Hey! In terms of calls, what do men prefer to hear? Cheerleader? Technique? Basically, how to become a successful men’s coxswain?
No one – literally no one – who’s serious about rowing likes cheerleader coxswains. Especially guys. That I can promise you. The girls who are cheerleader coxswains for boys teams are usually the ones who are only coxing guys because they’re cute and OMG I get to boss boys around, I’m so cool. Know what I mean? Don’t be that girl.
Guys tend to like not a lot of “fluff” – aka get to the point and eliminate anything unnecessary. They want to hear only what they need to hear. That doesn’t mean they don’t also like or need the motivational stuff too but keep it concise. Guys also like to be pushed hard too and they want the calls to reflect that. When you make technique calls (which you should be making regardless), know exactly what needs to be fixed and how they need to do it.
Each crew is different, so a lot of becoming a “successful” coxswain is going to depend on your guys. Once you figure out their personalities, their style, what they like/don’t like, etc. you’ll be able to tweak your style to what they like. Being successful isn’t all about what you say though. You’ve got to mesh well with them and be just as committed to moving the boat as they are.
