What does it mean to be a coxswain?

I realized I have been blogging about coxswains and coxing for a while but what is a coxswain? To me a coxswain is someone who steps up and is willing to take leadership in any situation that they are put in. So in this post i’m going to try to explain what does it mean to me to be a coxswain.

Steering

As a coxswain one of your main responsibilities is that you need to know how to steer the shortest, most efficient course possible. If you aren’t very good at steering you can always learn how to steer, but what makes an excellent coxswain is the ability to consistently steer the most aggressive course during practice and during a race. Goes without saying that knowing the river you will row on be crucial to good steering.

Leadership

 You need to always be willing to take leadership wether you are on land or in a boat because believe it or not those twice-your-height girls look up to you for guidance and, in a tight crew, they will always follow your instructions. In the boat you can’t hesitate and show uncertainty — “uhh umm what yeah row”; you have to be firm and decisive on your calls because the rowers can hear the uncertainty in your voice.  So no matter how scared you are, put on a brave front, your crew is relying on it.

Communication is a key skill; don’t be the coxswain who never tells the rowers what’s about to go down  or tell them they have an erg test last minute. Always keep your crew in the loop of what is going on.

Motivation

Rowing is a tough sport, most of the time during hard pieces the rowers need help to finish the piece because all they want to do is drop out that second. Knowing what to call at certain times makes an excellent coxswain because your calls can have a huge effect on how the girls row and how hard they pull. Also, making technical calls to improve the rowers technique is crucial because making one technical change can drop spilts and make the boat go faster. Most importantly, make sure they understand your calls clearly; use the right right volume and tone in your voice to covey instructions.

 

Those are some of the basics of what it means to me to be a coxswain. I am very conscious of the great responsibility this entails and am honored to be the keeper of the girl’s trust. Remember that  you can always build on your skills. I am still learning, I am a novice rower, however, as I continue to learn more about being a coxswain I will create new posts to help you in your coxswain journey. Remember to follow me on instagram @thecox.blog.

Happy rowing,

Valeria.

 

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