Genetics vs. Will
Fall recruitment is underway and we're about to start hitting up local schools - middle school and high school - in an effort to get kids interested in rowing. On one hand it seems that it would be a rather easy task. Lake Oswego - the city - is just twenty minutes down from Portland and happens to be right in the middle of the Three Rivers League, one of the better high school athletic conferences in the state. Lake Oswego also happens to be one of the more affluent areas in the state of Oregon so the costs of rowing and sports in general is usually not an issue. On the other hand, it's because of these factors that I believe we have issues with recruitment and fall numbers. The better conference means that the level of ability is higher which usually means most kids play their sport or sports year around. The affluent nature of the area also means that kids who might otherwise be left behind can afford to hire personal trainers or attend small selective clinics in order to improve their skill set. And in general the money means that more sports are available to participate in that might not otherwise be offered in other towns. In other words it's an uphill battle.
That aside, what I most often run into when talking with parents and their kids about joining our team or any team I've coach is the question "well what makes a good rower?" That is a great question and one that if you take your time to think about your answer is one that doesn't have a straightforward response.
The simplest answer is - "you do." With rowing at least in the fall, it would seem quantity is quality. The bigger the talent pool the choose from, the easier it gets to fill out boats. Filling an 8 sounds simple but filling an 8 with 8 solid rowers who will make it go fast is less so. I digress. In this day and age with internet research rampant and the ability to look up things on the fly using a phone, a simple answer isn't always the best and I personally find that it does two things. 1. It leaves people wondering why "you do" applies across the board when most programs have at least a small level of physical requirement. 2. That aside, are you certain that quantity is synonymous with quality?
Of course there is one question that I believe MUST be asked and answered before proceeding further. Do you want to be competitive or do you want to be recreational? It's a question that I've seen programs struggle with - having coached at two such programs - and one that is rarely if ever asked. Because in my opinion in general everyone CAN row. What makes a difference, where the lines need to be clearly marked and where recruitment can start to get sticky is when that question is asked. The program itself must answer that question first and determine what it wants to do and then recruit along such lines.
I believe that anyone can row. It's enjoyable and relatively low impact. It's something that you can spend a life time perfecting at your own leisure. There are people who are 80 years old out there rowing. On the flip side of that, I don't believe that everyone can be a competitive rower. Competitive rowing can be enjoyable but it's much more disciplined and demanding both physically and mentally. It's time consuming even when you're not on the water or working out on land. The difference between the two is night and day times 100. Competitive rowing isn't like a rec. league at your local YMCA. Careers are made, future national team athletes and coaches are found, colleges get involved. It's a different world.
What makes a good rower? For me it depends on how you answer that first question regarding the level of rowing you'd like to be at. That question of competitive vs. non competitive can be asked a nearly infinite amount of times. While it might be too late at some point to try for the national team, it's never too late to decide to try out the next level and move into a more competitive setting. It's never too late to decide to walk away from the competitive nature of rowing and get back to what rowing might very well always be about - simple enjoyment.
I know that the proceeding paragraphs haven't fully or even half answered the question of what makes a good rower. I'm not an expert by any stretch but I can say with some certainty that what I look for in an athlete differs from what another coach looks for. I've worked with a coach who believed in going easy till the kids had signed up then changing to "normal" practice. For me that's a rather underhanded way of recruiting because you're purposefully misrepresenting your sport and your personal character.
When I talk to parents and their kids I tell them to come down and see what rowing is all about. I give them the information up front so they can make an informed decision. I don't sugar coat practices or answers - though I do go for tact - because I want them to understand fully what they're getting into. In other words, I'm a lousy salesman because I don't try and trick you or misrepresent what I do and what I'm about. Again answering the question of what makes a good rower can be difficult so I typically will open or close with this.
"If you're willing to work very hard and show up every day, you're going to be fine."
Perhaps not the most reassuring line ever handed to a potential athlete due to the lack of real promise but to me, this is where good rowers start.
That aside, what I most often run into when talking with parents and their kids about joining our team or any team I've coach is the question "well what makes a good rower?" That is a great question and one that if you take your time to think about your answer is one that doesn't have a straightforward response.
The simplest answer is - "you do." With rowing at least in the fall, it would seem quantity is quality. The bigger the talent pool the choose from, the easier it gets to fill out boats. Filling an 8 sounds simple but filling an 8 with 8 solid rowers who will make it go fast is less so. I digress. In this day and age with internet research rampant and the ability to look up things on the fly using a phone, a simple answer isn't always the best and I personally find that it does two things. 1. It leaves people wondering why "you do" applies across the board when most programs have at least a small level of physical requirement. 2. That aside, are you certain that quantity is synonymous with quality?
Of course there is one question that I believe MUST be asked and answered before proceeding further. Do you want to be competitive or do you want to be recreational? It's a question that I've seen programs struggle with - having coached at two such programs - and one that is rarely if ever asked. Because in my opinion in general everyone CAN row. What makes a difference, where the lines need to be clearly marked and where recruitment can start to get sticky is when that question is asked. The program itself must answer that question first and determine what it wants to do and then recruit along such lines.
I believe that anyone can row. It's enjoyable and relatively low impact. It's something that you can spend a life time perfecting at your own leisure. There are people who are 80 years old out there rowing. On the flip side of that, I don't believe that everyone can be a competitive rower. Competitive rowing can be enjoyable but it's much more disciplined and demanding both physically and mentally. It's time consuming even when you're not on the water or working out on land. The difference between the two is night and day times 100. Competitive rowing isn't like a rec. league at your local YMCA. Careers are made, future national team athletes and coaches are found, colleges get involved. It's a different world.
What makes a good rower? For me it depends on how you answer that first question regarding the level of rowing you'd like to be at. That question of competitive vs. non competitive can be asked a nearly infinite amount of times. While it might be too late at some point to try for the national team, it's never too late to decide to try out the next level and move into a more competitive setting. It's never too late to decide to walk away from the competitive nature of rowing and get back to what rowing might very well always be about - simple enjoyment.
I know that the proceeding paragraphs haven't fully or even half answered the question of what makes a good rower. I'm not an expert by any stretch but I can say with some certainty that what I look for in an athlete differs from what another coach looks for. I've worked with a coach who believed in going easy till the kids had signed up then changing to "normal" practice. For me that's a rather underhanded way of recruiting because you're purposefully misrepresenting your sport and your personal character.
When I talk to parents and their kids I tell them to come down and see what rowing is all about. I give them the information up front so they can make an informed decision. I don't sugar coat practices or answers - though I do go for tact - because I want them to understand fully what they're getting into. In other words, I'm a lousy salesman because I don't try and trick you or misrepresent what I do and what I'm about. Again answering the question of what makes a good rower can be difficult so I typically will open or close with this.
"If you're willing to work very hard and show up every day, you're going to be fine."
Perhaps not the most reassuring line ever handed to a potential athlete due to the lack of real promise but to me, this is where good rowers start.
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