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Al Acosta is in his fifth season as head coach of the Stanford Lightweight Women's Crew. During his time on the Farm, Acosta has led the lightweight women to numerous wins, including four gold-medal finishes at the PCRC conference championships, gold at the San Diego Crew Classic, and three top-six finishes at the IRA National Championship regatta.
Prior to coaching at Stanford, Acosta was the head coach at one of the nations top junior clubs, the Oakland Strokes. While with the Strokes, Acosta coached the women's team for three years and the men's team for five years. Under Acosta's leadership, the Oakland Strokes grew from an average membership of 40 athletes to an annual average of 160 juniors. His crews' victories include Opening Day Regatta in Seattle, the California State Championships, and the USRowing Youth Invitational (National Championship). Acosta's 1998 Varsity Eight finished the year with a record of 65 wins and 1 loss, including a second place finish at the Youth Invitational.
Acosta has also served as the Head Coach and Associate Head Coach at national team development camps for high school boys as well as collegiate women.
Acosta rowed for Santa Barbara City College before transferring to the University of California at Berkeley. A 1993 graduate of Cal (BA, Art), Acosta is a member of the Phi Betta Kappa Honor Society. While coaching the Oakland Strokes, Acosta taught in the Alamed Unified School District.
Al, his wife Linda, and their children Annabell and Henry reside in San Francisco.