middle School and Development Programs for Greenwich Crew. Among his achievements there, he operated an outreach program for students from disadvantaged backgrounds in Greenwich Public Schools.

“My rowing and coaching experience has reinforced the importance of building a team from which people can derive personal friendships, joy, and meaning,” Branscomb said. “I try to frame my actions and decisions through the lens of, ‘what will make the community better?’”

At the Pioneer Valley Riverfront Club, Branscomb returns to the waters of the Connecticut River, where he first rowed, and to his roots in the nonprofit world, where he feels at home. “There are programs that want to win and those that want to increase accessibility. I envision PVRC as an organization that can achieve both,” he said.

Quick added that “Scott is a great fit for our rowers, our mission, and our community on many levels, and we are excited to work with him to bring PVRC back to its pre-pandemic condition.”