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 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...
Continue readingFavorite Rowing Drill
One of my favorite rowing drills is the balance drill. I usually did this at the beginning of a row either to test my core stability or to show off in front of my teammates. When I trained at Potomac Boat Club in Washington, DC, we would launch at 6am and meet on the...
Continue readingPutting A Name To The Why
Last night I could not get to sleep. I felt like I was going insane. I had so many thoughts and ideas and fears thrashing around upstairs that I thought I was never going to be able to relax again. But in the morning I had some clarity. I realized that the hardest part...
Continue readingA 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...
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