A Place For The Misfits

When I look at my career in coaching I see a unique pattern that has developed over time. I have coached everyone from totally new rowers to National team athletes. I have worked with everyone between the ages of 13 up to 80 years old. I have coached people with physical limitations and people who are unlimited in their physical capabilities. I have coached moms and dads, CEOs, COOs, corporate teams,  elite athletes, and people who just want to experience what it’s like to float away from the shore for an hour.

I coach the people that no one notices. The people that no one thinks can amount to anything. The people who don’t look like rowers or fit the traditional mold. I coach the old people. I coach the un-athletic people. I coach the overachiever but under-believer PhD people. I coach incredible musicians who are responsible for night after night of flawless execution of The Nutcracker. I coach the too short, too skinny, too chubby, too slow, too inflexible, too limited misfits of the world.

And when I wonder why people like me so much or keep coming back to my classes or practices I begin to see why. I create a space for those misfits and outcasts to be noticed, and valued, and connected with. I create a space for them to be loved, cared for, and where they feel worthy of the best. I establish relationships with them that have deep meaning in and outside of the boat. I develop trust by interacting with them in a way that helps them to believe in themselves and to learn and grow as people.

For all you misfits out there, this is your space. This is where you can come to be seen, noticed, heard, and cared for. Welcome.