Rowing at Dawn

It’s 5:30 a.m. on a dark, starless Tuesday morning and nine girls are slumped over on the middle of Dow Lake in a fiberglass rowing shell. They are wrapped in layers of long-sleeved clothing and Under Armour, fighting the bone-chilling 40-degree weather. The coxswain looks like a homeless person with a mismatched plaid, over-sized jacket and rainbow pants.

The rowers exhale a frosty vapor with every stroke. Coach Megan Chapman slowly appears as the two-stroke motor of her fishing boat struggles to life. “All right ladies, let’s get started,” she projects across the water. As her words echo across the hills, in the distance an eerie sloshing sound emanates from the darkness.

“Uh-oh, here come the zombies,” Six Seat exclaims.

                                                                 *     *     *

Fall Success.

            October  2010.

            “I have bow seat, now get me open water! Let’s take 20 to pass,” the coxswain yells at her eight rowers.

            “One…two…three.”

            And with that, the Ohio University club rowing team takes their opponent’s lead and continues to storm down the river to success.

“Four…five…six… seven.”

The exhaustion by now is painted over the faces of the rowers. Eyebrows are angled downward in a fury and all 16 legs burn a patchy, scarlet red. Small beads of sweat continue to drip down into the women’s eyes, creating a blinding sting.

“eight…nine…ten.”

 Stroke seat lets out a grunt at the beginning of each stroke, and behind her the seven other rowers follow in unison. With medals on the women’s minds, the puddles created by the force of the stroke turn into tidal waves. Nineteen blinding minutes later, the horn sounds. It’s over. The command to stop is issued, and every rower collapses. Four Seat drenches herself with a bottle of Aquafina water as Three Seat wipes clean her blood-stained oar and rinses out her torn-up, blood-blistered hands. Their effort was good enough for a second place medal to start the season.

The varsity of OU Women’s Crew had a successful season last year, taking second place at their first regatta. The following week, they continued to prove their drive for success by rowing to a third place finish at their second and final race of the season. Numbers of rowers on the team usually aren’t higher than 20 every year, leaving many odds against them. They use to their advantage, however, the more individualized attention to excel. Their short fall season comes to a close rather quickly once races begin, but the training put in prior, during and after is a different story.

  5 Days A Week.                                                                 

Blood blisters. Calloused hands. Sore muscles. Rowers can expect all of the above when training for a regatta. These injuries become marks of pride those who endure them. It’s a lifestyle that most outsiders will never understand.

            Unlike most sports, there are no substitutions in rowing. There is no option to trade out for fresh legs half way through a race. Sometimes a rower will race multiple times, and training five days a week is the only way to ensure competitive performance.

*     *     *

            September 2011.

            The rumble of rubber tires on brick disrupts the perfect silence as two cars travel through the darkness. It is 5 a.m. on a typical weekday for the women of OU as they make their way to practice, warmed up and ready to row by 6 a.m.  Wrapped in at least three layers of clothing, the women brave the morning chill and get “hands on."

            “Up to shoulders, together UP. Walk it down,” the coxswain commands.

            They lift the boat off the blocks that are sitting on the pavement, and walk it across the uneven black parking lot to the dock. On command, they set the boat in the water, and prepare to get strapped in.

            After the warm-up, the coxswain is bombarded with eight sweatshirts and five pairs of pants as the rowers just begin to break a sweat. She welcomes the warmth as she continues to bark commands.

            Before too long, the rowers’ body heat is warmer than the air, and the bite of the cold air is no longer noticeable. Eight separate wispy trails of steam begin to rise from the girls’ bodies. Drill after drill, practice continues.

            When a drill goes wrong and oars are not together, Coach Chapman refers to the boat as a “drunken spider,” with all eight legs acting independently. Practices become harsher, hands become even more torn up, and legs feel like a roaring fire on a blustery winter day.  Every bead of sweat culminates into a boat that looks more like a duck gliding effortlessly atop the water- a boat ready for competition, as long as all equipment is in check.

Equipment Frustrations.

            Snap.

            “What was that?” Stroke Seat inquires in an uneasy tone. All eight rowers stop rowing, and Stroke Seat detaches her seat from its tracks. The magnet that communicates the stroke rate to the coxswain snapped off the bottom of the seat, just one of the many equipment obstacles OU women have to deal with.

            “Why are we stopping, ladies?” Coach Chapman stops to ask. Frustration begins to mount on everyone’s face. Some mumble words of frustration under their breath, while others slump over and bury their face in embarrassment. “I wish we could just have one practice where nothing goes wrong,” Seven Seat mutters.

            Equipment breakage is a common obstacle for the OU women’s crew. The biggest complication that the girls have to deal with is small-team syndrome. Being a club team from Athens, Ohio, there are always few athletes, and therefore little money. To hurdle this complication, the team is always fundraising and asking for donations. The team assists in building bed lofts in dorm rooms for the academic year. They also help book buy-back tents, and offer assistance to the public with their rent-a-rower program through which they are hired by others to complete an array of chores for a donation.

*     *     *

Late September 2011.

            The rain pours down in sheets as the cars roll into Stroud’s Run for practice, and it is days like this when a boathouse is much needed to protect the equipment from the weather. Drops of rain beat against the uncovered fiberglass shells like a million tiny pebbles. The washers and nuts holding the riggers of the boat in place that have not been switched to stainless steel slowly rust to their screws like dried cement. It is time for a revamp in equipment, but a lack of funds keeps the necessary repairs a mere wish.

            The team rows most of the original boats that were purchased by now-alumnae when the team was created in 1995. With the exception of their 2001 four-person boat, the boats are the same age as those rowing them. Hull designs of rowing shells have developed considerably over the years. As a result, they have become faster in design, leaving OU’s team with the predicament of making up lost seconds of hull design with power and technique.

Present Day.

            October 1, 2011.

            The rain hits the bodies of the rowers like ice. Every drop sends them further and further into a submissive position, heads tucked between legs and clothing stretched in attempt to cover their bare hands and legs from the vicious bite of the air. The women are prepared for the start of the 2011 season.

            The rain continued to pour down in sheets making a grip on the oar nearly impossible. Within the first 10 strokes of the race, nerves overwhelmed the women. After a few minutes, they were passed by one of their competitors, and then another team seconds later. Strokes resembled the first day of practice. Twenty minutes later, the race was over, and everyone knew they raced well enough for last place.

            Their first race proved a disappointment, and it was back to the water the following week to make some major adjustments. Practices became harder as their coach hounded their technique. Exhaustion took over as rowers balanced the intense practices and diligent studying for midterms. By the end of practice every day, the struggle became apparent as the arms of rowers shook like a building in an earthquake.

            But every painful stroke led to success, as the women came from dead last to first, in a matter of a week. Every drive of the legs left more open water between their boat and their competition. Second place became a mere dot barely visible in the distance. At the end of their second race, they gave one last effort to throw their hands up in excitement. All hands fell as quickly and powerfully as they were raised. “It’s fun to watch your competition row by,” Six Seat commented when the results showed that they won by more than two minutes against Denison University.

            The women finished their season on October 15 in Columbus, Ohio where they raced against their most difficult competition. The women found themselves in last place once again, but with a personal best time. Only 30 seconds from third place, it was their closest race yet, and despite a longer distance and current against them, they raced an entire minute faster than their first race of the season.

It’s Worth the Early Mornings.

            Beep…Beep…Beep…BEEP…BEEP..BEE.. SMACK. It’s time for another early wake-up call. Once rowers develop a love of the sport and a sense of determination, waking up early simply becomes another everyday activity. Wake-up calls come at 5 a.m. every day, and rowers “sleep in” on the days that they wake up after 8 a.m.

            “It’s nice to be able to spend three hours of your day thinking about nothing but the person in front of you and the person in back of you, aiming for perfect symmetry with them. Rowing is an art form,” Kate Schmidlin, vice president of OU women’s crew said.

            The best days in rowing are the days that weather permits water practice, and land practice isn’t necessary. The erg is the bane of a rower’s existence. When a team has afternoon practices, they have the possibility of violent gusts of wind conjuring up un-rowable waters, leaving practice to be completed on the ergs. “Having to stare at a blank, white wall while every muscle in your body aches like carpenters are hammering nails is an experience that should only be reserved for the winter season, when it’s impossible to hit the water,” five-year rower Betsy Martin said.

            Unless a team has the problem of rowers accidentally sleeping in, they can expect to be on the water during morning practice-- one reason why teamwork and determination are two of the most important aspects of the sport. The tranquility of the water offers a sense of relaxation, even during some of the more physically exhausting pieces. If practice takes place in a populated area, there won’t be crowds of people causing distraction. It also leaves time for rowers to accomplish everything they want to in a day, and still have time to row.

“Yes, it’s rough getting up at 4:45 a.m. every day, but by the time you're out there skimming across the water watching the sunrise with eight of your best friends- it’s worth it,” said Ellen Lubbers.  

Rowing Through

            Maddison Mattey, a freshman at Ohio University has a story unlike most. Avid kayaker and prospective doctor, Mattey has accomplished a wide range of activities, and one of them is rowing. She has times competitive with other college rowers, and she does it all with one leg.

            Mattey began rowing her first quarter at Ohio University after finding out that her roommate was a member. She attended the first practice, and hasn't looked back since. Every day has brought with it a new experience.

            She said that at first “there was a long awkward period. I remember looking up to the varsity and thinking damn, how are they going that fast? I didn't understand the mechanics of rowing enough to understand that it was attainable to have lower that a 2:50 split. I had to slowly work my way up. And now, I'm fast!”

            Although she likes to joke with people and tell them an alligator bit her leg off, Mattey has an entirely different story. She has Proximal Femoral Focal Deficiency, or PFFD, which means that her femur is short. It causes everything else in her leg to move up including her knee, shin, and foot. Mattey uses a prosthetic leg to make up the difference in length, and to add a knee joint.

            “All of my muscles, nerves and joints work. It's all there, just smaller,” said Mattey. “I've never had any surgeries or corrective procedures. My case is actually one of the best documented that doctors have seen.”

            Most may think that rowing is completely different for Mattey with only one leg, but in fact it's quite similar. It is just a matter of adapting. Mattey says that obviously her leg has to do double the work, but it's the only way that she has ever learned, so “it's just how it is. It's just always about how to make it work better.”

            Adaptation is key. On the erg, Mattey's leg doesn't bend, so she can't strap her left foot in. Rather, her left leg is used for balance. In the boat, she carries it down to the water with her leg on, but once in her seat, takes it off and straps in her right leg. To manage the uneven pressure, Mattey focuses on core, strength and balance. Although Mattey is unique to Ohio University Women's crew in that way, there are many others that have learned to adapt to rowing in the same way. According to Mattey, however, they aren't an inspiration.

            “They settle for mediocraty. They all seem to consider their disability, well, a disability. A hinderance. I don't think that way. I have become adaptively certified, but more for fun. I consider myself a competitor against two-legged rowers,” says Mattey.

            To Mattey, rowing is the ultimate sport. The people, the team unity and the opportunity to get in shape are just a few of the aspects that make it special. “You can tell people, I rowed 12,000 meters today. That's like seven miles. It's just exotic enough where everyone is like 'ooh!' It's well respected. It's not like I'm a world ping pong champion. It's fun to tell people about,” says Mattey. Nothing will stop Mattey in her endeavors. She holds her expectations for both herself and her team very high. It is expected that the team has fast boats, and that, personally, nothing gets in her way, as every member holds their own.

            “Maddison pushes herself in practices and gives 100% every day and always has a smile on her face. She's a great asset to the team because she faces adversity every day but looks it in the face and accepts the challenge. I think it's awesome too because I feel that there are people out there that say she can't do this, she can't do other things because she only has one leg. She proves them wrong everyday,” says teammate Megan Dean.

            Although Mattey's story is unique, she doesn't play it off in that way. To her, as she said, she is a competitor amongst the rest of the two-legged rowers. She is just another member on the team. She has a smile on her face because she doesn't agree with the adversity.

            “I don't feel that way at all. I think it's funny when people say that. I have one leg, but I don't know, everyone has something to deal with. Mine's physical. Some people are crazy. I could be off a lot worse than I am. It's fun to make people realize I'm not that different. It's fun to mess with people,” says Mattey.

            As time progresses, Mattey will only add more to her rowing story.  Not only is rowing an outlet for her competitive spirit, it also serves as a means of physical therapy, something that other rowers can also relate to.

            “I tore three major tendons in my leg and my physical therapist recommended crew. I had no idea what a full body workout it would be. The rest of my body got stronger and it was nice to get a good workout in without risking injuring my leg again in a contact sport. With crew, you go out with your teammates and want nothing more than to get a medal,” high school rower Meghan Foreman said.

            Mattey's story came with a similar occurrence. She has to work harder to achieve things that seem to come quite easily to her teammates, but she does not give up. Her last 2,000 meter test was her biggest success, with a personal record of a 2:10 split, something that is an accomplishment for all rowers. She was recently contacted by someone that relates to her personal experiences.
            “I got e-mailed by the paralympic coach, that was pretty cool.”
            Mattey is still learning when it comes to rowing, but as a Freshman she has time to accomplish even more than she already has.

            Crew teammate Sara Fisher explains that everyone is important on the team at Ohio University and that it's all how you view yourself.

            “You have to feel like a major asset and that you're part of something knowing you have an impact.”

            From not even understanding the mechanics of rowing less than a year ago to having rowed a personal best on her erg test just days ago, Mattey is a major asset to the crew team at Ohio University.

Well said.

"Marathon runners talk about hitting 'the wall' at the twenty-third mile of the race. What rowers confront isn't a wall; it's a hole - an abyss of pain, which opens up in the second minute of the race. Large needles are being driven into your thigh muscles, while your forearms seem to be splitting. Then the pain becomes confused and disorganized, not like the windedness of the runner or the leg burn of the biker but an all-over, savage unpleasantness. As you pass the five-hundred-meter mark, with three-quarters of the race still to row, you realize with dread that you are not going to make it to the finish, but at the same time the idea of letting your teammates down by not rowing your hardest is unthinkable...Therefore, you are going to die. Welcome to this life." -- Ashleigh Teitel

The above quote does so well at explaining the sport of rowing. But through all of this pain, comes victory, and an indescribable feeling. The push of the legs and the focus on balance culminate in a fast, perfectly set boat, gliding fiercely through the water. That, alone, makes the unthinkable, savage pain, worth every second.

The Perils of Hiring a Coach

As president of OUWC this year, I have inherited the role of hiring a new coach for our upcoming season. Who knew it could be so difficult?? Even though I've had about 12 people respond to the ad I posted on Row2k, I still feel like I am sitting at square one. I haven't gotten anywhere!! It's the pay that seems to be the deal breaker. Obviously we don't get our funds from the school since we're not a varsity team.. so we can't pay that much.

I think if we were to be a Columbus team, or somewhere maybe even 1/2 the size, I would get double the responses, and probably even have a coach by now. I had one person on a hook, and almost reeled him in.. even past the dreaded "we can only offer this much speech.." and then of course he was offered a better job. JUST MY LUCK. :(

As of now I have one option, and I'm going to use every weapon in my arsenal. It's July 29, and our season starts on September 6. It's do or die time.

(Sorry this post is so short, my computer is going to die! I just had to post though..it seemed about that time.)

I promise! I WILL post tomorrow.

Erging Developments

Currently, the most common form of winter training for rowers is the erg. For most, this training involves erging high intensity pieces, or very long endurance-focused pieces. Either way, most have to stare at a blank wall, or exact same scenery while doing so. If only erging could be like rowing on the water, where you could practice your sweep or sculling form, and enjoy the changing scenery of advancing along a course. 

My father has his business, consisting of everything golf. Most famous, though, is his golf simulator, where golfers can practice indoors, swinging the club as hard as they want, with no consequences. They can even play whatever course they want, including one that the company created. How incredible would it be if rowers had this same option?

It's something I'd really love to look into researching. I don't have the engineering skills, but that's what connections are for. It would be a huge feat, but think about it. I could make a simulator for rowers, where they could look at a huge screen portraying a handful of popular race courses as they row down. In the world of technology today, it's even possible to create a 3D version. If during your workout you look "out of the boat," perhaps I could get the screen to sense that. 

It wouldn't be simple, but certainly possible. With a combination of an ergometer-like machine, slides, and all of the computer technology, winter training would never be the same. No more having to "just erg" when the water is too choppy, or because it was storming. Just imagine the possibilities. To make it even more realistic, instead of a typical Concept2 Model D erg or something of the like, in place, a "sweeping erg" or "sculling erg" could be utilized. 

This is a huge dream of mine, but a dream that I would definitely like to shoot for. It would be a career that I would enjoy every minute of. I could combine my journalism/PR skills with the technological knowledge of peers to create something that could be enjoyed by rowers worldwide.

Perhaps....

What a Performance.

May 13th, 2011 was certainly a day I will never forget. It was the first day of racing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for the Aberdeen Dad Vail Regatta. I traveled there with Ohio University Women's Crew looking forward to some great racing. We only had two entries this year, but that didn't change anything. We went into the day with a lot of heart, and came out just the same.

The first of our races to go out on the course was the women's varsity 8. We ended up getting 6th in our heat, but pulled one of our best times of the season putting us only a mere few seconds from 5th.

A few hours later, I went from rowing mode to coaching mode, as I prepared to send the novice 4 girls on their way. As we sat down for our boat talk, I could only see focus on their faces. Up against William and Mary, Binghampton, Manhattan and American we knew it was going to be a tough heat.

New heat sheets had been posted the day before, which apparently caused a lot of confusion at the starting line for their event. Some boats showed up late not knowing they had switched heats, creating delays and switches in the way events came down the course. I counted events coming down the course, and when I saw my girls in their lane in last place at their designated event time, nerves started pumping as I hoped they would make the moves to pull ahead from behind. Moves that we had practiced all season. Then, the announcer came on the loud speaker, informing that this wasn't the correct event, and that they skipped heat 2 for now because a boat was late to the start.

For the next few heats I had a similar feeling. Are those my girls? How are they doing? Are they going to make their move? And then, no. It wasn't them yet. Finally, after a few out-of-order events, it was time. My girls tore down the river in a solid second place from the time I could see them, until they crossed the finish line. As the race came down to the last 500 meters, they began to make a solid sprint move, something we had dedicated an entire week of practice to. They move closer and closer to first place, and if they had started this move maybe another 250 meters earlier, they could have caught them. But 2nd it was. And on to the semi-finals they went.

The rush of watching them row by as we all cheered them on was something comparable to nothing. It was the first time, at least from my knowledge, that we've had a boat advance straight to semi-finals at Dad Vail. Running to the dock to catch the girls, I had an incredible feeling of success running through my veins. I couldn't even fathom what the girls were thinking.

All I saw when I arrived at the dock were huge smiles. The comment I won't forget was, "That was so much fun. I can't wait to do it again." I knew those extra difficult erg workouts would pay off sometime. Today was that sometime.

The next day started off well. We arrived early at the race course ready to prepare, and even had a 30 second spot on CBS' morning newscast. Talk about cool. After everything was taken care of, and we waited for launch time, all around were faces of focus. 15 minutes later, the girls were launched and on their way to the start line. I had an undescribable feeling come upon me as I headed toward the grandstands to anticipate the race. It's my first year of coaching, and I sent a group of girls to the semi-finals of the biggest race of their season. I wanted the very best for them, and at that point, I couldn't have asked for more.. except maybe a spot in the grand finals, of course.

As others surrounded me, waiting for the race, my nerves set in again. The anticipation of my girls' performance was growing every second. What were they going to do? How were they going to place? I hoped their nerves weren't as bad as mine. I felt as though I had sent my children off to college or something. All I could think was, "start the race already!" That and, "Now I wish I had gotten my secret rower those pink binoculars!"

Then it was time. The announcer came over the loud speaker telling us the first semi-final of the girls novice 4 was underway. I strained my vision as best I could to see down river how they were doing. They looked good. All of the boats seemed pretty close. As the boats reached closer to the thousand, there were two boats with a dominant lead. "That's ok, I thought. They can make a badass move across the 1000. That's what we've been working on." And they did. It wasn't enough though, as every other boat matched them. They held a solid 5th going into the sprint, keeping it pretty close to 4th. Then, out of nowhere, 6th place Jacksonville made a huge move and pulled into 5th. I knew my girls wouldn't settle for that.

I closed my eyes at that moment and thought to myself, "MAKE. YOUR. MOVE." I opened my eyes, and as I glanced at the short distance left to the finish line, it happened. They knew exactly what to do, and Ryann, the coxswain, called it at the perfect time. My girls had a HUGE second surge in their sprint, and with every stroke they established what they were there to do. Beat boats. Within 10 strokes they were neck and neck with Jacksonville once again. From the view we had, and 5 strokes left, nothing was clear. As both boats got to the finish line, we saw the flag go up, and then immediately down, indicating maybe a second difference between finish times at most.

I turned to my coach, who had the same blank expression as me. Nobody there had any idea. Who took 5th?! Betsy and I would have to wait. We ran to the recovery dock, and got the girls. We congratulated them on a great race, and a beautiful finish. Unfortunately, we told them that they'd have to wait to find out what place they finished, even though Ryann was almost positive they'd taken fifth.

As it turns out, they did get fifth. And not only did they get fifth but they beat a couple other teams in semi-finals, even after going in with the slowest time. They made significant improvement from heats to semis alone, which is all that I could ask for. They grew so much as a boat in the little time they were given to do so, and it clearly showed in their results.

Semis at Vails this year, and who knows what we could conquer next year! Only time will tell.

New experiences.

Since I've last posted, I've experienced a lot more in the world of rowing. Since January I've been co-novice coach of Ohio Women with my friend Betsy, and it's been a blast. It's always been my dream to be able to coach, and being able to do it at age 19 is awesome. I feel like I get a entirely different view of the sport, from an entirely different perspective.

The most important thing that I've realized while coaching, is that it helps me with my stroke. Yeah, I can dictate the stroke to people, and tell them what they're doing wrong, but can I hop on an erg and do it myself? During my practices, I now resort to a different way of mentally pushing myself through an erg test. I think to myself, what would I tell my novice? It's half way through my 2k and I'm getting tired, so I can let my split go up a little bit.. No, I would never want my novice to do that. I would tell them that it's this point that they break through the wall, this point that they must be aware that they are sitting up tall, and letting oxygen flow through their lungs. So, at that half way mark I push harder, and I make ;sure I'm sitting up. I'm so much more self-aware now than I have ever been on an erg.

I only hope to transfer this way of thinking to the water. It's 2 days until judgment day, OK not really. But 2 days until I'm on the water with Betsy, teaching our girls how to take what they've learned on the erg this winter season, and apply it effectively on the water. Am I nervous? Yes. Do I think Betsy and I can do it? Definitely. Do I hope that our novice four becomes one beastly group of girls that kick their competition out of the water (no pun intended)? You can count on it.

I've done my homework. I've learned all about anaerobic training, aerobic training, and the differences between the latter and endurance training. Who knew there was so much to learn? We tested our girls on the last week of training, measuring their anaerobic threshold and the like, and man, can these girls pull. Words cannot describe how excited I am to apply it on the water. I'm hoping that since I have previous experience with coxing, and a little bit of coaching in high school, things will go smoothly. As long as I re-learn how to drive the launch that is!

In the beginning, it's all going to be about the basics. Legs-body-arms-arms-body-legs. I'm sure the girls will find it pretty monotonous when they find out we're starting from scratch, but on the water, it'll be a whole new world for them. And I am going to make sure, with every chance I get, to make it an unforgettable and fantastic experience. I owe it to my high school rowing coaches. They are the ones that helped me develop the love for the sport, and now I want to be the one to do that for others. I want others to be passionate about their rowing, and it's an unbelievable feeling that I have the chance, right now, to do it.

8 Seat

8 seat. Stroke. Leader. Whatever way you want to refer to it, it still remains to be one thing. INTIMIDATING. In order to be stroke, you must have that mindset of, "Psh, I've got this. I can lead 7 other rowers." That sure is a mindset that I haven't quite developed, but would love to. It's only for certain people. A week at stroke proved that to me. Maybe because I had the wall up, and refused to let it down, but I always felt so out of place there. I would always think to myself, every single practice, that the rowers behind me must think I'm crazy. My coxswain would command me to keep a certain stroke rate, but I could never keep it as solid as the stroke seat I was replacing for the week. It always seemed to fluctuate a stroke below or above where I was supposed to be.

According to the all-famous personality traits in an eight article, stroke is supposed to be the most competitive rower in the boat. While I don't disagree with this statement, I feel that others can be just as competitive. I'd say that I channel the competitive aspect of stroke seat much more successfully in bow. Now don't get me wrong, I love to step up and lead, but leading at stroke seat is something that takes a lot of practice. A LOT.

Ohh stroke seat. It just gives me chills thinking about it. It sure takes one confident, bad-ass rower to fill those shoes. If stroke seat doesn't show up to practice mentally, it's not going to be a good row. Plain and simple. Stroke seat sets pace, is responsible for cadence, and has to put up with the rowers behind her who feel like rushing their slide. Some of you may not understand this, but try sitting there for one practice. It's a whole new world. The conversations with the coxswain in a stern-loaded boat are always entertaining, but when it's time to snap back to reality and start practice (or a race for that matter) it sure starts to settle in.

I was stroke seat for a fall race and was nervous. I can't even imagine stroking a spring race from a dead start. Talk about pressure. If you whiff on the first stroke, there goes the rhythm of your entire boat. Oh boy.

Stroke seats worldwide, keep it rockin' up there. You guys are one in a million. Legit.

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Coaching Philosophy

Fall has been quite the hectic season as a whole. Crew has been going well. Our team is making many changes for the better, and we continue to improve every day. One thing I really like about this fall is my Intro to Coaching class. For our first assignment we had to write a coaching philosophy, and naturally I decided to write mine from the perspective of a rowing coach. I based the foundation of my philosophy on teamwork, since it is so vital to the success of any team. So, without further ado, I present to you my rowing coach philosophy.

A Coaching Philosophy: Club Rowing
Savannah Bales

The quote “teamwork divides the task and multiplies the success” is the foundation of my coaching philosophy. Rowing is a sport of teamwork, and on my team, there is no star player. No one person in the sport of rowing is the most valuable. No one is more important than the team as a whole. Together, we row as one.

As a coach, the top five things I value are friendship and family, honesty, passion, loyalty, and teamwork.

What my team will learn to understand is that academics and family come before rowing. Although the team is important, priority will always fall with family. As a coach of club rowing, I know and understand that my team are students before they are athletes.

Along with teamwork and camaraderie, I base my coaching philosophy on skill and passion for the sport. My goal for the team will always be to create not only the fastest moving boats, but those who are willing to work together, and work hard for each other. A first place medal is a fantastic day, but in the end, so long as each boat improves their time, it is still a success.

I expect my team to come to practice to work hard every day. Hard work goes hand in hand with teamwork. And along with teamwork comes the willingness to develop. Every day I will dedicate practice time to helping everyone develop and work to their fullest potential. The harder everyone is willing to work, the faster and better their boat will become.

Practice will be held daily to develop fitness, as well as overall rowing ability. On certain days I shall emphasize technique, whereas other days I will dedicate to conditioning. Rowers must come to practice ready to work hard. I expect practice to be a good work out, keeping in mind the health of the athletes at all times. The health and overall being of each and every athlete ranks very high in my priorities.

When putting boats together I will place athletes in their positions based on who I believe will help the team the most in a certain spot. I believe in utmost honesty and if someone wants to know why they are where they are I will tell them. I do not agree with coaches placing people in boats only based off of their strength. Along with strength, I will take into account one’s skill, passion, teamwork and dedication. One can have muscle, but they may not know how to properly use it.

I expect my athletes to have the same amount of passion for the sport as I do. I expect my team to work for the common goal. Having passion for something you do makes you feel immensely better when you accomplish it. You obtain great memories from putting a lot of effort into something and then being able to reap the rewards of your hard work.

With all of this in mind, I also want to make it clear that my goal is to maintain a team that works hard together, and puts their best into practice, but has fun at the same time. A primary goal is to provide rowers with the opportunity to participate in a friendly yet competitive environment.

In sum, not to be cliché, but “teamwork makes the dream work.” Camaraderie and teamwork is the center of my philosophy and everything is based around it. The well being of my athletes will always be a priority as I coach them to perform their best. I will make practice tough, but only so my athletes may enjoy the results of their hard work and dedication.

It's Been A While...

Hey all. I'm still working on getting my new site up, which is taking much longer than I anticipated. It doesn't seem right that the last post on here was updated on April 4th, hence this new post. There is no specific topic to it, but rather just a friendly update.

Today I'm heading down to the boathouse for the first time since last summer. I'm going to turn in my summer membership so I can row there whenever I want! I'm so excited!! I will definitely be doing a lot of sculling this summer, hopefully teaching a couple of my teammates from OUWC if they come to visit. I'd really like to get the quad down and row that, and hopefully even do some sweep rowing. I plan on keeping in shape over this summer to say the least. I made the mistake of not keeping in very good shape last summer, and it definitely showed the following fall season.

Rowing has definitely become a huge part of my life. I've learned so much since my freshman year of rowing when I was first introduced. I remember my first day of crew like it was yesterday. The ride to the boathouse seemed to take ages. When I arrived, I got out of the carpool and walked to Anthony Wayne's bay. There, I was greeted by Coach Jen and Coach Brent. The varsity on other teams that we share the boathouse with were putting boats together and carrying them out to the water like it was nothing. Here I was, with absolutely no clue as to what was going on. I soon learned, and now I wonder as I rig boats and carry them down to the water if those new to the sport look at me and wonder the same things that I did when I first started.

There is so much to learn from the very basics of rowing, to the history, the multiple types and all about technique and optimizing your rowing stroke. It never ends. I have officially completed my fifth year of rowing and I know that I still have much more to learn. Rowing is a sport that takes years to understand fully. You can learn 90% of the stroke in a few days, but that last 10% takes years. The perfection and fine details only come with experience.

Last summer, I discovered a fun rowing alternative- dragon boats. They are large boats that are propelled by 20 people paddling with a short oar, similar to canoeing. Inside the boat are 10 benches that sit two people each (one on each side of the boat). Rhythm is kept by a person in the bow of the boat by means of a drum beat. Then, there is a steersman in the stern of the boat that stands and guides the way with a rudder.

I was eager for the event, and nervous at the same time. Once I learned that we had two chances to practice the technique before race day, my nerves were calmed and excitement settled in. Dragon boats is an all day event, but there was never a dull moment, which is why I am more than excited for this year's event. I'll be rowing with the same team as last year, some people returning, but some new faces as well. We won a couple of awards last year, and this year we hope to be even better. Needless to say, July 23rd cannot come soon enough.

That's all for now! Today, I leave you with this rowing quote:

"You have to force yourself to stay with rowing. If you put the first of your contact lenses in your eye, that is almost a sure guarantee that you won't go back to sleep. If you can get up and past the bed, then you will reach the kitchen. If you can reach the kitchen you can reach the front door. If you reach the front door, you will reach the car, and if you reach the car, you can reach the boathouse. Each step leads to the next one. You keep pushing yourself so that you will not quit." -- Tiff Wood from The Amateurs