Tag: coxswain

Question of the Day

By readyallrow May 2, 2014

I’m a HS varsity men’s coxswain, but our club spends a lot of time sculling in quads and rowing small boats. As a result, I spend a lot of time sitting on the launch. However, I don’t exactly know what the best way to make use of that time is. Usually I just watch the rowers quietly and mention the occasional technique mistake if I don’t think my coach sees it, but I’m not really sure what the protocol is. Should I tell the rowers directly if I’m seeing something off? Should I try to talk to my coach about what lineups I think are working and what aren’t (he very occasionally asks my opinion on who should get seat raced and stuff like that)? Or is it better to just watch and note what’s going on so I can use it when we do row coxed boats?

I think the best way to make use of your time in the launch would be to do all the things you listed. If you’ve got a camera (an actual camera that you can zoom in and out on), bring that along too so you can get some video of each of the rowers. That’ll give you the opportunity later on to watch it and go over, either with your coach or that rower, the things you’re noticing. From there, you can use whatever you took away from those clips to help you come up with calls to use when you’re in the boat with them. The calls could be boat-wide reminders if you see several rowers doing the same thing or individual ones if you notice certain rowers have their own specific tendencies.

In that same vein, I’d also make sure you’ve got your notebook out on the water with you so that you can jot down anything you hear your coach say that you think would be pertinent for you to use in the boat. Usually when I do this I write down pretty much all the technique things the coach says (I’ll make a note if it’s directed towards a specific person but I tend to just write them down in an “in general” sense), in addition to any miscellaneous quips or phrases that I can turn into a call later on. If the crew is going through drills or doing pieces and he shouts something to them and follows it up with a “yea, that’s it!” (meaning the crew responded to what he said), I’ll also write down whatever it was and what he said it in reference to so I can use it in the future if/when necessary.

Below is an example of what my notebooks tend to look like when I’m riding in the launch as a coxswain. (If I’m actually coaching from the launch and trying to take notes it usually ends up looking like a dyslexic chicken wrote it. It’s hard to write, steer, and watch the boat at the same time.) It’s basically just a mix of lineups, whatever workout we did, any switches that were made, and individual and general comments.

Regarding talking directly to the rowers, I’d say eight times out of ten I usually say something to the coach first before I say it to the rowers. I still do this as an assistant coach just to avoid undermining their authority. I’ll usually say something like “Katie’s lunging at the catch again” or “Have you noticed how X does Y when we’re doing Z?” and if I’m coxing they’ll either reply with “good call” and then tell the rowers what I saw or if I’m riding along as the assistant coach they’ll let me tell them myself. The other reason why I run past the coach whatever it is that I saw is because there’s always the chance where what I’m seeing isn’t actually what’s happening (aka I’m misinterpreting what’s they’re doing or what the effect of whatever they’re doing is) or it’s not something that’s necessary to tell them in that moment. If the latter is the case then I’ll try to tell them during a water break or once we get back on land.

I would definitely use that time to talk to your coach about lineups, personnel issues, etc. and let him know in general how things are going in the boat. One of the things my coaches would frequently ask me is how I think the drills we’ve been doing are affecting our strokes – have they gotten better (meaning the drill was effective) or stayed relatively the same (meaning the drill wasn’t effective). This kind of information would clue them into how well we were using our time and if certain drills were worth continuing to do or if they needed tweaked or whatever if we tried doing them again.

College Coxing Q&A

Question of the Day

By readyallrow April 28, 2014

Hi. I’ve been coxing for my high school rowing team for about a year now and unfortunately I’m 5’8″ and 134lb but I fit in the coxing area easily. I’m very scared though because I really love coxing and I want to continue to do it in college but I’m afraid I won’t be able to get very far with it due to my weight and height. I’m a sophomore in high school and I just want to know if there was a way I could still competitively cox in college or should I give up because my size stops me?

Honest answer? I don’t think you’re going to be able to cox in college when you’re already about the same size as a lightweight rower. Plus you’ve got to assume you’re not done growing yet either. If doing crew in college is really something you’re interested in pursuing then I’d say you should probably start rowing this summer or next year so you’ll have at least two years under your belt before you graduate.

Coxing Novice Q&A Teammates & Coaches

Question of the Day

By readyallrow April 28, 2014

Hi! I’m a Novice Coxswain (who use to be a varsity rower until I told my coach I wanted to cox cause I’m 5’0″) and I cox a men’s Novice 8 (I’m a girl) . Lately they’ve been disrespecting me and ignoring my commands. I’ve told the coaches and other coxswains (we are a small team and only have 5 coxswains) and my coaches always remind everyone to “respect your coxswains or you’ll be kicked off the team” besides them being mean and rude to me. We haven’t won a race all season and they are starting to blame me – but I feel like it’s not really my fault much? And last regatta my stroke seat hurt his arm picking up the boat at the regatta and according to a friend of mine they were all blaming me for him hurting his arm. They also got mad at me for saying “C’mon I’ve seen you row harder!” which I understand but they were getting up on me for ‘hurting their feelings’ (like them harassing me and picking on me isn’t hurting mine??). Not only that but another coxswain who had to cox them while I was out said meaner things to them and the same exact thing – but they never got mad at her and I think it’s because she flirts with them and stuff. At this point I don’t know what to do and I love the varsity rowers so much but I’m thinking about retiring early this season so I don’t have to deal with them…

I don’t get why coaches threaten to kick people off the team if they disrespect their coxswains (or anyone else). It’s not like anyone ever follows through with that. The day a coach kicks their best rower(s) off the team for being a dick to their coxswain (or hell, vice versa too…) is the day I start working for NASA.

I think that when things go wrong and there’s no one specifically to blame, it’s easiest for people to blame the coxswain because “it’s not like you do anything” and the rowers are bigger than us so there’s that whole thing where they think they’re intimidating us when in reality, they just look like assholes. With the exception of a few special cases, I really do believe that no one person is ever to blame for a loss. Everyone is responsible though because you’re a crew and that’s how it works. There’s always something that everyone can do a little bit better.

If your stroke hurt his arm … how is that your fault? Unless there’s some major details you’re leaving out, like you hired someone to Tonya Harding him out of spite or something, then just ignore it because they’re just looking for someone to blame and you’re an easy target (or so they think). I can understand why they’d get pissed at you for saying “I’ve seen you row harder” but at the same time, that’s a necessary and legitimate call sometimes. Of course there are better ways to phrase it but sometimes you’ve gotta be blunt about it because you know they’re capable of more than they’re doing right now. If saying that somehow hurt their feelings … wow.

If I was their coxswain I’d tell them to shut up, suck it up, and oh, I donno, row like they’re capable and then maybe I wouldn’t have to make calls like that. I take serious issue with rowers who think that their power output is directly proportional to how good (or bad) they think a coxswain’s calls are, like if the coxswain isn’t making good calls then that somehow makes it OK for them to row with the power of an eight year old. You can still row at 100% if the coxswain is making shitty calls. A coxswain is supposed to enhance your rowing but at the end of the day, you are still in control of your oar. You’re the one that decides how hard to push off and pull through the water, not the coxswain. Don’t interpret that as me taking any responsibility away from the coxswains because I’m not, I’m just making sure you guys are aware of your role in this. You can’t put all the blame on the coxswain when things go wrong because you bear some of the responsibility too. You are the ones with the oars in your hand.

As far as the other coxswain goes, I donno, as a fellow coxswain that’s just a non-issue for me. Not that you’re doing this but just a word of caution to all the women out there: don’t be that female coxswain that gets pissed off because another female coxswain is getting along well with a men’s crew. Just don’t. If you want to come off as a super petty, immature bitch then go for it but don’t assume that she’s flirting with them or doing anything else to/for/with them just because the guys are listening to her and she’s having a good time with them. Maybe she’s just a good coxswain who has found a way that works when it comes to communicating with them. Instead of making assumptions or spreading rumors you should talk to her and say “hey, I’ve been having a hard time trying to work with these guys but you’ve seemed to figure out how to get them to respond to you – what’s your secret?”. I can’t say that I really stay on top of the rules of feminism but I’m pretty sure that tearing other women down because of how successful they are or questioning how they got where they are isn’t one of them.

Coxing High School Q&A Teammates & Coaches

Question of the Day

By readyallrow April 28, 2014

So, I have been coxing for two years, and really enjoy races. However as it’s regatta season coming up, I need a bit of advice on race. How much do you want to be talking in races? My rowers said they want me talking constantly, but my coach advised not to because the rowers usually end up blocking it out. Also, do you have any calls you find really motivate your crew? I don’t want to just be reciting calls without them meaning anything but then I don’t know what to fill the gaps with. We have had loads of really successful coxes from our club so I’m under lots of pressure to be good! :/ Also, sorry I know this is a lot, but I am 5’3″ and weigh 105lbs, is this too big or heavy for a junior 14s coxie? Thanks a bunch, love this blog!

In terms of how much you should be talking, always go with what the rowers ask for. I talk pretty consistently when we’re racing or doing pieces because I don’t feel like there’s any reason why I shouldn’t be. If the rowers want/need you to always be talking, then that’s what I do. In my experience my crews have told me that even if they aren’t specifically processing some of what I’m saying, my voice and how I’m saying what I’m saying is what’s keeping them engaged and their focus in the boat.

I really cringe when coaches tell coxswains how to do stuff like this because so often it comes from their own personal experience as a rower and is based off of what they didn’t like about their coxswain. That’s fine but … your experience isn’t everyone else’s. The same applies to me though too – what my crews have asked me to do might be different than what your crews want you to do.

The best thing you can do in situations like this is to take into consideration the advice you get from outside people (your coach, me, etc.) and then go straight to your rowers and say “Re: talking while racing, I’ve heard X and Y … which applies to us?” and find out straight from them what they want. Communication is key!

Regarding motivating calls, check out the post linked above. This is another spot where you should talk with your rowers and ask them what would really get them going during a race. Don’t over think it because the most effective calls are usually the simplest ones. Several of the recordings that coxswains have sent me lately have included really simple calls that just relate to their school/team, such as “Yea Tigers!”, “Go Big Red!”, “Here we go, Huskies!”, etc. When you’ve got time, scroll through all the coxswain recording posts and look at/listen to some of the calls I pointed out.

Related: Coxswain recordings

As far as your height/weight goes, you’re five pounds under the minimum of 110lbs – you’re fine. That’s probably the most common size for female coxswains so no, it’s not too big or too heavy.

Coxing Rowing Video of the Week

Video of the Week: “Ignatius, stop rowing”, pt. 2

By readyallrow April 28, 2014

College Coxing Racing Recordings

Coxswain Recordings, pt. 19

By readyallrow April 22, 2014

Drexel University 2014 Kerr Cup Men’s Varsity 8+

The biggest thing that I noticed in this recording was that he used a lot of basic calls but never actually said anything to the rowers (except on like, two occasions) or made a call about their position on other crews. It was mostly a good example of how some coxswains go out with this “tunnel vision” mindset where they execute the race plan and kinda ignore/forget about everything that’s happening within their own gunnels or in the lanes around them. He also did a lot of counting and counting down to things that didn’t really need countdowns. I like the “in 2 … in 1…” countdown but is that really necessary just to note the 500m mark? It wasn’t a bad piece overall though – how he said his calls almost made up for the fact that he was saying a lot without saying much at all. The best part of the race by far though was that turn through Strawberry Mansion. If you’re a Philly coxswain, definitely take note of that execution.

Related: Navigating the Schuylkill

At 1:11 when he says “back it in”, make sure you’re not making catch-specific calls like that midway through the drive of that stroke. You don’t have to say each stroke number when you’re counting out a five or a ten so if you call your strokes at the catch (like you’re supposed to) but have a catch-specific call to make, just replace that number with your call. You could also say “back it in, one … back it in, two“, etc. and say the number of the stroke you’re on at the finish. Point being though, don’t make catch-specific calls at any point other than the catch, otherwise the effectiveness of that call is lost. Same applies to finish-specific calls.

Other calls I liked:

“At the wire, you’re bringin’ the fire…”

George Washington University vs. Holy Cross 2014 GW Invite MV8+

At the start you hear Connor say “when they say our name, bury ’em…” with regards to getting the blades fully buried before the start. Watching crews lock on and lock in right at that moment is pretty cool. The point of doing this, regardless of whether you do it when you hear your name or when they call attention, is that it helps ensure everyone’s blades are in the water and in the best position to allow them to take a powerful first stroke. It’s something worth practicing though because sometimes people get a little too aggressive with it and jerk their hands up, which throws the boat off, causes them to dig too deep at the start, etc. This is also why I like that “sharp and shallow” call he makes because it’s a good reminder to keep the catches on point without lifting the hands too much.

Listen to the slide speed during the starting 20 between 0:40 and 1:10, then listen to it right at they transition into their settle at 1:11. You can actually hear the slides lengthen out. Between that and the sharpness of the catches throughout the piece, this race is so satisfying to listen to. A few strokes later at 1:39 he says “about half a seat down, no worries…” in the most chill tone, which is exactly how you should tell your crew you’re down, particularly at the beginning of the race.

I’m a huge fan of how he makes that “long, rhythm…” call at 1:45. Rhythm in rowing means that the crew is relaxed, they’ve got good swing, they’re getting good run, and they’ve just got a smooth, consistent flow going. One of the best ways to tell if your crew has a solid rhythm is to feel the boat and then look at the stroke rate. Does it feel like you’re rowing at the rate your cox box displays? If it feels like you’re rowing lower than the displayed rate, that’s usually a good sign that your crew’s got a good rhythm.

Another thing you can do to gauge your crew’s rhythm is to watch the shoreline. (This is best done during practice.) If the crew is moving well together and not rushing then you should notice that on the recovery you stay in relatively the same place in relation to something on shore. You only surge forward on the drive. If you ever get a chance to ride in the launch, pick a rower and watch for this. If you’re feeling like the boat is being rushed or like there’s no consistency in motion between the rowers, a call like “long, rhythm…” (spoken in the same way Connor said it) is a simple and to the point call to make. It’d also be a good call to make coming out of the start and into your settle as a way to help establish the rhythm following the frenzy of your high strokes. In order for a call like this to actually get the message across, it’s important that during practice or off the water you communicate with them what rhythm actually is so that they know the “deeper meaning” behind the call you just made. Practice is the time to do the explaining and clue them in to what your calls mean, that way during races you can be short and to the point in order to keep them engaged and sharp.

At 2:36, I like how he jumped on the opportunity to move and made that “now we walk” call. Whenever you’re down on another crew, if you take a five or ten for something you should always be watching to see if that burst resulted in you walking on the other crew, even if that wasn’t your original intention. If you do gain on them, capitalize on that and immediately say “even”, “gained a seat”, etc. followed by something like what he said here: “now we walk”. These opportunities are rare and fleeting over the course of a 5-7 minute race so when they come up, don’t miss out on them.

“They came out too hard, now we punish them” – this is another opportunity that you can capitalize on if you’re paying attention. If you notice a crew go out hard and fast, you’ve gotta make a judgement call: do you push your crew to keep up and risk burning them out too early or do you wait for the other crew to crash and burn so you can (hopefully) walk through them with a strong finishing 500? If you wait and see the other crew starting to fall off pace, jump on it immediately. They made a mistake, now’s your chance to burn them. Bonus points if you lock eyes with someone in the other boat when you tell your crew they came out too hard – trust me, it’s a whole new level of (twisted) joy you have to experience to understand.

Another call that I thought was smart/good was the “internal now” call. If you’ve been making several calls in a row about other crews, following them up with something “internal” helps bring the focus back to you guys. He makes a similar one a little bit later where he says “focus on me, not on them”, which is particularly useful if/when you see rowers looking out of the boat. (That should be a cue though that if they’re looking out of the boat they’re probably trying to see where the other crews are so you should give them a position update if you haven’t done so in awhile.) Also with regards to internal calls, with the “one bad stroke, get it back” call, regardless of why it was a bad stroke, move on. Make this call to keep the rower(s) present and focused on the strokes ahead, not the ones (s)he’s already taken.

Last thing – at 3:28 he says “we gotta keep moving”, which I think is one of those calls that sometimes we know we need to make but aren’t sure if we can or should make because it’s demanding and coxswains don’t always feel comforting demanding their rowers do something. Your job though is to execute the race plan and strategize in real time what the crew has to do to finish ahead. If you find you’re just sitting on a crew (not giving anything up but not taking anything either), get aggressive and make a call to recommit, get the catches in, and drive the legs. Don’t let the crew settle for anything because you never know when the other ones are going to make a move and surge ahead.

Other calls I liked:

“Sharp and shallow…”

“Ready … steady … now!”

“They’re fucking toast!”

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

College Coxing Q&A

Question of the Day

By readyallrow April 22, 2014

Hey! Lately, I haven’t been getting boated much during practices and have only been boated for one race. Some of our assistant coaches have claimed that I’m better than the other coxswain and that it’s become more of a matter of favorites. Any tips on how I can show the head coaches that I want to be boated for races, especially with one more race plus Pac-12s coming up? I don’t know what else to do other than prove myself each time I’m on the water (which isn’t often) and going over recordings with our coach once I’m back on the water.

As frustrating as this answer is, I think your best option is to keep doing what you’re doing. Take advantage of every opportunity to show your skills when you’re on the water, get constant feedback from your coach(es) and rowers, and continue going over audio with your coach(es). “Wanting” it only gets you so far – you’ve gotta put in the effort on and off the water. If you can make a case for yourself by doing all of that then I can’t see why your coach wouldn’t give you some consideration.

When you talk with the coach that makes the lineups ask him/her point blank why these other coxswains are being boated over you – what have they got that you could stand to improve on? I think this is a great question to ask and yes, it’s very possible to ask it without coming off as a whiny brat. If they’re free, ask one of the assistant coaches to come with you when you talk to your other coach too. This will give you the opportunity to bring up what the two of you have discussed in terms of areas where you’re excelling or could use some improvement so that you can get your coach’s feedback on how tweaking some of those skills could result in you potentially getting put in a racing lineup. If/when you do this though make sure you’re completely clear on the feedback they’ve been giving you and do not throw them under the bus by saying something like “well they said the only reason I’m not in the boat is because I’m not one of your favorites”. I’ve seen that happen and I’ve had that happen and from all assistant coaches everywhere, you’re a real asshole if you misrepresent our conversations like that in front of the head coach.

It may very well be that your coach has a favorite coxswain (sometimes it’s hard not to) that he wants with a certain boat but in my experience, favorites don’t just pop up randomly. The reason they’re a favorite is usually because the coach has found that they’re reliable, they communicate well, they’re trustworthy on and off the water, and they’ve got whatever special quality it is that your coach looks for. Not that you don’t have or do any of those things but it’s always worth asking (or thinking about on your own), in comparison to [the coxswain in the boat you want], where am I (potentially) falling short? Reflect on that and talk about it with your coaches. As a coxswain and a coach I really appreciate seeing a coxswain who comes into a meeting prepared to say “this is what I think I’m doing well, this is what I think I need to improve on to get into this boat … confirm or deny”. That shows me and the other coaches that you’re actively thinking about where you can make improvements rather than just expecting us to spoon feed you and give you what you want.

Coxing Q&A

Question of the Day

By readyallrow April 22, 2014

I’m nearing the peak of racing season and I’m already burned out! I’m tired of coxing at the moment and I’m sick of my teammates because I’ve spent way too much time with them. I’m scared to miss practice though because I’m worried about losing my seat, what should I do?

I say this with empathy, solidarity, and love: suck. it. up.

There have been numerous times in the past when I was coxing (and even (very) recently with coaching) where I had no interest in being at the boathouse because I was sick of seeing or dealing with people, stressed, burned out, etc. but I showed up anyways, not because I had to in order to keep my seat but because I’d made a commitment to show up and if I didn’t, eight (or more) other people would be adversely affected by my decision.

Outside of when I was in college I think the only time I got burned out on crew was midway through my last season in high school, which was also simultaneously my best and worst season. Best because my crew was great and we kicked ass every week and worst because our head coach was an asshole who I’m positive sat up at night coming up with ways to make us all dislike him more and more each day. Around the beginning of May (peak season for us) I was definitely starting to just go through the motions – I was there physically but not mentally. Our assistant coach noticed pretty much right away and essentially made me spill my guts about why I was suddenly so much less on point than usual. Senioritis, poor team leadership, feeling like I wasn’t improving at the same rate as my crew, and a general sense of the “meh’s” were all key points. In his usual way of “saying something without actually saying it” he pretty much told me to suck it up, set an example, and be bigger than whatever issues were threatening to bring me down.

Burnout is like depression (figuratively and almost literally) – it isn’t really something you can just decide to get over and how you handle it is unique to every person. For me, I did just suck it up because that’s what was necessary. Regardless of how crappy I was feeling I didn’t want to bring my boat down to my level so I re-evaluated my performances on the water, priorities, and attitudes towards various situations so that I could get to the root of the problem and start doing something different. At this point I had one month left of high school which meant I had one month left to get my coxing up to the level I wanted to be at before I left for college. My coach and I came up with some goals so that I’d have something to work on myself while he focused on the rowers and we went from there. Each day for the next week I’d show up and he’d say “what kind of afternoon are we gonna have?” and my answer each time was “a great one”, regardless of how I felt or my day actually went. As silly and cheesy as it was, that little glimmer of positivity always started off practice on a good note.

My suggestion is this, based on my own experiences:

Take time every day to unwind and clear your head. Before practice, turn your car off and sit there in silence for a couple extra minutes. (If you don’t drive to practice, find a quiet spot to go to where you won’t be bothered.) Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths. Tell yourself that you’re going to have a good day on the water – actually say it out loud to yourself. After practice, do the same thing. Sit in your car for a few minutes, take a couple deep breaths, and leave everything that happened at practice at the boathouse. Don’t bring it home with you. Go home and relax for a bit. Actually relax too – if that means taking a quick nap or a hot shower, do it. If that means giving yourself a badass pedicure while watching people be violently murdered on Game of Thrones, do it. Just do something for 30-60 minutes that lets you decompress before diving into your homework.

When you get to the boathouse, don’t purposely avoid everyone but try to keep your distance (without being super obvious about it) until it’s time to get the boats out. If somebody asks what’s up just say that you’re just taking a few minutes to yourself and trying to avoid any unnecessary distractions before you get out on the water.

Find/create a support system. If you’re sick of your teammates, talk to a friend who’s not on the team. They probably won’t have any idea what the hell you’re talking about but you can at least vent your frustrations to them and who knows, they might even be able to give you some useful nuggets of advice. Same goes for your parents and/or your coaches. In theory they should automatically be supportive of you but now’s your time to actually call it in and go directly to them for support.

If you’ve got a free weekend (or a free day on the weekend) take advantage of it. I flew to Boston this past weekend and didn’t think about crew or anything else once for four days. It was incredible and came at the perfect time. It’s not the rowing that’s been the issue, rather all the administrative stuff we’ve had to deal with that’s been creating a seriously unnecessary amount of stress for everyone. Getting away from that and the other forty-seven things that are currently seriously testing my patience made coming back to practice oh-so–sweet. I would’ve loved to have been at the marathon today (my trepidation of large crowds thanks to last year aside…) but going to practice and seeing the team after being away for a few days, in addition to getting to cox our V8 and V4, let me experience one of those moments that I really cherish: that moment where we’re doing a piece, I’m in the moment, the boat is moving well, and I’m reminded in a split second why I love this sport so damn much. I swear, that fleeting nanosecond of clarity is all it takes to get me out of a rut. If you’ve got the opportunity to take a day off on the weekend, do it. Go somewhere and do something fun or stay at home and do nothing – whatever you do though, let crew be the furthest thing from your mind so that when you come back you can be reminded too of just why it is that you’re there.

College Coxing Q&A Rowing

Question of the Day

By readyallrow April 19, 2014

Hi!! I’m a high school junior, and recently I’ve been looking at colleges. At my high school, I’m a mid-pack rower, but the colleges I’m applying to are for academic reasons, and most of them are D1 and way too competitive for me as a rower. I’m 5 foot 8 and 123 lbs, and I’m considering becoming a men’s cox. Do you think that it’s a good idea? I’m already familiar with rowing, but due to my size and lack of experience, would it be a better idea to try as a rower? I really love the sport and want to participate during college, so whatever you think is best!

Hi! I’m assuming by too competitive you mean that your times wouldn’t stand up against the other rowers, not that the sport itself is too competitive in terms of the commitments, etc? If it’s the former then I’d say look for local clubs around the university and see if you can start training there. If you want to keep racing you could pick up sculling and go to regattas like Club Nationals, Canadian Henley, Independence Day Regatta, etc. over the summer. That way there’s no conflicts with school and you would set your own training schedule. I personally don’t know that much about sculling but from everything that I’ve heard from friends and other coaches, it helps your sweep rowing a ton.

As far as becoming a coxswain for a men’s team, it’s worth looking into if you’re really interested in it. You’re a little taller than most coxswains but in the grand scheme of things it’s weight that matters, not height. Plus, the men’s minimum is 120lbs so you’re good with that given your current weight. You can walk on to the team with no coxing experience – plenty of people do it – so it’s really your choice, just don’t expect to get recruited as a coxswain since you don’t have any experience with it.

I think based on what you said about looking at colleges for academic reasons (priorities, man – good for you!) finding a local club that you can row out of on your own schedule would be your best bet. I think most clubs have lower fees for college students, although I’m not sure if that applies year round or just in the summer. Another thing worth looking into though!

College Coxing Q&A Teammates & Coaches

Question of the Day

By readyallrow April 15, 2014

I’m a novice coxswain for a men’s team, and I have absolutely no idea what to say to fix an issue. It’s been at least four months with me as a coxswain and we’re nearing the end of racing season. I have no idea what the source of an issue is, and am just grasping at straws. It occurred to me I’m simply repeating the same exact things every practice. Our biggest issues is the rest of the boat rushing up on stroke pair, and occasional issues of set that extend beyond just lower or raising blades and handles. My team has lost all patience with me and have no trust in me whatsoever. I want to quit, but have no replacement.

I guess to add on to this, I forgot to mention that at the end of December, basically all of our novice coxswains quit. We had four, and all of them left until I was the only left. I stayed because I didn’t want to leave my guys hanging. There is this one spare coxswain on the team, let’s call her C. She…doesn’t really do anything. I believe she is the women’s novice coxswain, but they only have one boat, so she just does…nothing. She’s there every morning though. I passed along the idea of quitting to my coach and her, and she basically said she “couldn’t” be the novice men’s coxswain because she wasn’t “allowed” to. I learned from my coach that she wanted to stay a novice coxswain for next year, and by competing she would have to be varsity. First off, I feel like I should be allowed to be a little annoyed at this. Part of me just wants to walk up to the coach and hand over my position, pay my fees, and leave. I never really wanted to be a coxswain in the first place. I joined rowing to row, but I didn’t have the athletic ability to do it. Thinking about it now, I don’t know why I stayed on the team. I don’t know what to do. We have two races left, one on Saturday and WIRA.

OK, let me ask you a question. What have you done to educate yourself on the different issues your crews are having? By educate yourself I mean how often did you bring the issue up with your coach(es) and ask them what causes this, what do the rowers need to be doing, what calls should/could I be making, etc., in addition to doing your own research outside of practice by Googling or YouTubing the issues your crew is having, looking up technique, drills, etc. or talking with your rowers to find out what you could be doing to help the crew? How often did you try to video your crew or have someone on the launch video them so you could go over it as a crew with your coach? Your coaches have a responsibility to teach you about this stuff but you have a responsibility to teach yourself as well. The loss in patience and trust from your teammates is usually exacerbated when they get the impression (or know) that you’re not doing anything on your own to make yourself a better/stronger coxswain.

Personally I don’t think you should be “allowed” to be annoyed that another coxswain doesn’t want to or doesn’t feel ready to race yet. That’s a judgement call on her end and if she wants to continue as a novice next year to gain more experience and enhance her skills before she begins racing, you have to respect that whether you agree with it or not . I’d much rather have a coxswain do that than jump straight into a competitive crew that’s preparing to race when they’re not ready to do so.

If you’re having issues with rush and slide control, try doing some two-part pause drills pausing at hands away and half slide. I did those with my crew a couple weeks ago and they helped a lot.

It really sounds like you aren’t enjoying crew at all though and (correct me if I’m wrong) don’t have much invested it in other than the fees and the time you spend at practice. If you’ve only got WIRA’s left now then I would at least stick it out through that and then you can give your coach your fees and leave.