Category: Q&A

Question of the Day

By readyallrow May 30, 2013

I’m a coxswain for my high school club’s men and women’s boats but since I’m closer to the men’s minimum weight I’ve been thinking of trying to get recruited as a coxswain for men. When I go on college sites to fill out recruitment questionnaires, since I’m a girl should I fill them out for the women’s team or the men’s team? So far I’ve just been filling out for women’s teams because it feels weird to do it for the “men’s crew”.

If you want to row for the men you need to fill out the recruiting questionnaires for the men’s team. If you fill them out for the women they’re going to assume that is who you want to cox for and might be annoyed when they say “yea come cox for us” and then find out you really want to be with the guys.

Q&A Teammates & Coaches

Question of the Day

By readyallrow May 29, 2013

So literally our best rower got booted off the team due to bad behavior (questionable substances, among other things). Not only are we DAYS away from our biggest regatta of the season but I am particularly devastated because I always looked up to and admired this person. When I was pushing myself during workouts, it was them I wanted to push myself for, it was them I wanted to be as good as. I’m dumbfounded that I completely missed that there was a problem.

Oh man … that’s the worst. For the time being and especially since you’ve got a huge regatta coming up, abstain from letting this become a distraction. Assuming this person was a good teammate (aside from putting the team in this position, obviously), they probably are feeling guilty over the fact that this is a distraction and it’s coming at the worst possible time. What you can do is focus on what’s important – your boat, your teammates, yourself, and getting some good rows in before this weekend. Try to avoid any communication with them until after your races are over. I know that sounds like a really rude thing to do but assuming you were friends with this person, they’ll probably try to text you or message you on FB to see how things are going, give you their side of the story, etc. Hold off on talking to them or anything like that until Sunday or Monday, that way you and your teammates can keep your heads clear and focused on what’s in front of you.

You should never assume that you could have prevented what happened. It sucks not knowing there was an issue ahead of time, especially if you were close with them, but don’t beat yourself up over it. If you’re comfortable enough talking to them about it and they’re willing to share, ask them what’s up. Were/are they going through something, was it just a series of stupid mistakes, etc. Don’t be pushy or prying or anything and respect their privacy if they don’t want to share. Offer to lend an ear if they do need someone to talk to in the future and leave it at that.

In addition to all of that, be the bigger person amongst your teammates as well. No doubt some of them are probably really pissed at this person (rightfully so…) but don’t let it get to the point where they’re badmouthing them or being flat out rude to them. Chances are no one knows the full story so, like I said earlier, ignore it for now and don’t let it become an unnecessary distraction.

Coxing Novice Q&A Teammates & Coaches

Question of the Day

By readyallrow May 28, 2013

Hi! So sometimes my coach will send out my four (bow loaded) with two 20 minute pieces where for 10 minutes there is a certain rate and then the other 10 minutes another rate. My coach normally won’t come out with us or will focus on other boats. I get really annoyed because I’m a novice and all the rowers are varsity so obviously they want feedback on their rowing but I can’t see them nor do I know what they’re doing wrong. I feel bad because during these pieces I won’t talk I’ll just say the rate and time and I can tell they’re getting annoyed and they feel like they’re not getting any better. Do you have any suggestions on what to say and how to keep talking the entire time?

Before going out, talk to your coach about what they want you to focus on that day. Get specifics. Ask them what they want the rowers to be working on, what the changes are they need to make, etc. Write all of that down and then when you’re on the water, make calls based off of that. Even though you can’t see the rowers you can still remind them of what they should be working on. It puts the bug in their ear.

Talk to the rowers. What do they want/need to hear? What specifically about their rowing do they know they need to work on and how can you help them/what can you say that would remind them to do or not do X, Y, and/or Z?

Also work on feeling the boat. Being in a bow loader puts you in a much better position to feel what’s going on compared to when you’re in an eight. When they do something right, what does that feel like? When they’re doing something wrong and you call for a change, what does that feel like? If you know what it feels like when someone is rushing, you can call for a ratio shift or whatever without guessing if that’s what you need to do.

Related: Boat feel

Don’t just say the rate either. Rowers hate – hate – when the only thing their coxswain says is “24. *five minutes later* 24 1/2.” Remind them to stay long, relax the recoveries, push and send, lift the hands into the catch, lighten up the seats, accelerate through the finish, breathe, jump on the first inch, no hesitation around the corner, keep the chins, eyes, shoulders, and chests up, engage the legs, etc. Throw in a 5 or 10 every minute for whatever – maximizing the run, cleaning up the releases, sharper catches, etc.

I would also talk to your coach and ask them if they’d mind spending some more time with you guys because as a novice there’s only so much you can do, especially with no instruction, and the boat feels as if they’re hitting a plateau because they aren’t getting any coaching. At the very least, ask them to give you specific things to focus on while you’re out instead of just saying “go do 2×20 minutes, have fun!”.

Coxing Novice Q&A

Question of the Day

By readyallrow May 26, 2013

Tips on teaching new coxswains? So far I’m trying to let them make as many decisions by themselves (i.e pick a side to touch if we want to turn & if its wrong they can just change rather than telling them) & explaining why we do specific calls, but beyond that I’m not quite sure what to say to them. I don’t want to be too demanding but I want them to be really confident moving the boat too!

With regards to picking a side to touch, you should be telling them which way to push the strings if you want to go one way or the other because it’s a huge waste of time if they have to constantly keep adjusting their point because they went the wrong way. It’s never “just” changing, there’s a lot that goes into it. Steering as a novice can be hard and trying to process how to fix it, especially if no one’s told you what to do in the first place, is a recipe for disaster or at the very least, a really irritated and overwhelmed coxswain. This isn’t to say that you should be holding their hand and telling them what to do every step of the way every time you’re out on the water, but you do need to thoroughly go over everything with them before you go out and then once you’re out, remind them every so often for the first week or so if you notice they’re doing the opposite of what they should be doing. Letting them make and learn from their mistakes is fine but they need that initial bit of instruction to go off of.

I’d suggest writing the basics down, photocopying it, and then distributing it to them to read before the season starts. How to get the boat on and off the water, how to steer, the calls you use, etc., that way they can start to learn the stuff before they get on the water. I find it’s better to get acquainted with that kind of stuff before you have to use it vs. trying to learn it as you do it. Give them small tasks to do that lets them test the leadership waters – run warmups, supervise a certain 8+ being loaded onto the trailer, etc. so they can get comfortable leading groups of people. Observe them and then tell them what they did well and what they can do better on next time – i.e. speak louder, give specific people specific tasks, be more confident when giving instructions (no stuttering or stammering), etc.

Something that’s also important is to explain their role in the boat and on the team. I don’t mean the “you’re the short person that yells and tells people what to do” version, I mean the “as the leader of the crew, the rowers rely on you for technical feedback and encouragement, the coaches rely on you to be the ‘middle man’ between them and the rowers, and the team relies on you to be a leader who is able to delegate, foster cooperation, and be a ‘jack of all trades’ to do whatever is needed to ensure the team’s success” version. If they know right off the bat that these are the expectations of them by their coaches and teammates they can start to “buy in” to the position a little bit faster than if they just went through the motions of making calls, telling people what to do, and being loud.

I would caution though that unless you’re a coach or a varsity coxswain, try to avoid telling the novice coxswains what to do. From observation and reading a lot of the emails and messages I get, novice coxswains tend to find it confrontational, intimidating, and not helpful when rowers start telling them what to do. When you’re on the water, the only person who should be talking to the coxswain is the stroke (and coach, obviously) and even then, the stroke needs to issue restraint and not butt in too much.

Q&A Rowing

Question of the Day

By readyallrow May 25, 2013

I totally died during my seat race today. I usually am awesome at them but today was my worst in a LONG time. But I’m not sure if it was just a bad day or if I have somehow been getting worse at them over the course of the season because I think I might be getting overconfident.

I wouldn’t disagree with you that your seat races might be suffering a little bit from your (over)confidence. Your rowing itself is probably good but where you might be suffering is in the mental game. Confidence is a good thing to have but when you start getting overconfident to the point where you think you can’t lose, you start taking situations for granted.

The thing with seat races is that once they’re over, they’re over. If the outcome isn’t what you wanted, yea you should be pissed but be pissed in a positive way that motivates you to go out the next time and do better. Figure out why you didn’t do as well as you’d hoped – was it something in your control or out of your control? Were you overconfident? Why? How was your rowing? What was your technique like? Were you mentally/physically prepared? If you think that you’re getting overconfident, figure out why and then … tone it down. Be honest and realistic with your expectations, forget about past results, don’t compare yourself to other people (and/or assume you’re better than them based on the boat you/they are in or past results), be open to constructive criticism, and be disciplined but not overly aggressive (with your actions or attitude) towards yourself or your teammates.

Coxing Q&A

Question of the Day

By readyallrow May 24, 2013

I am a novice lightweight rower who started rowing about a year and ago. I absolutely love crew, only problem is that I tore my rotator cuff earlier this year and had to have surgery. It is going to be a while before I can start rowing and even with all the rehab who knows if I will be any good. My mom suggested that I perhaps take up coxing and I have been reading up a lot about coxing and listening to recordings, the only problem is that I am about 5’7″. Am I too tall to be a coxswain? I really love rowing and I would love to stay involved in crew any way I can. Do you have any suggestions for me? Thanks.

Theoretically yes, the coxswain’s seat is typically reserved for those of us not as vertically gifted as yourself but tall coxswains do exist and have coxed just as well as their shorter teammates. If it’s something you’re interested in doing talk to your coaches about it, particularly the men’s coach(es). If you’re a girl, you can usually get away with being a little taller if you cox men vs. the women. If you have any clubs near you that offer learn to row camps over the summer, I’d go to one and get some experience coxing. You’ll start out on the same level as every one else and the atmosphere is relaxed enough that there’s no pressure to actually be good. You’ll want to get a feel for the steering first and then worry about the calls and stuff later.

Q&A Rowing Teammates & Coaches

Question of the Day

By readyallrow May 24, 2013

My coach always says she values experience, commitment and attitude. I’m one of the more experienced rowers on the team and I’m always trying my hardest to be positive and row my best. I’ve been spending most of the season in the third 8+ even though she’s told me before she thinks I’m really strong and a good rower. She’s put me in this boat for all of our major regattas and when I ask for an explanation, she doesn’t give me a straight answer. I know its supposed to be for pushing the lower boats and such, however, it’s really demoralizing for me because I feel like I’m never given a chance to show my full potential as a member of the team. I’d also really like to win, which my 8+ rarely does, whereas the first and second 8+ s are always taking gold and silver. What do you think I should do?

Hmm. I never really understood how putting a competent rower in a lower boat was supposed to “push” the other rowers but that’s just me. It’s definitely not something I’d ever do. I mean, there’s other reasons why I’d move a rower down but that particular reason isn’t one of them. Have you told her that you find it demoralizing to be put in lower boats when the feedback you’re getting indicates that you have the potential to be in a higher one?

I would try talking to her again and making it abundantly clear how you feel. It’s possible that she’s not giving you a straight answer because you’re not making it known in a clear enough way that this is bothering you. If you beat around the bush and don’t say exactly what you’re thinking/feeling, your coaches aren’t going to know why you’re asking. If they think you’re just asking because you’re pissed you’re in a boat that you deem “lesser” than your skills, they’ll write you off as being whiny. I doubt that’s the case here but it is a possibility. You never know until you ask. Have you asked or has she told you why she thinks having you in this boat pushes them? I know it’s not the most profound piece of advice I’ve ever given but I think the best thing you could do is sit down with her and talk about why you think you deserve at least a shot at the upper boats, what she thinks or had hoped your role in the 3rd 8+ should be, etc. Clear the air on both sides, if that makes sense. There’s probably a lot being lost in limbo right now because no one is asking the right questions.

Until then though and most especially since we’re creeping closer towards the end of the season, commit yourself to the 3rd 8+. The frustration you have for not being in the top boats should not be noticed, sensed, or felt by anyone in the boat you’re currently in because it’s not fair to them. Keep working hard and put all your energy into making the 3rd 8+ as fast as possible. Have a good attitude and try to find something positive about the experience. If you can think of something before you talk to your coach, tell her that – for example (this is completely hypothetical), being in the 3rd 8+ and doing all the technique work you did really helped you to focus on engaging the legs immediately at the catch and having a solid drive instead of disengaging them by shooting your tail and relying solely on your upper body. Epiphanies such as this sometimes cause coaches to reevaluate a rower’s position in the boat, so it’s worth a shot.

Coxing Q&A Racing

Question of the Day

By readyallrow May 23, 2013

Once we are underway with an outing or actually in a race, I am completely in control and able to respond to any situation and keep a level head, which is what I think makes me a good cox. I find it difficult to keep that same composure on land or as we navigate up to the start. I panic and stress that we are missing a rower/ late/ something has gone wrong. I find it difficult to not get irate with my crew and my coach tells me to stop stressing but I don’t know how. Help?

I’m the same way. I have a tendency to try to micromanage things so I’ll get nervous if another boat gets in my way or in an undesirable situation, worry that we’re going to be late/miss the race, etc. I’ve gotten better at internalizing all of it so it’s not as obvious that I’m freaking out but it still happens sometimes. I’ve never gotten angry with the crew though unless they’ve directly played a part in me being nervous (i.e. being late to get hands on, forgetting something important, or just being a general annoyance by doing those annoying rower things…). The second you get irate with your crew though is when they start losing respect for you and not wanting you in the boat. You have to stay composed regardless of the situation. If the rowers think you’re incapable of handling the situation, they’ll mutiny. Not in the fun Pirates of the Caribbean way with rum and sea turtles and Johnny Depp either – they’ll just straight up stop listening to you and/or try to take control themselves. Rowers should never feel like they have to be the ones in control of the boat, which is why it’s so important for us to always act calm, even and most especially when we aren’t.

If you’re worried about something related to the rowers (showing up on time, remembering important stuff, not talking, being present, listening to you, etc.), tell them that. They probably know that you’re a bundle of nerves on the way to the start but have no idea why so they can’t do anything differently to help alleviate some of the stress. Before your next regatta, either at your boat dinner or after practice some time (never the day of or right before going out) talk to them and say that you need their cooperation to make sure things run smoothly. You have a million different things to watch for on your way to the start and spending unnecessary amounts of brainpower worrying about what the rowers are doing, etc. stresses you out. There’s nothing wrong with saying you get stressed by things. I used to think it made me a less-than-capable coxswain by admitting that I feel stressed in certain situations but it really, really doesn’t. You only have control over so much when you’re at a regatta but making sure that you are 100% in control of the things you do have control over goes a long way. If something goes wrong, close your eyes for a second, take a deep breath, and figure out what needs to happen to rectify the situation. Stay calm and do exactly what do when you’re on the water.

I hate when people tell me to just “stop stressing” because it’s like … how do I do that?? Don’t you know the eight million things I’m dealing with right now?! How you avoid getting stressed is something you’ll have to figure out on your own because it really is different for every person. It’s not possible to not get stressed though, which is something I learned to accept pretty quickly as novice. What you can do is adjust your reaction. Is this something I can deal with on my own or do I need help? Who do I need help from? (Asking for help is OK. Do as I say, not as I do.) What happened and what do I need to do? Am I missing some information? What do I need to know and where can I find it? When we were on the water going to the start I told my rowers that I needed them to be absolutely silent unless our team was coming down the course, in which case we’d obviously stop and cheer, because if it felt for a nanosecond like they weren’t giving me/the boat their full attention, it took my focus off of getting us to the line quickly and safely. It was a necessary plea but I had a good enough rapport with them that it didn’t come off as being dictator-ish or bitchy and they understood, without me giving an explanation, that in order for me to be the best coxswain for the crew, I needed them to do this for me.

The next time something pisses you off or doesn’t go as planned, right before you want to totally lose it, close your eyes. I promise you, it helps. Close your eyes and take a slow, deep breath. Rationalize your thoughts and make a serious effort to approach the situation differently than you have in the past. Talk with your boat and/or coach and explain why you get stressed and what they can do to help you be less stressed in whatever situations stress you out. Talk to yourself too. I found that part of the reason why I would get so stressed is because I would try to micromanage everything, which very rarely every works when your stressed. Don’t stress until you have to and even then, be calm about it.

Q&A Rowing

Question of the Day

By readyallrow May 23, 2013

Hi! So I have unfortunately not been able to get on the water and row for about a year due to family/medical issues. I can now luckily start again and get back on the water this summer in a non-competive program. I’m just really scared that I forgot what to do and I will be the worst one there. Is there any advice you have for getting back in the swing of things? Sorry for the stupid question, thanks!

This isn’t stupid! I’m actually glad you asked this because I felt the same way when I started coaching last spring and coxing over the summer. I was really worried that after spending such a long time away from the sport that I had forgotten everything I needed to know about rowing. I eased into it with coaching and it was almost like I’d never been away but I was more concerned with coxing because it’s not so much what you say or in my case, remember, but how you say it, your demeanor, etc. What if I didn’t have that “spirit” anymore? I was on pins and needles the whole time we were out and was driving myself nuts trying to think twenty three steps ahead but the first hard burst we did, my long-repressed inner coxswain came out and just like with coaching, it was like I’d never left.

Rowing is like riding a bike. Its the same repetitive motion over and over which makes it impossible to forget how to do. The first time you get on a bike after being off it for awhile might be a little wobbly but it only takes a minute or so before you’re back to impersonating Lance Armstrong. When you get back in the boat, it might look and feel a little rusty but don’t get frustrated by that. You already know it’s going to happen so just accept that and pre-commit yourself to making immediate changes as soon as you hear or feel that something isn’t right. You’ll know what changes need to be made too – that stuff is inherent.

Start visualizing the stroke when you’re just sitting around not doing anything … legs, back, arms, arms, back, legs. Swing into and out of the finish. Get all your body angle by bodies over. Unweight the hands at the catch. Grab the first inch, engage the legs, press. Legs and hands move together. Quick around the turn, get your hands to speed with the boat, and be patient on the recovery. Roll up early so you’re ready for the catch. Inside hand feathers, outside hand applies pressure. Support every stroke with your core. Chins and shoulder stay up, brains and eyes stay focused like a laser. Oh, and don’t forget – be confident. Attitude is everything.

Coxing Q&A

Question of the Day

By readyallrow May 21, 2013

Thoughts on coxswain evaluations? How should they be approached as a coach? And as a coxswain? What is the most effective method you have seen?

How they should be approached as a coach

Gather the team/boat together, explain the purpose of the evaluations, why they’re important, how the coaches use them, and what the coxswain can/should gain from them. Give a detailed explanation of how they should be filled out (if it’s a ranking system (1-10), short answer, or both) so that there’s no confusion. When not explained properly people take the “short answer” phrase a little too seriously and only leave one or two words, which isn’t helpful to anyone, least of all the coxswain(s).

Also explain that coxswain evaluations are not popularity contests and behavior such as that won’t be tolerated. The coxswains are to be evaluated strictly on their ability to handle the boats, not on whether or not you’re BFFs off the water. If it were me, I would read through the evaluations first when they were returned, give them to the coxswains to read, and then set up a time to go over the together and discuss what they said.

How they should be approached as a coxswain

Do not bribe the rowers. Do not try to sway the lightweights with donuts in return for positive reviews. Stay out of it. When the evaluations are returned, go through them and take note of what is said – positive and negative. Don’t ignore the negative stuff and think you’re above whatever was said, regardless of who said it. Make a list of the positives (things you should keep doing and continue improving on) and the negatives (things to work on and strive to do better) and then order the from “most important” to “least important”.

Also go over the evaluations and your list(s) with your coach and get their feedback. Discuss why you’ve placed certain things higher than others, put together a plan on how you’re going to work on the things that need to be improved upon, and tell your coach what you need from them to help you work on them. Stay neutral and don’t treat anyone differently based on the feedback you receive. Don’t take it too personally either. Remember, you’re part of the boat too and just like you are trying to help the rowers improve, this is there way of helping you.

Related: Coxswain evaluations

Most effective method

The effectiveness of coxswain evaluations really depends on how the coach puts them together and how willing the rowers are to put the time in to adequately answer them. If the coaches aren’t willing to put together evaluations that ask the right questions and if the rowers aren’t willing to take the time to provide thoughtful responses, it’s a waste of time for everyone. In terms of an effective eval that generates good feedback for the coxswains, something that rates their skills on a scale of 1-5 and gives the rowers space to write comments on various aspects of their coxing would be ideal.