"Regardless of ethnicity or race, I am a simple individual who has learned that one has to work hard to get where one hopes to arrive. Perhaps this is no great lesson. We will never be the best we can be until we work as hard as we can and push ourselves to a limit we create every single day."      -- Excerpt from the book "Perfect Balance" by Aquil Abdullah.

McCallie Coxswains Guide

There is a perception that coxswains are simply mindless slaves that steer boats. This is far from the truth because coxswains play a critical role in the safety and performance of their crews. As a coxswain you can cause or prevent accidents, discourage or motivate your crews, and even win or lose races. In a nutshell coxing is about being safe and straight.

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Safety:

The most important issue to remember is safety. This begins with awareness and control of your crew. You need to be alert to everything that is happening around you and constantly re-evaluating your situation. You need to look forward, to the sides and even behind you. What you are looking for are potential hazards: things that you might hit or that might hit you. When you see a hazard you need to make a mental note of it and then relocate the hazard fairly often until it is no longer a danger. If you lose contact with a hazard you have a big problem. The hazard may be in your blind spot, lost in the sun, under waves, or it may have moved. If this happens you need to clear your blind spot or re-locate the hazard. If you can't relocate the hazard within a short period of time slow down, swing wide of the area, or stop. It is better to err on the side of safety.

It is very important for you to realize that you have a large blind spot directly in front of the boat and that this is the area you are moving into. If you are concerned about what is in your blind spot you can put the boat into a slight turn, look at the area that you couldn't see, and then resume your original path. However, the best strategy is to look far ahead and look often. Every minute or so you travel roughly the length of a football field. An object could have been too small to see, changed its position, or in the case of boats changed their path. So look far and look often.
Other crafts need special attention. This includes boats from your own team. Do not assume that they see you. Ask yourself if your path is going to cross theirs and if so what is going to happen. Anticipate what is going to happen and have a plan. If two boats are headed for the dock someone needs to stop and let the other boat go. If a boat is crossing in front of you or you are following a boat be prepared for it to stop. If you don't think you can avoid the other boat in the event that it does stop then you need to stop.

Barges can be very dangerous and sneaky. When possible avoid the channel and know that barges don't always stay in the channel. Away from the tug they are very quiet and they are deceivingly fast. They can also back up, sideslip, cause a tremendous current, or pull off the bank without warning. A stationary barge is also a great danger. It is possible for wind and current to push you under a stationary barge. Always be aware of wind and current. Never go between barges. Wakes, or waves, generated by other boats are also a concern. When rowing through a wake, warn your crew and if needed slow down. If you encounter a large wake get the boat turned sideways or parallel to the waves and stop. It is possible for large waves to lift the front and the back of the boat and break it in half.

Always know the traffic patterns. This is very, very important particularly at races. Know the traffic pattern before you go on the water. It is also a good idea to learn as much about the area you are rowing in as you can. Are there stumps, tricky parts of the course, underwater hazards, shallow spots, weeds, a difficult docking situation, or a special spot to cross the course?

A coxswain can not properly carry out his or her tasks in discomfort. Don't forget that every day you should have appropriate clothing to be on the water in any conditions. This includes sunglasses and a hat with a brim.

Don't grow complacent. Always remind yourself of the actions you must take in order to be safe. You are most likely to have an accident once you have become comfortable, or once you have stopped reminding yourself about the items discussed above. Also, just because you have a coach's launch next to you does not mean everything is ok. Coaches can be distracted or simply not see things.

Summary of Safety Tips:

1. You need to be alert to everything that is happening around you and constantly re-evaluating your situation.

2. Err on the side of safety.

3. Look far ahead and look often.

4. Other craft need special attention.

5. Anticipate

6. Be aware of wind and current.

7. Always know the traffic patterns.

8. Every day you should have appropriate clothing to be on the water in any conditions

9. Don't grow complacent.

Steering:

The second most important task for a coxswain is to steer straight. This is actually a much more difficult task than it seems. There are many factors that can come into play in your attempt to steer your boat straight.

Proper body position in the boat is a good factor to begin with. You want to remain still relative to the boat so that you maintain a good feel for the rudders position and so that you do not disturb the set of the boat. You should be a part of the boat. Your feet should be firm against the footboard and your but should press against the back rest effectively locking in your lower body. Your hands should grasp the sides of the boat while keeping the rudder cable between your index finger and thumb. This will help keep your upper body from moving and lock your hands into position preventing unwanted rudder movement. The rapid acceleration and deceleration of the boat with each stroke makes remaining still difficult.

Rudder movement is a second factor. The rudder is the moveable part of the skeg or fin. When you move your right hand forward it will cause the rudder to drag on the right hand side of the boat. This will cause a right turn and a little lean in the boat. If you push your left hand forward the rudder will drag on the left side of the boat causing the boat to turn left and lean a little. Ideally when your hands are even with each other the rudder will be straight. A piece of tape is placed in the center of the rudder cable to help you know when the rudder is straight. You can also look at the stern deck and the rudder bar. When the rudder bar is perpendicular to the length of the boat the rudder is straight. When you move the rudder it will take a few moments for the boat to respond and begin to turn. Likewise, when you want to stop turning, it will take a few moments for the boat to resume a straight path. A common mistake is to put in a large amount of rudder movement, turn too far, and then put in a large amount of rudder movement in the opposite direction. This is called over-steering and causes the boat to follow a curving path. This slows the boat and disturbs the set. The best way to steer is to use small rudder movements and be patient.

Once you can make the boat go straight and turn smoothly you still need to know where you need to be and how to give the rowers the best ride. Discuss with your coach the traffic pattern that you should be following and stick to it stringently. Your path should obey local traffic patterns, take advantage of steering points and avoid hazardous areas. You should follow the same path everyday barring changes in weather and water conditions. This does not mean that you just go up one side and down another. It does mean you try and follow exactly the same path each day. This makes you predictable by other boats, the coach, and helps with the timing of the practice. It also gives you practice at being precise. Along your pattern you want to try to have long straight lines joined by as few mild, short turns as possible. To achieve a straight path you need a point, or landmark. Do not assume that the bank or a line of buoys is straight. This is a common mistake made by novices. If you are headed straight towards a point you will not be able to see the point because it will be hidden behind the rowers. Therefore, it is a good idea to point the boat just to one side of your point so that you can keep it in view. This will also keep you from driving directly into your point. As you approach a point it should remain in exactly the same position relative to the boat. The point will simply grow in size visually as you get closer. Another helpful clue is to look at your wake. Often a long trail will be formed behind the boat that outlines the path you just took.

Given ideal conditions simply staying aimed at a point will cause you to travel in a straight line. However, uneven power, wind, and current complicate matters. Uneven power often occurs in new novice boats. This is when one side of the boat naturally rows harder than the other causing the boat to move along slightly sideways. Missed strokes and other mistakes will also cause the boat to move erratically. When this happens compensate with the rudder as best you can and talk to the coach. It is particularly important to talk to the coach if you have to always keep a little rudder to one side.
Wind and current can quickly turn a straight path into a curve. The ability of a coxswain to deal with wind and current is one of the things that separates average coxswains from good ones. Basically, when you encounter wind or current you want to line up with your point briefly and then steer slightly into the wind or current. This will cause the boat to travel along a straight path to your point even though the boat is not pointed directly at your landmark. Being able to do this takes a great deal of practice.

Summary of Steering Tips:

1. Proper body position

2. Be patient and don't over-steer.

3. Discuss with your coach the traffic pattern

4. Point your boat just to one side of your point

5. Steer slightly into wind or current

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Communicating with the crew:

The coxswain is in effect the captain of the boat. You steer, control the speed, call drills, and make important decisions. The responsibility is yours. You essentially control all the actions of the boat and the crew. If a boat is doing the wrong thing the coxswain needs to get it right. To do this effectively you have to know what the coach expects and communicate this to your crew in a clear and positive manner.

Your interaction with the coach is important. Know what is expected of you and help promote the goals that have been set up for a particular practice, week, or race. Listen carefully about how practices, drills, race plans, and equipment management is to be carried out. While you are not a coach, you are a very important link in the promotion of the coach's will. How well you do this determines how well organized the team is and ultimately the team's success.

There are many commands at your disposal. The important thing is that you use the same commands consistently and speak clearly. Consistency insures that the crew understands exactly what actions to take as a result of the command. It also allows them to predict what commands you are about to call. This allows the rowers to be better prepared to carry out the commands. Clarity is very important. Commands should be relatively short, even one word if possible. Novice coxswains often use too many words. The speed at which you speak greatly affects clarity. Steady speech, pauses between commands, and consistent timing between commands, will help keep things running smoothly. Pauses between commands also allow a coxswain to check on how well the rowers are really listening. Commands should be pronounced properly and you should pay attention to the tone of your voice. Experienced coxswains unfortunately get into the habit of speaking to rapidly and slurring their speech. Try to maintain a professional, calm tone in all circumstances. This excludes the last 500m of races and certain practice pieces! Lastly, avoid giving commands while a coach is speaking.

It is also your job to provide the crew with important information. The coxswain should regularly update the crew about stroke rating, stroke count, time, set, boat speed, boat feel, position in a race, the condition of other crews, strokes to go, etc. However, this does not mean that the coxswain needs to be constantly talking. So that you can provide accurate information, know your electronics and be able to estimate distances. Learn how to use the counter function on a cox box and how to function the buttons on a speed coach. During workouts, particularly at race speeds, practice estimating how many strokes it will take to go a certain distance. Races can be won by exceptionally small margins. So, also be able to carefully gauge your speed and stroke rating against boats in other lanes. Watch crews in other races and learn to recognize when crews are growing tired or are rowing solidly. In the end, you want to give your crew the information that keeps them on your plan, motivates them to push, and race smart.

You have a unique point of view in the boat as a coxswain. You know exactly how the boat feels and how it is set. Pay attention to how a coach fixes certain problems. If the problem arises again remind the crew of how it was fixed in the past. However, be careful not to become the "coach" and if possible direct your comments to the whole boat and not just an individual. It is also very helpful if you give the rowers something to think about. You might have them think about catches for 30 strokes, or controlling the slide for 20. This keeps the rowers focused on technique and greatly helps break the boredom of long steady state workouts. Keeping the boat set is a big problem that a coxswain should be very aware of. If the port rowers raise their hands the boat will lift on that side. If the port rowers lower their hands then the boat will lower on that side. Instructing your crew on setting the boat is a bit of an art but does have a few steps. First, get everyone to do exactly the same thing over and over. Take a good look at the heights of the oar shafts. Is one side higher than the other and which side should be adjusted? Is there one rower that is out of time, or rowing wildly? Is it just wind or rough water? Once you decide to make a change remind the rowers to make very small changes. Also, don't allow a boat to sit on one side all the time. The boat needs to be flat.

Docking, Launching, and Trailers:

The general rule with docking is to stop rowing early and go slow. If you stop rowing early you will have plenty of time to slow down. If you are going slow then you are much less likely to do damage to the boat if you hit something. You will also have more time to react to sudden problems such as a gust of wind or wake from a coaching launch. Plan your approach so that you don't have to maneuver near the dock. Try and take a straight path that is at roughly a 15 degree angle to the dock and take into account that wind and current will affect your position. Remember to go slow. At racing venues there will be a dock master that will tell you when you may approach the dock and may give your crew directions. Do what they tell you to do, but be careful because sometimes they don't know what they are doing. Once you are on the dock protect the boat and go through your unloading procedure. Keep the boat off the dock and have people hold it for stability. A vast majority of the long-term wear and tear on a boat comes from contact with the dock

When launching be careful that there is ample room between the boat and the dock before the rowers get in. The boat will sink somewhat when it is loaded. This can cause the sides of the boat to rub the dock. Load the boat and then look at what is going on around you before moving. Go slow as you clear the dock. Be careful as you enter the traffic pattern.

There are a few considerations that coxswains should help with when loading boats on the trailer. First: go slow. There are lots of pointy objects that you can hit around a trailer. Next, use plenty of people. This is very important for high racks and center racks. Make sure that all the hatches are closed and all the seats are "bungied" well. Steering cables should be taped so that they do not slap against the deck of the boat. Any loose wiring should be taped also. Do not use duct tape or athletic tape to do this. Use black electrical tape. Red flags should be placed on the back of the boats. Most of our boats have a ring on the stern that you can simply tie the flag to. Don't forget that we need to take the flags off and reuse them. Any boats that are "slotted" into the middle of the trailer should have their splashguards removed. Put the screws back on the boat and put the splashguard in a box. Don't leave it loose because it will blow out of the trailer. Never leave a boat on the trailer unstrapped. The wind can blow them off the racks.

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Equipment:

We are exceptionally privileged to use equipment that is so expensive and yet so easily damaged. We are also very privileged to have the quantity and quality of equipment that we do. We must take care of it! Every single piece of equipment should be treated with respect. Boats cost as much as, if not more than cars. What would your father say if you tossed a wrench on the hood of his car, or slightly bumped a tree while parking it? We need to be very careful with our equipment and it is your job to enforce this.

This care and consideration includes cox boxes, oars, and any other items that you may find yourself using. Cox boxes are your responsibility. There is absolutely no reason for a cox box to be dented or have scratches on its face. Microphones need to be worn and not held. Do not pull on the microphone cord. After practice place your cox box back on the charging stand. Keep the charging stand organized. Hang up the microphones and keep the charging cables untangled. The cox box is your responsibility. When we travel you are expected to bring it with you packed in a case with its charger. You are not to hand it to someone else to keep. If you do hand it to someone else and it is damaged or lost it is still your responsibility. Take into account that it should always be charged the night before a race. Speed coaches are easily scratched so keep them in their cases when they are not on a boat. When we are at home just leave the speed coaches on the boats. When we travel they should be kept in the red tool box. Also, always keep speed coaches and cox boxes in a safe place. They are easy to steal, or forget, and expensive to replace.

You are going to be given a wrench. This is your wrench so mark it with some tape. You should have it with you on the water and it should be worn around your neck. Do not place wrenches in the bottom of the boat. If you lose your wrench then you need to buy a new one.

There will be a red toolbox for rowers and coxswains. Keep track of the tools that go in this box and don't leave any tools lying on the ground. Seat and rigger bungies will also be in this box. There will be a second box with a green lid containing pads and flags that should stay in the trailer. Straps will have a container also. There will be several other toolboxes and parts boxes. Only coaches are allowed to get things out of these boxes. The one exception to this is that you may put splashguards in the spare parts box.

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Getting in and out of the boat:

1. All novices will follow this procedure. If not you will be asked to take the boat out of the water and try again.

2. The boat is held overhead with the elbows locked. Check that when the boat is rolled into the water that a rigger will not hit you.

3. Slowly roll the boat into the water while reaching as far out over the water as you can. Remember that the middle of the boat is wider than the center of the boat. The boat should never touch the dock!

4. Load the oars. If you are a dockside rower hold the boat for the waterside rowers.

5. Oars across - The oars are extended and the dock side rowers hold the boat.

6. Waterside foot on the strip, down and in - note that the dock side rowers are still holding the boat.

7. Dockside foot on the strip, down and in. Then the coxswain gets in.

8. When landing coxswain gets out. Dockside foot on the strip, up and out.

9. Dockside rowers immediately hold the boat with one hand and undo their oarlocks.

10. Waterside rowers foot on the strip, up and out pulling oars across.

11. Dockside rowers continue to hold the boat while waterside rowers remove their oars.

12. All rowers stack their oars on the dock. Coxswain holds the boat off the dock.

13. Hands on. Ready to lift … and … lift. The boat is lifted to overhead without dragging it on the dock or hitting other crews on the dock.

Parts of the stroke:

1. Finish or Release - this is when you remove the blade from the water. Your legs are flat and your hands are close to your body.

2. Slide or Recovery - this begins by moving your hands away from your body and pivoting your torso forward from your hip with your back straight. This is often referred to as getting "out of bow". You then bend your legs and slide your seat toward your heels. This should be a slow controlled motion and as your hands pass over your shins you should square your blade.

3. Catch - Once you have reached the end of the slide you lift slightly on the oar handle to place the blade in the water.

4. Drive - The blade is in the water and you are pushing with your legs and hanging with your arms. It's the legs that really provide the power. Think about accelerating the handle.

Drills:

Half Slide - Rowers go from the finish halfway up the slide and then take the stroke. There is a tendency to slide too far. Three quarter slide is just a longer version of this.

Pause Drill - Rowers pause briefly at a certain spot during the stroke until the coxswain says row. Better rowers can control their own pause duration after a few cycles. This may be done every stroke, every other stroke, every third, etc. Common positions for the pause are at body over, the finish, and the catch.

Cut the Cake - This is an advanced pause drill at body over. Pause at body over. Instead of going to the catch go back to the finish and then take the stroke. There is no pause at the finish. Except for the pause at body over there should be smooth continuous motion.

Square Blades - Blades are kept vertically throughout the entire stroke. This is most often done with at least two rowers setting the boat.

Very Low Stroke Ratings - Very low stroke ratings such as 16 or less

Reverse Ratio - Here a normal stoke is taken but the slide is fast and drive slow

Drive and Glide - The boat is accelerated at full pressure for a certain number of strokes. Then a long pause is done with blades off the water, body over or at the finish, before taking another set of strokes.

Inside Arm Only - Rowers row on the feather with only their inside arm. This is usually done with two rowers setting the boat.

Outside Arm Only - Rowers row on the square with only their outside hand, This is usually done with two rowers setting the boat.

There are many different types of drills so when they are explained to you pay close attention because you may have to explain the drill to your rowers. Also, pay attention to why the drill is done and what elements of the drill should be focused on. Drills, particularly pause drills, are a good way to keep boats of different speeds together without wasting the crews time, or forcing them to row without pressure.

Summary:

Whether you are a rower or a coxswain, you have a big job and a lot to remember. Don't expect everything to come at once. But do make an effort to practice and improve your skills whenever you can. This includes observing other rowers and coxswains and other teams. Be straight and safe. Help take care of the equipment. Be a positive influence on the team and most importantly think about what you are doing.