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 of three programs and adult sculling classes my philosophy has continued to change as I grow more aware of who I am and how I want to impact others.
My initial coaching experiences were with learn to row or novice high school athletes. Most of these people had never rowed before so my job was to teach them the basics or as my coach would call them the fundamentals of rowing. This could be anything from how to get in and out of the boat, to the traffic pattern, or learning which end is the bow or stern. Often times this type of coaching can feel like babysitting or chaos management. I grew as a coach in the sense that I learned how to keep people safe, get them back to the dock on time, and occasionally taught them something about how to row.
A few years later I transitioned to working with varsity high school athletes and elite rowers. This phase of my coaching career made me more aware of the psychological and physiological needs of higher level athletes. Working with advanced rowers was more about pushing mental limits and fine tuning already strong fundamentals into superior technique and power application with a focus on best performance during competition. I found that I grew closer to these athletes over time because of the demands of emotional connection, communication, and leadership involved. Drawing on my experiences as an elite athlete, I would empathize with what they were going through, and provide them a foundation of support, encouragement, and guidance.
In the past two years as a coach of multiple rowing programs and a wide range of ages and skill levels I have begun to see much more clearly what is at the heart of how I coach. Working with diverse groups of people forces you to be innovative, creative in how you communicate, and to constantly adapt to different learning styles, work ethics, goals, and psyches. This stage of my career has lead me to the resulting philosophy that everyone can be reached in some way. What I mean by that is, I believe coaching is not just about fundamentals, technique, or fitness and strength, but about connecting with each individual athlete and helping them in whatever way is necessary for their success. Success could mean anything from carrying the boat by themselves, to learning how to square and feather, or to letting go of fear and frustration.
Believing that everyone can be reached in some way is not an easy way to coach. First, you have to care deeply about everyone that you work with. If you go out and try to blanket coach a group of intermediate scullers, some people will become detached, frustrated, and possibly never come back. This means listening to their needs, understanding the speed at which they are comfortable learning, and communicating in such a way that you get them to buy in to your philosophy and overall goals for their rowing. Second, you have to work hard and pay attention to the subtleties. Is this person making eye contact? Are they smiling? Do they seem upset in some way? What is blocking them from making a change? Why do they approach rowing the way that they do? What are their limitations and how can I tease out some small awareness or achievement in the moment by communicating better, listening better, or letting go of my own biases?
Believing that everyone can be reached is not about making fast boats. Fast boats are a side effect. Believing that everyone can be reached is about caring for an individuals experience, well-being, and sense of self. Maybe it is a luxury to be able to coach this way. Some coaches may argue that running of a team of highly skilled, high achieving people, such as a university rowing team, doesn’t allow you the room to coach this way. There is pressure to perform in order to keep your job, uphold the prestigious reputation of the university, or recruit more athletes. But, I would argue that people coach to their own capabilities and desires, often drawing on their own experiences of being coached. I’m not in charge of a huge university rowing team but I believe my coaching philosophy would be the same if I was. Whether you’re a fifty year old business man who wants to get out on the water for the first time or an Olympian, I try to stay true to my goal to reach you in some way in order to help you become better, feel better, and love your sport. I have found that when a coach connects with me I work harder, feel better, and enjoy my process more. I have achieved great success with coaches who connect with me and those who do not, but the times when I felt close to the coach are the experiences I look back on more fondly and share more freely with others.
As I continue to work with diverse athletes and programs I look forward to the challenges each new experience presents to grow, adapt, and strengthen my philosophy. No one way is perfect but this works for me.
What is your coaching philosophy and how has it changed over time?
