Recently Harlan Trevithick, Row York’s Queens Middle School Program Director, and Catherine Hicks, Row New York’s Manhattan Novice Program Assistant, attended the inaugural US Rowing Youth Coaching Symposium in Princeton, NJ. The conference included classroom discussions and on-water portions with the Men’s US National Team! Below are 7 key lessons Harland and Catherine learned from the top youth coaches in the country including Guenter Buetter, Liz Trond, and Kris Korzeniowski.
7. A rower’s potential is their size and erg score. Coach them positively and thoroughly to get that erg score up and allow them to become more valuable to the team!
6. Good technique and rigging your boat to be its most efficient is free speed and will turn the rower’s potential into a reality. Among other things, this includes matching up catch angles and adjusting both the angle and height of the footstretcher so that all of your rowers have the same load.
5. Middle school is the best time to start rowing. Why? Because it allows for the most opportunity to teach both form and good habits. Remember that both winning and losing are habits; it’s best to get in the habit of winning early!
4. EDCR is crucial. That’s Explanation, Demonstration, Correction, Repetition. Learn the acronym–it works, we promise!
3. Put pictures of good rowing EVERYWHERE. This makes sure your student athletes are constantly surrounded with positive and motivating energy.
2. Don’t forget to coach the coxswain too! Have them record themselves to share with other coxswains. This not only allows them to hear themselves, but also allows them to learn from each other’s techniques and experiences.
1. Make it fun! Rowing is a mentally and physically demanding sport. If you can introduce games and contests to make it fun for student-athletes you’ll get more out of them both in practice and during races.
Happy rowing!
