The goal of seat racing is not to win your seat race. Blasphemy. But how do you expect to make the boat if you aren’t trying to win? The problem is you are focusing on what’s good for you and not what’s good for the team. Most of us don’t understand that seat racing...
Continue readingThe Call
I can feel it still. I see video of myself rowing when I was in my prime. I can feel the impulse, the rhythm, the power. I don’t row much at all anymore. I’m on the water coaching too many hours of the day to have the energy to get out and put in...
Continue readingDodgeball
When I was in first grade I was a major tomboy. Not really a surprise considering I grew up with two older brothers that I was either in competition with, being chased by, or being taught sneaky tricks to win a game. In gym class we would occasionally have a substitute teacher. Most of us...
Continue readingReplaceable
Let’s recount the past three weeks of life as context: car accident resulting in a totaled car and severe whiplash. Missed work. Miss job interviews. Botched spring break for my wife. Fear when driving through intersections on a daily basis. Two ER visits. A torn rotator cuff. Wearing an f-ing sling on my arm...
Continue readingTeachable Obstacles
I was listening to an interview with Ryan Holiday today on the James Altucher show and was inspired by the topic of finding value in obstacles. To quote Ryan Holiday “the stoic way is that all of those obstacles are teachable obstacles and they’re valuable obstacles if you let them be so.” As I...
Continue readingKeeping The Well Full
Coaching is a tough occupation. The hours are odd, the days are long, and talking and communicating all day is exhausting. I get sick of hearing my own voice. I think that’s why I like writing so much. It’s a way to communicate quietly and subtly. The toughest thing about coaching is keeping your...
Continue readingThe Squeeze
I have just two minutes to tell you something. Something that will make clicking on my blog worthwhile. There just isn’t enough time for me to sit down and write a lengthy post about rowing or life or whatever. I only have these two minutes. This is the squeeze. No time. Frantic. Need. Fear....
Continue readingThe Puddles Fade Away And Then They’re Gone
There are four more weeks left in the season for the Pocock Junior Novice Boys. This week we are doing final preparations for the Brentwood Championships, which are in Victoria, BC. We will travel by ferry early Friday morning, race that afternoon and through the weekend, ending late Sunday morning. Then we are back...
Continue readingMy Coaching Philosophy: Everyone Can Be Reached
Over the past sixteen years of involvement in the sport of rowing I have gone through many phases of certainty about my coaching philosophy. This philosophy has evolved over time through challenging experiences, successes and failures, and by working with multitudes of different athletes and programs. Since joining the Pocock Rowing Center as a full time coach...
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Why I Miss Coaching High Performance Rowers
Normally I would start this article with a caveat about loving the athletes that I get to work with and how much I appreciate their hard work and dedication to getting better at rowing. But, for once, I’m not going to do that. I’m just going to say very simply that I really miss working with...
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