2010 World Championship Team warming up before their row

School has started up and so has practice.  For those on the West Coast this means getting back on the water and earning the seat you want for racing season.  Coaches are starting to look for rowers who are moving boats and putting together line-ups or part of line-ups that they want to see racing.

Now is the perfect opportunity to be boat movers yourself.  Wherever you ended up last year is the perfect place to start this year.  Each season is new and when boats are starting to form that is when the coxswain should start leading.  It is also time to start evaluating what you did last year and see if it will work for your team this year.  Most of the time teams keep their culture from year to year.  Other times, teams need a new voice or new culture.  If you are one of the more experience coxswains on your team then it is your job to set the tone of this new year.

If your team has not had a team meeting to set goals for this racing season then I would suggest talking to your coach or team captain and arrange a team meeting.  That way after the meeting you can help keep your teammates focused during each workout.  Focused workouts during winter training will pay off as spring approaches.  If you help maximize speed in your boat at each practice then you will become the top coxswain.  Coaches will recognize your leadership and commitment to focus and will want to boat you more often than the other coxswains who are clueless as to what makes boats go fast.

If you are the returning Varsity coxswain or the returning JV coxswain who is looking to move up to the Varsity boat then you need to start leading your team to the goals you all set up together. There are no free rides in the 8+ so make sure you are using your seat, The 9th Seat, to make your boat and team fast.  Spring is right around the corner so what are you waiting for?  Start leading your team to the line first.

Here are examples of how to lead your team:

• When practice is getting stale or sluggish remind your boat who you are racing first.
• Keep the team goals present during practice when the boat needs motivation and especially when the boat is moving well to keep the intensity going.
• Workout with your team during winter training.
  • Squeeze in a stationary bike workout in between recording splits.
  • While timing a core workout make sure to pound out a couple of crunches or hold a stability bridge while looking at your watch.
  • Lift weights with them, if it is a circuit day set up your baby weights at stations where the weight is too heavy before the circuit starts.
  • Go on runs outside of practice so you stay in running shape….you never know when mother nature will force you to do a land workout. Make sure you are ready to run with your team.
• Communicate with your coach to understand the big picture of practice.  Teams who believe in the process and each other will reach their speed potential.  Be the coxswain who communicates your coaches big picture.
• Remember that you are an athletes too so don’t be afraid to show your athletic side to your teammates.

Steer Straight!

mwhip+

Q: Even though I make sure I’m constantly telling the rowers information like rate, position against boat/on river, and technical reminders I feel like i don’t have enough motivation techniques to get them past other boats. You wouldn’t happen to have any tips on creating motivations would you? I don’t want to end up saying the same phrase 10 times during a race. Thanks!! 

Laila

A:  I get asked this question all the time, “What do you say to really get your girls going?”  I’ll let you all in on a little secret…it doesn’t matter!!!!  I cannot tell you the phrases that are going to get your rowers motivated because I don’t know your rowers.  

So when I’m sitting in the coxswain seat and need to pull out some motivational phrases I…

• Think about what you would want to hear if you were in a world of pain and needed encouragement to finish the workout.
• What are your team goals?
• What are the goals of the workout?
• What are the personal goals of your rowers?
• Do you have a race coming up?  If so start calling seats off of your upcoming competitors boat.  Make scenarios of walking through your rivals boat.  
• Are there any practices that you all talk about because it was so good.  Remind them of that memory during the workout.
• Use inside jokes.

There are many ways to motivate and that is the beauty of our position.  We have to find ways to trigger emotions from our rowers.  With any motivational phrase you choose it has to be delivered in a believable way.  Coxswains have to sell the phrase and make rowers believe their words.  So keep your ears open and listen to the ways your rowers motivate each other.  Be their teammate and be there when they need that extra push.  Choose wisely but believe in your words and deliver with passion.  

Good luck!

mwhip+

Q: I’m the Varsity coxn on my team and I’ve been coxing for about a year now, but I do feel like I am taken advantage of at times by the older rowers, even when I assert myself and speak with authority.

Any suggestions on how I could let my rowers know I know what I’m doing even though I’m not as experienced?

Thanks!
Shannon

A:  Telling your rowers that you should be respected and that you know what you are talking about will not work.  You’ve got to show your rowers that you know what you are talking about.  You can do this by several ways. 

• When you say last 10 it better be–accuracy is crucial when you need to prove that you know what you are talking about.  That way your rowers will start to trust you.
• Participate in land workouts–when you can, join in on the runs, weights and even ergs.  That way when you say to work harder during practice they know that you do too and really mean it.  That way your rowers will start to trust you and respect you.
• Come early, leave late–take ownership in getting to practice, being ready for practice and leading practice.  Also make sure when you leave the boathouse the boats are clean, put away, slings are put away and the training facility is tidy.  That way your rowers will start to rely on you and trust you.
• Be consistent–steering, docking, counting, and delivering information in the boat.  The more consistent you can be the more your rowers will trust you. 
• Be willing to take feedback and change to what your rowers need.  That way your rowers will respect the fact that you listen to them and they will trust and respect you for it.

I hope you are getting the theme of your actions will be more effective than your words.  Earning the trust and respect of your rowers is not a given because you are sitting in that 9th seat.  You have to fill the role of the 9th seat accurately and respectfully and in return you start to earn the respect of the rowers filling their roles in their seats.  With this sport, patience is a great thing to have and use.  Be patient but work hard to learn your craft and the delivery of of your actions and words.  

Be a teammate first then a coxswain second,

mwhip+