It isn’t hard to notice when a coach has had a new idea, or found a solution to a problem. Almost giddy to get on the water and waiting for the right mistakes to be made to utilise a drill that the athletes have never seen before. However, where do these ideas come from, most coaches aren’t able to develop a unique drill on the fly. The most common way that coaches develop themselves is through discussion, sharing ideas, and generally gossiping. The best time to do this is over a coffee. This can be due to a number of different factors, sometimes the coach’s ego, but mainly due to socialising factor, love of the sport, and just helping out friends. However, caffeine addiction is not just reserved for the coaches, the boatmen and athletes all gather to gossip in the café. Realistically a chat over a brew can’t really be construed as helping out the opposition, but can definitely get you brownie points with your mates, and maybe even a chocolate brownie if you dish up the good stuff.
The most common way that coaches develop themselves is through discussion, sharing ideas, and generally gossiping.
It may seem counterproductive for coaches, often from competing clubs, to be sharing problems and solutions, particularly when training programmes are so fiercely guarded. It could be argued that coaches have an ego and want to show off their knowledge. Being able to solve someone else’s problem and be able to lord it over them may be appealing to some, being able to claim ownership and credit if the crew does well, and having no blowback if they don’t. All of this despite having possibly never even meeting the athletes. Some of these coaches will see it as though they are doing a very personal favour and will be delighted that they have been specifically approached to solve someone else’s crew issues, rather than just gossiping between mates. They will not expect to be paying for their own brew. The same goes for the boatman who gives up their super secret methodology for fixing a small scratch or hole in their own very individual way. It always comes with a wry smile that is so different from the grumpy demeanour often found in the workshop. They are sharing with you their top secret super classified files of epoxy resin and filler. When on the receiving end of this it is usually best to act surprised that they are sharing their innermost, clandestine recipe for fixing boats and being happy that they are not berating anyone for tying a boat on poorly.
Coming off the wet winter morning training, bleary eyed and absolutely done with the crew, coaches need coffee and a good vent. A casual group therapy session commonly follows on from the poor sessions, and a celebration follows the good. When nothing seems to be going right, the coaching team shouldn’t let loose on the crew, they are (usually) trying their best to respond to coaching and make the boat go as quick as it can. When going to get warm and dry, and fend off the tiredness from waking up at a stupid time to get to training, the whole coaching team bounce comments off each other, lamenting their struggles and offering advice to help their friends. Sometimes if a coach has had a tough session or two, being able to solve another’s problem offers a confidence boost, and cheer someone up all in one go. This off the water time is what builds the friendships between coaches, and helps make all coaches better.
Coming off the wet winter morning training, bleary eyed and absolutely done with the crew, coaches need coffee and a good vent.
Often, younger and fresher faces in the coaching game will be friendly with the battle worn and more experienced in the industry. This friendship is beneficial to all. The youngsters will learn classic exercised, different ways of communicating and framing the stroke, and maybe some fruitier analogies that come in useful when making a point. The old guard will learn newer innovations in the sport, stay up to date with the tech used and even be open to newer coaching methods. That is not to say that coaches over a certain age are going to be clueless with technology or that younger coaches can’t be old school, but the relationship between youth and experience is always key and those involved can bounce off each other. The development of younger coaches is key in keeping the sport renewing and fresh, and the relationships formed and lessons learned over coffee in the clubhouse are integral to this.
Rowing coaches keep very unsociable hours, and forming friendships with those on a 9-5 can be difficult. Coaches are often good friends, many having rowed together, coached together, or bonded over mutual stories of rowing shenanigans. The common denominator in these relationships is rowing and the focus of conversation will always revert back to this. Coaches will be helping each other’s crews out without realising just by having a conversation with a friend; boatmen are very similar, though often more grumpy and with dirtier jokes. It is not unlikely that relationships form between the coaching teams from rival clubs, sitting in the café at Henley giving eachother the side eye whilst racing then meeting at the Fawley bar after to toast to a good race, all laughed at by the boatmen having their second breakfast and sharing funny stories from past camps.
Coaches will be helping each other’s crews out just by having a conversation with a friend
The rowing world is incredibly small and it would appear that everyone knows everyone. Helping other coaches by sharing knowledge is not uncommon, challenging yourself to beat better and better opposition as well as being a member of a close knit community is a driving force in keeping the sport alive and flourishing. Most of this is done over coffee after the stupidly early sessions that rowers and coaches put themselves through.
About The Author
