Category: Coxing

Question of the Day

By readyallrow September 16, 2013

I’ve just joined a varsity program and we have been doing a lot of long pieces in preparation for 6K season. Whether it be ‘racing’ pieces or ‘technique’ pieces, I do find myself stumbling on things to say. I’m not quite clicking as much as I did last year (maybe it’s because last year during fall season we were still learning how to actually row – this is my first year on varsity). Do you have any tips to coxing longer pieces without being annoying? And also – do you have an advice on how to steer while keeping it close with other boats that we’re practicing with?

I’ll tackle the steering question first. The first thing you’ve got to do is communicate with the other coxswains. Ask them where they’re pointing when you’re on straight bodies of water and adjust your point accordingly. Do this before you start rowing. When you’re on a river that has bends and curves, make sure you know when to start turning depending on whether you’re on the inside, middle, or outside and then tell the other coxswains when you’re starting your turn. This will help you prep for head races when you might have to turn while passing or being passed.

In addition to communicating with one another, the next two most important things you’ve gotta do are not oversteer and not freak out because of how close another crew is to you. I’d say anywhere from 5-6ft. is enough room to have between the two sets of blades. Any more and you’re probably taking up too much of the river. Any less and you’re probably going to clash blades (unless you’re really good at keeping a point). When I first started coxing I was a chronic oversteerer. I got much better over the course of my freshman year but would still fall back into bad habits when having to steer next to other boats.

Trusting other coxswains is one of the hardest parts of the job for me and being really close to them always made me nervous. Whenever we’d do pieces with other crews I’d volunteer to be the one in the middle so I could force myself to become more comfortable with crews on either side of me. It forces you to be even more aware of the adjustments you’re making and how big they are vs. how small they need to be. If you get jittery because another crew is close to you and then overcorrect by throwing the rudder to one side, you’re going to end up doing a fishtail-pinball like maneuver that’s going throw off you, the rowers, the other coxswain(s), and your coach because of the potential that they’ll have to stop the piece so you can get your point again or so the crews can untangle their oars.

The TL;DR of this is to communicate, pick a point and stick to it, maintain your composure, and make small adjustments when necessary.

With regards to coxing longer pieces, as long as you’re not saying the same thing over and over and over expecting something different to happen, speaking in a monotonous tone, and/or saying a bunch of nonsense, you won’t be annoying. Check out the post linked below – I think there’s some good info in there that’ll help you figure out things to say throughout the pieces.Also, check out the recordings I’ve posted for some ideas of things to say and how to say them. (Don’t just pick out things that sound cool either – know why they’re being used and understand the purpose behind them.)

Don’t put too much weight on the “varsity” label. I see it far too often and it’s annoying. Yes, being on varsity is a step above novice (or JV) but there’s really nothing special about it. You’re doing more work and pushing yourself harder but that’s the point. Congratulations, you leveled up and have now reached Level 2 in rowing. “Varsity” is just a word that people put on a pedestal because they think it means all these things that it doesn’t. The only difference between being on varsity and not being on varsity is that on varsity you’re expected to have a slightly better understanding of the concepts you learned the previous year, just like in school. Keep doing what you know how to do, make an effort to learn what you don’t, and always work to make small improvements when you’re out on the water. That is what being on the varsity team is about.

College Coxing Racing Recordings

Coxswain recordings, pt. 12

By readyallrow September 12, 2013

Hobart University 2011 Head of the Charles Men’s Collegiate 8+

I like how she starts out the piece with “let’s get us moving”. Notice how coming out of the bridges she’s hugging the buoy line? That’s how you wanna do it.

At 1:19, she tells them where Notre Dame is and that’s where they started but it’s not going to be where they finish – that’s a good call to make to give your crew something to work torwards in the early parts of the race instead of going out and just rowing. Pick a boat in front of you, put a target on their back, and go after them. Notice how she’s still hugging the buoys pretty tightly as they start coming around the turn? She’s taking a great course. Remember, your oars can go over the buoys but the hull can’t.

The twelve seconds of “hook, send” from 1:54-2:06 was a little excessive. Normally you don’t want to say the same thing more than two or three times in a row because after that you get tuned out. The over-repetiveness of some of her calls was already driving me crazy and then I realized they’re only at Riverside. It seems like the only thing she’s comfortable saying are calls with “hook” in them. If you’re listening to your audio and notice a similar pattern, take that as a sign that you need to broaden your vocabulary. Your calls should be varied enough that you aren’t saying the same exact thing every 2-3 strokes.

I like that around 5:48 she tells them that she wants to stay up on the boat behind them because she wants the line on Weeks – that’s definitely something you need to communicate with your crew coming into the turns, especially Weeks and Eliot. In order for you to have the cleanest and sharpest line, you’ve got to either hold off the crew that has the potential to pass you until you’re at least through the bridge or make your move now so that you can pass the crew in front of you before you get to the bridge (as opposed to trying to do it under the bridge).

Her course coming into Weeks is great and she does a good job telling the crew exactly what she needs them to do while giving them a bit of confidence (“you guys are going to make this boat fly”) as they get closer to the bridge. I would definitely recommend watching her turn several times through because she nailed it.

At 9:38, “little headwind, swing deep” is a good call. Being able to read the wind and telling the crews how to respond to it is a sign of good coxswain because it shows you’ve got a good technical understanding of the stroke.

Post-Anderson it would have been a good idea to tell them where they are on the crews in front of them. She made a bold statement early on in the race about Notre Dame but hasn’t said anything about them since. Regardless of whether you’ve gained on them or they’ve walked away, you should be letting them know where they are on the competition. They can see the crews following them but they can’t see the crews you’re chasing. Even if you’re out there solo and you’ve got the whole course to yourself, tell them that and then take a move to take advantage of your incredibly lucky situation.

Coming around Eliot she calls for the starboards to give her pressure for three strokes but then ends up needing pressure from them for about 10. It’s always better to overestimate how many strokes it’ll take to do something than to underestimate it because as you can hear, there’s a momentary second of panic in her voice where I bet she was thinking “shit, we’re not going to make it”. In situations like that if you have to keep calling for pressure from one side, help them out by calling the other side down. Other than that she did a great job coming through the bridge. Coming around the Belmont dock you can see how close the hull is to the buoys, which means she set herself up really well for that final turn. One thing that she does particularly well during the race, other than steering, is telling them where they are on the course. I think she pointed out a fair amount of the landmarks, as well as some really important meter-marks. Make sure you look at a map before hand and know where all those things are.

At 15:12 she says she’s got the point for the finish line which is a great thing for the rowers to hear because it means there’s no more steering, they’re in the home stretch, and the ONLY thing all five or nine of you are focused on is driving towards the line. In the end here though, especially within the last 20, you have to stop with the technique calls. This is where all your calls should be about where they are, where the other crews are, how far they are from the line, and any other motivational things you can think of. Hot take here but after Eliot, the technique is either going to be there or it isn’t, and if it’s not it’s going to be really hard for you or them to fix it at this point. This is where all your calls should be about where they are, where the other crews are, how far they are from the line, and any other motivational things you can think of.

Overall I’d say this was pretty good. I would have liked to have heard more variety in her calls but I think she makes up for it (only a little bit though) with her awesome course.

FIT 2011 Head of the Charles Men’s Champ 8+

This coxswain starts out relatively calm but is still sharp (so sharp) and intense with her calls. At 2:51 she does a good job of telling her crew that they’re about to pass MIT and she’s moving to the outside. It might seem insignificant but that’s a good thing to tell your crew (see what I said about using your steering as motivation up above), despite her move here being a little early considering they were still behind them through the Powerhouse. Remember though, you don’t have to pass on the outside. If you want the inside line, the coxswain of the crew you’re passing has to give it up.

I like her call at 7:14 – “it’s time to move through them” to let them know you’re both sitting on each other and it’s time for us to make a move. Same goes for the “I’m taking Weeks before them” call at 7:56.

Coming through the turn, the angle definitely could have been sharper and that’s mostly on the ports to help the starboards out there by backing off so they can bring it around while the coxswain is on the rudder. Ports. I beg of you. When your coxswain says “ease off”, “back off”, etc. DO IT.

At 15:55, she called that shift well – the build into it was calm and then the call for “we’re going for it” was a great way to start the final stretch. I also liked the “now we move” call a little bit later. Overall, well coxed, well steered.

You can find and listen to more recordings by checking out the “Coxswain Recordings” page.

Coxing Racing Rowing

Understanding what the buoys mean

By readyallrow September 5, 2013

Fall season is just getting started and before you know it it’ll be time to start racing which means buoys … buoys everywhere. Buoys in all sorts of different colors scattered all over the place. If you’re unfamiliar with what they stand for then it can be easy to become confused and/or disoriented when trying to figure out where to go on your way to the starting line or worse, when you’re on the course.

RED buoys should always be on your port side (meaning the boat should be to the right of the buoy).

GREEN buoys should always be on your starboard side (meaning the boat should be to the left of the buoy).

YELLOW (or sometimes orange) buoys are used to indicate some kind of potential hazard, such as a log submerged under the surface of the water, a sand bar, etc. and can be on the left or the right. As they pop up you just have to adjust as necessary. In my experience they’ve also been used to mark stakeboat turns on the race course during head races.

WHITE buoys are used to outline the course, although they’re more commonly used during sprint season to mark the lanes than during head race season. Head of the Charles uses them though to separate the travel lanes and the race course.

Typically at the coaches and coxswains meeting the regatta officials will go over any buoys on the course with you and tell you what they mean but for the most part they should follow the nautical definitions fairly closely.

During sprint season, buoyed courses are set up using the Albano buoy system, which is the marking of the race course with parallel lines of buoys. The first time this was done was at the 1960 Summer Olympics on Lake Albano in Italy, where the rowing events were held. The course is, as we know, 2000m long with six 13.5m wide lanes that are separated by seven lines of buoys that are set 10-15m apart. For the first 100m and last 250m of most courses the buoys are red whereas the other 1650m are white.

Image via // @tristanshipsides

Coxing Q&A

Question of the Day

By readyallrow September 4, 2013

Hi! I have a couple of questions. I recently switched schools and I’ve noticed that my new team doesn’t check pitch and spread. Is this weird? And if I were to say something like “and send!” would I call that at the catch?

Are you in high school or college? If you’re in high school I wouldn’t think it’s too weird. I don’t think I ever saw my coaches do anything with the rigging (although it’s possible they messed with it when we weren’t around). I know some high schools that pay way to much attention to that kind of stuff for the level their kids are rowing at and others who don’t pay any attention to it. It couldn’t hurt to ask your coach just out of curiosity. If you’re in college and they don’t check it, that’s probably a little more rare since you’re starting to row at a level where those minor changes can actually have a big impact on your stroke.

With “and send” you would say “and” at the catch and then “send” at the finish since that’s when the boat actually sends. Instead of saying “and” though, make a call for the catch. “And” doesn’t really do anything, even though I get why you do it. If you say something like “jump”, “press”, or whatever other words you can think of, that has the ability to initiate a stronger response from the rowers which in turn will make the drive more powerful and the run a little longer. You want to say as few words as you need to in order to get your point across but the key to doing that is making sure every word means something. If you can eliminate the useless words and replace them with something more likely to elicit a response, you’ll be a more effective coxswain.

College Coxing Q&A Recruiting Rowing Teammates & Coaches

Question of the Day

By readyallrow September 2, 2013

So I’ve noticed that most recruiting questionnaires ask for your coach’s phone/email. What do college coaches who are talking to your high school coach ask about? I’m not nervous about it cause my coach and I have always had a good relationship, I was just curious.

If you’re a rower: erg scores, boatings, attitude, personality, personal qualities, work ethic, grades, coachability, etc.

If you’re a coxswain: everything I said about rowers (minus erg scores) plus leadership ability, practice management, communication skills, possibly audio, etc.

Basically they’re trying to figure out if you’re a good fit based on your overall attitude, level of commitment, and desire to push yourself. The biggest thing for them is finding people who are ready and willing to go to that next level and really throw themselves into a team environment and doing what is necessary for the good of the team. Having a good work ethic and the ability to be coached is crucial, as is being someone who will put the team and university in the best possible light. All of that stuff they assume your coach knows, so they’ll typically ask them for input and use that as part of their decision as to whether or not to move forward with you.

Coxing Q&A Teammates & Coaches

Question of the Day

By readyallrow August 29, 2013

This previous summer I had an ex-cox in the boat and she would tend to take my place and cox the boat … from two seat … every practice. It got really annoying sometimes and the stroke also got really pissed when it contradicted my calls. Albeit she has coxed much longer than me and her way of coxing is different then mine. Now flash forward to today when I found out another ex-cox is in my boat for this fall. How do I stop that from happening again and not having it get in the way of practice or regattas?

Here’s a foolproof test to determine who the coxswain in the boat is (this goes for rowers and coxswains-turned-rowers): if you’re staring at the back of someone’s head instead of looking right at their face … it’s not you. I don’t care if you’re more experienced and/or disagree with what the actual coxswain is doing, you don’t backseat cox. It’s just as annoying as backseat driving.

Do you know the new ex-coxswain well? If you do, I’d suggest talking to her before practice one day and just saying that last year you had a former coxswain in your boat and things didn’t go so well because of XYZ. If they have feedback or advice then obviously you want to hear it but, for the sake of not messing with the chemistry of the boat or undermining your authority, can they wait to share it with you after practice. Just keep it casual and let them know that if they’re willing to help, you’re willing to listen, but that it needs to happen off the water rather than on.

You’re the coxswain which means you need to, for lack of a better term, assert your dominance right off the bat. You have to make it clear that you’re in charge of the boat and that you’re the only person who should be giving instructions and feedback when you’re out. If you give anyone, coxswain or rower, the slightest inkling that you aren’t confident, don’t know what you’re doing, etc. you’re giving them the opportunity to potentially be a backseat coxswain and since you already know how that turns out, it’s something you’ll want to avoid. Be a team player, get feedback from everyone and then incorporate that into your coxing, communicate effectively, carry out the coach’s instructions correctly so you can avoid wasting time, know what you’re asking for when you ask someone to do something, know what to be looking for as far as technique goes, and above all, if there’s something you don’t know…ASK. If you do all of this then hopefully you can avoid being in the same situation you were in before.

Coxing Novice Rowing

What to wear: First day of practice

By readyallrow August 27, 2013

Previously: What to wear: Women || What to wear: Men || Rowers || High-vis gear || Coxing in the rain

The school year is starting and over the next few weeks teams are going to start holding informational meetings for all the new novices and walk-ons. One question that I guarantee they’ll have but most likely won’t ask is “what do I wear”.

The thing is though, “what to wear” is a forgotten part of most of these meetings, mostly because we all think it’s obvious what is and isn’t the proper attire. (Remember, they don’t have drawers full of unis, tanks, and trou like we do.) I’ve seen guys show up in cargo shorts or NBA-style basketball shorts and women in tennis skirts (not kidding) or those noisy tearaway pants that we used to think were so cool to wear. Then they get annoyed because their clothes get caught in the slides and either get ripped or covered in grease.

It’s important to let everyone know ahead of time whether they need to wear athletic attire on the first day or not because it sets a precedent. It might seem like one of those things that doesn’t really matter but when you’re dealing with people who have never rowed before, are just starting high school or college, and/or don’t know anyone else on the team you don’t want to make them feel awkward or uncomfortable right off the bat by making them feel like they were left out of the loop.

Athletic leggings or shorts, a supportive sports bra, a tshirt (tech fabrics are best but you can get away with a normal tshirt, it’s just gonna get gross), and comfortable training shoes should be your go-to’s for most practices. Once you get further into the season and are issued your uni (or you buy your own) you can wear that to workout in.

Moving on to what not to wear. Hoodies aren’t great because the handle from the erg or oar can get caught in the pocket and because they can also cause you to overheat. Stick to pullovers that sit close to your body if you need an extra layer.. Same with sweatpants – they’re too heavy and can also cause you to overheat. They’ll also get caught in the seat because they’re so baggy. Also, girls, make sure you wear a good sports bra. If you’ve ever had to run while wearing a regular bra you’ll understand why.

Image via // @mitmensrowing

College Coxing Q&A Recruiting

Question of the Day

By readyallrow August 25, 2013

I heard that coxswains can’t sign letters of intent because they don’t get scholarships or anything so as a coxswain, how do I know if the school is serious about recruiting me and helping my admissions process? I don’t want to put all my eggs in one basket and apply to like the one school I think is really recruiting me and not get in…

Wait … what? Whoever told you that is wrong. Coxswains can/do sign letters of intent – if you Google “coxswain letter of intent” you’ll see numerous newspaper articles talking about recruiting classes and coxswains who are part of them. It doesn’t have anything to do with getting or not getting scholarships.

The only way to know how serious a school is about recruiting you is to ask. Coaches expect you to be an adult and communicate with them so if you’re interested in coxing there I would indicate your interest in the school, the major you plan on choosing, and where this school ranks on your list. If you really want to be a part of the program, tell them that and then ask out of the people they’re talking with where you rank amongst them and how interested they are in you. Be straightforward and honest with them – don’t tell them they’re your number one if they’re actually your number three.

Coxing Q&A

Question of the Day

By readyallrow August 24, 2013

I feel like this is kind of a stupid question but, have you ever coxed a stern loader 4+? My new school has them and I’ve never been in one. Is is similar to an 8+?

Definitely not a stupid question! When I was in high school (’02-’06) we had two brand new Vespoli fours and a couple older stern-loaded fours. I liked the stern loaded fours because there was no learning curve with them like there is with a bowloader. They’re the exact same as an eight except four seats shorter. Steering’s the same (strings) and you can actually see your rowers, which is the biggest “pro” for me. The only “con” is that unless you’re racing against other crews in stern loaders you can’t look over and see the other coxswains, which is half the fun of racing, unless you’re a length up on them.

Coxing Q&A

Question of the Day

By readyallrow August 24, 2013

Hi! Quick question for a coach’s viewpoint. I just finished coxing my novice year and had to quit for the upcoming school year but if I want to cox in the future just for the summers at the local club, do you think a coach would be willing to let me cox a boat? Because I’d be like 8 months out of practice/out of the water so I’d be rusty. Is coxing one of those “muscle memory” type of things? Also, what do you think about the term, once a cox always a cox? Thanks!

I doubt you’d have a problem if you wanted to cox during the summer. Unless you’re coxing for a really competitive team that’s training for Club Nationals, Henley, etc., the summer is usually fairly laid back. With competitive teams it’s basically a continuation of the spring season except you’re typically practicing more than once a day. Masters crews are always looking for coxswains and sometimes they’ll even pay you as well, so if the junior crews aren’t looking for anyone definitely ask around and see if there are any masters eights who need help.

It is a muscle memory thing. I’ve compared it to riding a bike before. If you know the basics, you won’t forget how to do them if you’re out of a boat for awhile.

As far as “once a coxswain/rower, always a coxswain/rower” I agree with it to an extent. I kinda touched on it in this post. My opinion on it is this has always been that if you rowed for few years in high school or college and never got in a boat or stayed involved with the sport after that, then no, you’re not a rower/coxswain for life. If you rowed for four years in high school and/or four years in college, moved on to elite rowing, or stayed with it by casually rowing at your local club, then yes, you’re a rower for life. That’s just me though. Everyone has their own interpretation and opinion on it though.