For coxswains, summer can be a great time for self-reflection and thinking about the changes you want to make in the coming year. One way to do that is to set up an effective method for self-assessment. Recording your progress and measuring improvement boost your morale and make you a better coxswain faster.
I spoke to Lizzy Houston, associate head coach of women’s lightweight rowing at Stanford, about her methods for preparing coxswains and helping them improve during racing season.
“Before racing, we have them write out their plan and break it out into chunks, either 250s or 500s. Then the coxswains know what’s coming. Maybe we’re taking a move at the 750, and the coxswain can then prepare for it. Obviously, they’re going to go off script. It’s important that they go off script and know how to ad lib. It’s super helpful for them.”
Writing out your plan forces you think it through, to speak to your rowers and your coach about it, and to get it anchored firmly in your brain. Note that Houston emphasizes the ability to ad lib. The idea isn’t memorization but familiarization and professionalism. The more you’ve thought through your plan, the easier it is to pivot from it if need be.
Then comes the crucial step for improvement: the race assessment.
“After racing, we have them write their thoughts,” Houston said. “Write where you had to pivot or where you noticed something—a boat walking or if you had to sprint early. Go through what exactly happened in the race.”
“I like a high level of detail. Specifically, how was the start? What was the sequence? How high were you on the high strokes for? Where were you in the field? Where was the first move planned? Where does it actually happen?”
Being specific about details is a key factor in a helpful race report. You can include data (splits, wind) as well as your own notes about what was happening in the race, your calls, and your crew’s actions. This prevents you from being too general in your post-race self-assessment.
“I wasn’t clear” isn’t as helpful as “I didn’t tell the crew our position for 500 meters in the middle of the race.” “It was frantic” is hard to act on, but “I spoke too quickly when the other boat started moving on us” is actionable feedback. You’re not looking to feel good or bad about yourself; you’re looking for an emotionally neutral piece of information about your performance.
When you’re done with the race report, look at the plan and the report side by side. Keep in mind: They don’t need to match. Now ask yourself some questions. Houston encourages her coxswains to think critically: “Did you follow your plan? Did you do anything differently? Is there anything you know you want to do differently moving forward?”
This system “is really for the athletes,” Houston said. “It’s helpful for us as coaches but it’s important for them to take the time to reflect and prepare for the next race. It allows them to make the mistakes on paper and gives them more ability to practice.”
A bonus: This system allows you to keep learning from past races long after they’re over. Keeping a record is helpful long term; you’ll forget things you once knew, and if you’re without a crew over the summer, you can still go back and do some makeshift race reports from your recordings. While it won’t be as helpful as doing them fresh, it will enable you to create benchmarks for your own performance headed into the fall.
Hannah Woodruff began rowing at Phillips Exeter Academy, was a coxswain at Wellesley College, and has coached college, high-school, and club crews for over 10 years.
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