Is it November yet?

It's been a busy month loyal readers, as is evident by the numbers of days between posts.  

Some times I feel that being a coach means you're busy 24/7, but you're never 100 percent certain about what you've been busy with.  

Making it happen is the common phrase I hear.  

A quick catch up.  Walk-ons came and went, and we cut down to roughly 20 total athletes including coxswains.  Attrition has set in with two pulling the plug, but the rest are slugging away quite well.  This is my second walk-on class, and while I thoroughly enjoyed last year, this year seems to be a bit better top to bottom in terms of previous athletic experience, overall fitness, and general attitude.  That's not to say that the attitude was poor last year, but this year the athletes seemed to gel more quickly. 

There were the usual disappointments when the cuts were announced.  I was better prepared this year than last year, but it's never easy to tell someone that despite their attitude, work ethic, and clear ability, that they will not be selected for reasons beyond their control - mostly attributed to height.  Rowing is a sport where height, and specific lengths are important, and while the DIII coach instead of me says, "Absolutely," the simple truth is that height and length help, and a lack of either or both doesn't help the program improve.  

My main projects this month have been setting up a coxswain fitness program, and helping setup the home race in two weeks.  Catering, florists, facilities.  I am looking forward to pulling into November when the racing schedule slows, the initial push for projects is done due to weather concerns, and just settling back into the daily routine.