Coxswain Development: Getting Back Into It

When you’re behind in a race (e.g., one length back), there are three things you, as a coxswain, can do to get back into it.

Before we get into that, though, let’s dispel the myth of the magical call. There isn’t one, because it doesn’t exist. You can have some motivational calls tucked away for moments such as this, but you can’t rely on them to be the game changer when you’re down by a length on the field or open water back. And no, I can’t tell you what those great motivational calls are because I’m not coxing your boat. In my experience, they’ve always been specific to my crew and the people in it, which is why knowing your teammates is so important to the calls you make.

Skipping the process outlined below and resorting to spouting platitudes for the rest of the race is akin to putting Band-Aids on a bullet wound; they’re not going to stop the hemorrhaging. It’s your responsibility going into race day to be confident in your Plan A but just as confident, if not more so, and comfortable pivoting to your Plan B when necessary.

Fix the rowing. If you’ve fallen off the pack, then it’s safe to assume that the quality of the rowing has begun falling off, too, particularly as the crew fatigues in the latter half of the race. Your first task is to reunify the crew by getting everyone to take the same stroke at the same time. Assuming you have a solid understanding of basic technique and the stroke your coach teaches, you should apply your knowledge of both to what you’re seeing and feeling to get the rowing back on track.

“900 meters in, one length back on Saugatuck. Let’s tighten up the timing and complete the strokes—we got this! The race starts right … NOW! Squeeeze through … squeeeze through—that’s it! Hold the back ends and breeeathe through the recovery … now. In our rhythm … let’s accelerate and swing together. Squeeeze swing … hands out together now … hands now … hands now … accelerate swing—there it is … accelerate swing…”

Match the speed of the crews in front of you. It’s hard to move on a crew that’s moving away from you, so before you can begin closing the gap, you first have to stop them from advancing farther. This is where you need to watch the rate and make sure you’re at the pace you want to be. One tactic I’ve used in the past is raising our rate a beat to match the other crew(s) if it looks like they’re rowing higher than we are effectively. The risk-reward here is very high, so you have to make a quick assessment (mainly, can you raise the rate without spinning your wheels and then sustain that speed/pace for the next few hundred meters?) and then commit to executing it.

“11 hundred meters in, time to shut ’em down. We’re at 35 right now, we’re taking it up to a 36 … pick it up together … on this one! LEGS commit, LEGS 36–right here, stay in this rhythm now and attack … legs loose … legs loose … get stubborn now, hold on to them … legs yeah middle four! Trust our rhythm, trust our speed … holding our margin now, that’s it…”

Make your move. The second you sense that the margin is holding, you have to capitalize on it and go. You can’t waste time or meters, because by this point you’re probably well into the third 500, which means you’ve got time for maybe one last 20 before it’s time to sprint. My crews tend to respond well to calls for commitment, so I work that word into a lot of my calls throughout the piece, largely to emphasize whatever broader thing I’m trying to accomplish.

“Four seats back now, guys, let’s close the gap and even it up over the next 10 … ready in two … in one … commit NOW! One go! Two go! Three commit! Load together send …  that’s it, WALKING! Two seats back now … it’s yours, take it! Strong with the legs, together in two … one … two, GO NOW! Legs go! Legs go! Do not sit, do not quit … together go! Bow to stern now, bow pair, reel it in! Six bend ’em! Seven break ’em! Eight break them! Nine last 500 … ten stay on it!”

If you find yourself falling off the pace of the other crews, evaluate the situation, make a smooth transition to your Plan B, and aim to keep the energy high. Making a successful comeback might not always be possible, but at the very least you should aspire to cross the line with pride, and the strategic calls you make are your best resource to facilitate that. 

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