As we move ever further away from the peak of the Coronavirus pandemic, rowers are able to once again enjoy the feeling of cutting summer glass on their local river; and with British Rowing’s decision to move into Phase ‘E’ of the return to rowing plan, rowing with those outside of you household is once again a possibility.
This seems wonderful on the surface – and indeed, for many it is – but how do we deal with the reality that most athletes will have been away from their crew, coaches and clubs for over six months? Earlier this week Junior Rowing News had the chance to discuss just that with one of the best-known psychologists in the rowing world.
Stephen Feeney is the founder of The Invictus Project and Sports Stoic, through which he has helped athletes from Olympians to Blues to achieve their goals.
I fired up my computer and joined the Zoom call several minutes late, yet Stephen’s laid-back approach instantly put me at ease. His calm, relaxed manner pre-empting his approach to this thorny issue.
We began by discussing how athletes can move past the covid-era and back into normal training; his advice was simple.
“People will look at situations and environments and see it as a tainted time, or look at in a way that enables you to ask ‘what did you do, what did you learn’ and use that going forwards. Through adversity, people certainly find out a lot more what they’re made of.”
He went on to put into words what we all instinctively know, that athletes – especially rowers – enjoy challenges, comparing the trials of training through Covid to the horrors of coastal waters.
“You don’t just race when it’s flat conditions at 25 degrees with a little puff of tailwind; you look at what it is and decide what you’re going to focus on. Even if it was like the North Sea, you’d look at what you did well and decide what you’re going to take forward.”
The main idea here is that whatever hand you’re dealt, you have to train yourself to extract fundamentals that you can take forward. But what are these fundamentals, and how can we use them to our advantage?
“You have to ask yourself: What do you want to focus your attention on? Things you don’t have access to or things you can improve.”
This is Stephen’s life motto – you have to focus on the present moment. Worrying too much about the past will hold you back, whilst concerning yourself with future events will give you the false impression that you have very little control over the course of your life and sporting career.
If you want to explore this in more depth, Netflix’s The Last Dance includes a section on ‘playing present’.
So then, is it possible that lockdown has turned some juniors into better athletes? Stephen thinks so…
“If you put ten people into a room they’ll each have a different perspective. It’s not a matter of wishful thinking, rather it’s a question of what can I apply myself to.”
Essentially, athletes need to understand that they have a choice, which sounds simple enough, but in an age of data-driven sports analytics, it’s easy to feel like a very small cog in a very large machine. But Stephen’s keen to point out that it’s a matter of which wolf you choose to feed – one will eat your food and then you, whilst the other will carve your path.
On the next level, we need to practice the right mental models of focussing our attention where we want it all the time.
“You wouldn’t train yourself on the water with poor technique, so why practice your practice with the wrong mindset when it will only lead to a negative outcome?”
All of this begs an important question: If some athletes come back with a fresh mindset and others don’t, could this slow a crew down as they try to juggle their new mental models in one boat?
“It’s like saying ‘is there an issue if you bring someone back and they’re pulling a 5:50?’ Well probably not because they’ll only make the boat go faster”
Especially if an athlete has a simple way of delivering their new mental strategies, they can help those around them understand the fundamentals and together work to build a stronger, more resilient crew.
These principles extend beyond the athletes, to coaches and the support team where Stephen has some ideas on how they can cultivate a healthier squad atmosphere.
“Making it enjoyable is the most crucial thing, especially because of Covid. Then, you need to decide whether you’re going to build your crew out of sand or steel. But on a basic level, it has to be enjoyable.”
Coaches can also ask their athletes what they learnt during Covid, everyone will have their own unique insight that could help the team going forward.
“If you trained, what were the things you learned, and if you didn’t train, what were the things you learned? Then, take some of those principles and use them as foundation stones to start the year with.”
Stephen’s final words of wisdom came back to the idea of training for enjoyment, rather than merely as a means to an end.
“If you’re training simply because it’s fun, you’ll reach the end of the season having learned a lot as a physically and mentally strong athlete, regardless of whether or not you race. We look to build one version with which you respond, whatever hand you’re dealt.”
With Thanks to Stephen Feeney.
Ed Evans
Opinions Editor
That’s all for now. If you’re hungry for more, check out any of our other pieces from The Catch, listen to our latest podcast episode, or flick through our race previews.
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