What the Heck is a Coxswain? By Daniel Cohen

A couple of months ago Daniel Cohen sent me an article that he wrote for his school newspaper.  I thought I’d share it with you because I liked how Daniel explained what the coxswain does and what we are in charge of.  I always like hearing other coxswain’s take of what we do and how we do it.  The moment you stop learning form others in our sport is the day you’re going to either hit a buoy or limit your opportunities to take your coxing to the next level.

I hope you enjoy his article and keep learning from each other.

Steer Straight!

mwhip+

What the Heck is a Coxswain?   By Daniel Cohen

“Aren’t you that little annoying one who sits at the end of the boat?” is a question frequently asked of me.  In an effort to elucidate the enigma, I will admit that coxswains are highly misunderstood creatures.  We are stereotypically defined as obnoxious and sadistic beings with Napoleon complexes, known to yell at anybody for infractions large and small.  We are also accused of being lazy and of not doing any physical work while criticizing our rowers.  The truth, however, reveals that coxswains are essential figures in the sport of rowing.  In fact, they are just as important as the rowers.  I realize that this may sound biased, but let me explain what it is that we “annoying” people actually do.

Yes, we are small.  Yes, we don’t weigh much.  And, in all honesty, before I entered ninth grade I didn’t even know what a coxswain was.   Now, as a senior who has coxed for four years, I know the role and value of a coxswain.

As an insecure and intimidated freshman, I felt intense pressure to join an activity.  The hallways were plastered with flyers inviting participation in myriad sports, clubs, and associations.  To my surprise, I was approached by two upperclassmen and asked to join the crew team, a sport about which I knew nothing.  I soon learned, however, that standing five feet tall and weighing less than ninety pounds, I had the perfect build for a coxswain.

No, the coxswain does not sit at the back of the boat and shout, “stroke” all practice, nor does he sit and count every stroke.  A coxswain’s primary goal is to keep his rowers safe.  After that, it is the duty of the coxswain to steer the boat in a straight line.  This consists of making slight adjustments to the tulley, or rope, connected to a rudder located underneath the racing shell.  Driving a boat is not like driving a car, as a boat does not respond to the rudder the way a car responds to the steering wheel.  Instead, it takes several strokes of the blade before the boat responds to movements of the rudder.  The coxswain thus works hand-in-hand with the rowers, often commanding particular athletes to apply more or less pressure in order to keep a point.  Boat handling is a technical process, mastery of which comes with experience.

You might be wondering what it is we tell the rowers.  Well, during practice we act as assistant coaches.  Prior to hitting the water, our coach tells us what we will do during practice.  Even though the coach drives a motorboat alongside the crew sculls, it is the duty of the coxswain to properly execute all drills.  It is important for us to keep track of each rower’s progress and to correct technical errors.  Obviously, if we are the ones leading drills and pointing out errors, gaining the crew’s respect is the key to a winning coxswain.  Rowers won’t listen to our commands if they don’t trust and respect us!

Race day is always a challenge.  It is the coxswain’s job to make sure that the boat is in tip-top-shape, that the rowers know the race plan, that a number is placed at the edge of the bow, and, of course, that all of the rowers are in attendance.  It is imperative that the coxswain remain calm on race day, because he sets the mood for the boat; if the coxswain is calm, the rowers are calm.

The actual race is the fun part.  After practicing with his boat for several weeks, the coxswain needs to motivate the rowers to win, to cross the finish line first.  Because the rowers cannot see what is going on, since their backs face the finish line, the coxswain becomes the eyes and ears of the boat.  Coxswains must consistently inform the rowers about everything that is going on during the race.  For example, we must tell the rowers what place we are in, if there are waves approaching, or if anything is going wrong.  At the end of the race, the coxswain makes sure that the boat is safely tied down to its rack and that all equipment is properly put away.  We are always the first to arrive and the last to leave.  Over time, we become one with the boat, with the water, with the rowers.

I hope it is clear that instead of annoying little people who yell and criticize, coxswains work in tandem with the rowers – directing them, leading them, and navigating the way to the finish line.

Tags: article, Cohen, coxswain duties, Daniel

Posted at Sunday, August 15th, 2010 in: Intermediate Coxswain