Author: readyallrow

Coxing Q&A Racing

Question of the Day

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How can I figure out distance in a race? I have trouble figuring out how much is 500 meters, half way and so on. I have a sprint race coming up and I want to have a race plan and do a power ten at half way but how will I know where that it? Is there a sign?

There are typically large buoys that mark the 500m, 1000m, and 1500m marks along the course. The last 100-250m, depending on the course, are also usually all small, red buoys. Even if courses aren’t divided by buoyed lanes they should still have at the very least buoys marking each 500m.

Determining distances was always tricky for me too but I got creative and taught myself how to recognize 50m, 100m, 250m, 500m, etc., which is basically what you have to do. I got a map of the river and plotted out how far certain things were from each other (usually notable landmarks, like the distance from a bridge to the boathouse or this really obvious tree to the marina) and then forced myself to pay attention to how long it took us to go from Point A to Point B when we’d row past those landmarks. By getting a feel for what the distance looked and felt like, I was better able to guesstimate those same distances during races or pieces. It took a lot of time (at least a year or so) before I was really comfortable with it but it was worth it.

Miscellaneous coxswain gear

Coxing Novice

Miscellaneous coxswain gear

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Previously: Basic gear for novice coxswains

I previously talked about some basic gear that coxswains should have on them but in today’s post I want to highlight some miscellaneous stuff that you might not think to have, especially if you’re a novice. None of this stuff is necessary right when you first start coxing (or at all, depending on who you’re coxing) but the further into this you get the more likely you’ll be to say “I wish I had a … in my bag”.

If you’re coxing guys obviously rubber bands probably wouldn’t be applicable (unless your team rocks man buns) but if you’re coxing girls (or you are a girl), this is a super convenient thing to have on hand. You can never have too many rubber bands.

I usually keep a roll or two of electrical tape in my locker so I can use it when we’re loading the trailer and then I’ll throw it in my cox box so I have it when we’re at the race site. I’ve always been responsible for making sure the coxswain’s seat is “packed up” and the caution tape flag is hanging off the stern and it’s a lot easier to do that if I don’t have to spend 10 minutes tracking down a role of electrical tape first. Sometimes I’ll take it in the boat too before a race to write down the names of the crews we’re racing against. For this I recommend using a lighter colored tape (white or yellow works best) so that it’s easier to read. A single roll should last you at least a season or two.

A mini first aid kit is especially useful at the beginning of each season and on training trips when blisters are most likely to be an issue. I have a small kit that I take on the water with me with just the essentials (a few alcohol swabs, Neosporin, band aids, and tape) and then I have a larger, full size one that I keep in my car or locker that I can replenish my water kit with or go to if a larger injury occurs. I also like to throw a small travel size bottle of sunscreen in my water kit so if we’re out on a really hot/sunny day I can reapply it on my shoulders and face midway through practice.

I started keeping a spare pair of batteries on hand after I went to use my recorder at a race and found that the batteries were dead. My coach had some extras in his toolbox and recommended I get to keep on land or in the travel case for my cox box so I’d have them if I needed them. Most recorders nowadays can be charged via USB or batteries but I recommend having a set of rechargeable ones on hand just as a backup.

Carabiners are seriously one of the most underrated tools for coxswains. I used to keep a small one on my cox box to hook my watch to, I have a few on my backpack to attach my cox box and water bottle to if I need to be hands-free, and I use a couple of large ones to store all my wrenches on.

Snacks aren’t something you should necessarily be stockpiling but one year I had two girls in my boat who were both diabetic so I kept a couple bags of fruit snacks in my bag just in case they needed them during practice. In that same vein, you can’t predict when a situation will arise where someone will need their medication so if they’re prone to asthma attacks or are allergic to bees, having a spare inhaler or epi pen on hand can be a lifesaver (literally). I’ve been in situations a few times where someone in my boat has needed an emergency inhaler, as well as one time when a friend with a severe allergy to bee stings was stung in the middle of practice, and we were able to avoid some potentially bad situations because I had their meds in my bag. Even if they say they haven’t used it in months, it doesn’t matter – better safe than sorry.

You should also carry enough nuts and bolts for at least two full riggers, in addition to at least one set of wing nuts for the foot stretchers. Extra spacers are handy because whenever someone tries to adjust their rigger height, inevitably the spacer will pop off, land in the water, and be gone forever. You can ask your coach or boatman if they have any spare parts you can have but if they don’t, you can usually order a full set straight off the boat manufacturer’s website.

Image via // Sofia Donnecke

Coxing Q&A

Question of the Day

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Hey! How do you deal with loads of self-doubt and just self-deprecation as a coxswain? I know that’s my worst habit and it really is detrimental to my performance on the water. I go out there ready to go, and then I do one thing wrong (like this weekend I took a turn wide and that was def not helpful) and I feel like it’s the end of the world because I do a ton of little stupid things a lot, and I feel like I should know better after 8 years. Help?

This was one of my worst habits too but the mistakes I made when I started coxing I learned from and forcibly committed myself to not making again. That’s really all you can do – commit to not making them again. If you make a mistake and it’s the first time it’s happened, whatever. Note it, learn from it, and forget it. If it’s something you repeatedly do, sit your ass down, figure out why you keep making that mistake, and tell yourself to stop doing it. If you feel like you know better, act like you do. Don’t let over-thinking what you do ruin things for you though – one mistake is not the end of the world. You can’t doubt yourself otherwise your rowers will start to doubt you too. Confidence is key!

Racing Rowing

Question of the Day

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Whats the difference between Youth Nationals and Club Nationals? I know you have to qualify for Youth Nationals but is Club Nationals still a big deal? I’m a novice and just heard my coach talking about them the other day and was curious! Hopefully one day I’ll race in one (or both) of them!

The differences between the two lie in eligibility, classification, and affiliation. If you go here and here you can scroll through the entry packets and read what they say.

Youth Nationals is held sometime in the first week or two of June. In order to attend you have to qualify by placing in one of the events at a qualification regatta. After placing, if you’re awarded a bid you can either accept or decline. If you accept, congratulations, you get to race at Youth Nationals. As far as affiliation goes, you have to be registered with the same club/team for the entirety of the spring season, which USRowing defines as being between January 1st and June 15th. Youth Nationals is also strictly for youth rowers, classified as “juniors”. Anyone over the age of 18 and/or not working towards their high school diploma is considered ineligible.

Club Nationals is later in the summer, usually in mid-July. It’s definitely “a big deal” because it’s one of the big summer regattas (the others being IDR and Canadian Henley). The eligibility requirements here reflect what classification you fall under, those being “senior”, “intermediate”, “junior”, or “junior B”. (You can read the definitions of each on the PDF.) Basically all it says is that you can’t compete in a classification below you. Racing is open to crews of all ages, as well as crews not from the United States. Crews are also allowed to be made up of rowers from multiple clubs (known as “composite” crews), but if you place the points you get won’t go towards the team points trophy.

Coxing Novice Q&A Rowing Technique

Question of the Day

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So my team has a regatta next weekend and we have only rowed at all 8s like 3 three times since winter training. When we do there is A LOT of check and the boat is really not set. As the coxswain, is there anything I can say to fix this and help get my boat ready for Sunday? Thanks!

There are tons of things you can say but with six days to go before your race, I’m not sure if much of it will have any noticeable impact, especially since you’ve only rowed by all eight three times. Practice, practice, practice is what you need more than anything else.

In this situation, with so little time before your race, I would focus on making sure they understand what ratio is (and making sure you understand it yourself), why it’s necessary, and how it impacts your rowing (both positively and negatively). Your coach will hopefully do some of the necessary drills with them to help the issue, so when you go through them pay attention to what he says to the rowers, the corrections he tells them to make, etc. Everything they say you can repeat to the rowers when you’re on your own with them.

Related: The “ratio” tag

As far as the set goes, for a novice boat I’d say it’s fairly natural for the boat to be unset the majority of the time. That’s just from lack of experience. Remind them how to set the boat when it’s leaning to either side and tell them specifically what adjustments to make. Don’t just tell starboard to raise their hands, also tell port to lower theirs. Don’t tell them to “set the boat” either with no further instructions on who needs to do what. Always tell them exactly what you want them to do. The set is affected by eight million and twelve different things but handle heights is probably the biggest, especially with novices. Remind them of where the handle should be coming into at the finish, that they need to lay back in order to finish properly, to tap down at the finish to get the blade out of the water, etc.

Related: As a novice coxswain I still really struggle with the technical aspect of practices. This summer I joined a boat club and spent two weeks out on the water learning to row, hoping that the first-hand experience would help me understand how to fix some common problems. Now that I’m coxing again, I still get really confused when something is wrong with the set. I don’t know what other advice to give other than handle height suggestions and counting for catch-timing, especially when it doesn’t seem to be up or down to one side consistently (like rocking back and forth with every stroke). I was wondering what advice you would give to your rowers in a situation like this, and how you can recognize and remedy some common technical problems.

When I’m talking to novices about this I like to tell them to imagine there’s a table sitting across the gunnels that they have to glide their hands across. Visualizing this helps them to not dip their hands and sky their blades coming into the catch. Focus on keeping the handle level, just like you try and do with the chain on the erg. With time and experience this problem will solve itself but for now you’ve just got to be diligent about staying on them about where their hands need to be. As you observe your rowers more and talk with your coach(es) about what you see, you’ll be able to pick out any of the eight million other things that they do that effect the set. From there you can get more specific about what they need to do besides just adjusting their hands.

This whole issue is something that I struggle with explaining to people. As coxswains, we can sit there and tell the rowers everything they need to hear about what’s going on, how to fix things, etc. but there’s only so much we can do. The rowers have to have the ability to do three things: they need the ability (aka skill) to make the change, the ability to focus and implement what you’re asking, and the ability to understand why the change is necessary. Until you have all three of those things, it’s hard to make an impact.

Racing skills: 10 regatta tips for coxswains

College Coxing High School Novice Racing Rowing

Racing skills: 10 regatta tips for coxswains

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With the spring season kicking off this weekend, here are my top ten tips for coxswains to ensure you’re prepared for every regatta.

Take responsibility for your cox box

These things are expensive  – don’t let them out of your sight. Make sure they are clearly and visibly labelled with your name and/or your team name. Bring the charger home with you and fully charge it the night before your race. Also double check that you’ve got a working mic before you leave the boathouse.

Bring weight if you need it

Some regattas require coxswains to provide their own weight if they’re below the minimum. Check with your coach and see if the regattas you’re going to require this.

Have your recorder, notebook, and a pen

Make sure the batteries are charged and bring extras just in case. Have your notebook and a pen or two on hand so that you can throw together a quick recap of your race after you get off the water.

Wear the right clothes

The “right” clothes all depend on the conditions, but make sure that you are at least wearing clothes that display your school or team logo/colors. Don’t wear something that would make it impossible to identify you as a member of your team. Check the weather the night before and pack appropriately. Unless the weather is cloudless, no wind, and 85 degrees, you’ll probably get a little chilly on the water. Rainboots or Bean boots are another good thing to have on hand, particularly if it’s cold, raining, or has rained recently, that way you can keep your feet dry while slopping through a muddy race site.

Related: What to wear

Have several wrenches

One is necessary, multiple is preferred. Inevitably someone in your boat is going to say “I don’t have a wrench”, which only slows down the rigging process. Have extras on hand so you can share them with the rowers. Make sure they’re marked with your name though otherwise you might not get them back.

Review the course map before you race

The week of, or at the very least the day before, find a map of the race site and go over it. Look at the race course and see what identifiable landmarks you can point out, as well as where the meter marks are. Use this to help you form your race plan. Find out where your trailer is going to be in relation to where the docks are so you can determine the best way to get down there. Also locate where the coaches and coxswains meeting will be held.

Drink plenty of water and have a few cough drops on hand, just in case

I’m not a huge fan of cough drops but if it’s really cold or the air is dry then inevitably my throat will get kinda sore. I always try to make sure I drink a lot on race day but if I don’t have any water a cough drop is a good alternative (just not while you’re coxing – you’ll choke).

Related: How to protect your voice

Know when and where the coaches + coxswains meeting will be held

These aren’t optional. It doesn’t matter if you’ve been to the same regatta three years in a row and you know everything they say at the meeting forwards and backwards, you should still go. This year could be the year they’ve made a change with the traffic pattern and unless you’re there, you’re not going to know about it. There’s nothing more important that you need to be doing at the ungodly hours that coxswain meetings are held so you might as well go.

Show the novice coxswains around

Once you’ve been to the coxswains meeting, the boats are rigged, etc. take the novice coxswains on a quick tour and show them where all the important stuff is. Answer their questions, point out stuff about the race course, etc.

Keep track of your rowers

When you get on the bus, make them countdown from bow to stern. Tell them well ahead of time what time you’re meeting before your race, at the bus, for team meetings, etc. Have everyone’s phone numbers on hand so you can get a hold of them if someone is missing. If they want to go off during the down time, at least try to get an idea of where they’re going so you know where to look if you need to go find someone.

Image via // @avironfrance

College High School Q&A Recruiting Teammates & Coaches

Question of the Day

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Do you have any recruitment tips for getting freshmen hooked?

Tell them what got you hooked. Be honest and don’t sugarcoat things (like the cold weather, erg tests, early morning practices, etc.), even if you’re desperate for people to sign up. Tell them about the regattas, traveling, spring break training, etc. How much class time can they anticipate missing? Throw in some info on a fun rowing tradition, like shirt betting or a tradition your team has. Tell them the history of your program (regardless of how long you’ve been around) and what makes it an extra-curricular worth participating in. What makes you stand out? “Crew is just awesome/better/more fun, duh” is not a reason. Also, please, I beg you, do not give them the standard spiel of “teammates, family, great coaches, etc.”. It’s so played out at this point and doesn’t even sound like a legitimate reason when people say it anymore – it sounds rehearsed and like you have no other reasons why they should consider joining.

Another thing, don’t be awkward and overly enthusiastic when you’re recruiting people. You know the type of person I’m talking about too. Don’t be those people. The kids you’re trying to recruit feel awkward enough as it is, don’t make them feel even weirder. If you have any trophies or medals from previous regattas, bring them. Have a coach, coxswain, team captain, senior, junior, sophomore, and freshman there so that the people you’re recruiting can get perspective and information from someone at every level on the team.

Have a FAQ handout prepared beforehand with the contact info of all the relevant people on the team listed on it. Don’t forget to include the handles/links for your team’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and/or website. If you include any or all of those things, make sure they’re regularly posted on and up to date. I guarantee you, if I went to your team’s Twitter and saw you hadn’t tweeted since last spring or that the most recent results on the website are from 2009, I’ll write you off immediately. It’s hard to take you seriously when you talk about how much commitment rowing takes when you can’t even keep your own team information up to date. That’s important stuff that people do look at.

How to pack for a regatta or training trip

How To Racing

How to pack for a regatta or training trip

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Traveling to regattas has always been one my favorite parts of crew. My team in high school always traveled outside the state of Ohio to race, which meant we were traveling a minimum of 200+ miles one way, so Fridays would be our travel days and we’d race on Saturdays and Sundays. This meant at least two nights in a hotel every week from the beginning of April to the end of May.

Related: I’m going into my first year of coxing at the university level and have a training camp coming up. Any recommendations for what to pack for the five days? A kind of obvious question I know, but my OCD self feels the need to ask anyways. Thanks!

After several years of this, I’ve become pretty adept at packing for the bus, hotel, and race site. If you’re traveling this spring, especially to regattas that require overnight stays, here are some of the basic essentials that I always make sure to pack.

Charging cables and an external battery can be lifesavers when you’re traveling, especially if you’re stuck on a plane or bus that doesn’t have outlets. Your phone’s charger can also be an easy thing to forget so I like to keep a couple of spares in my backpack, that way I don’t have to run around my apartment collecting up all my chargers to bring with me.

Now that most of our work, notes, etc. are stored in the cloud, keeping up with homework while traveling is a lot easier. My laptop is a must-have if we’re going on a long trip or I have a lot to do but to save space on shorter trips I’ll just bring my iPad. I can still answer emails and get some writing done if I need to but I primarily use it to relax and catch up on some reading.

Before you leave (or start packing), make sure you also check the weather so you know what the conditions will be like at the race site. In most cases you’ll be spending all day there so you’ll want to have extra clothes on hand to keep you warm and/or dry.

Image via // @rowingcelebration