Coxs...what?

I've been a coxswain for almost 8 years now, which is an unfathomable thing in and of itself. I feel like I haven't even been alive long enough to have been doing something for this long. That being said, I've also been explaining to people what a coxswain is for 8 years, which isn't exactly an easy task. Despite my best efforts, my little spiel is usually followed up with something along the lines of: "oh, so you're the person who sits in the boat and yells?" Well. Kind of. 

SO WHAT IS A COXSWAIN YOU ASK? 

Great question. According to most standard definitions, a coxswain is the person in charge of a boat, particularly it's steering and navigation. This is a basic, basic definition. My role goes so much further than that, and I often refer to what I do as a mental sport. (This seems like some real baloney, I know. Bear with me.)

My role includes steering yes, but the core of my responsibilities include motivating, leading and instructing. It's my job to make sure that rowers get through their workout whether it's on land or on the water; this includes working hands on with my teammates to make sure their erg scores are on target (the torture machine featured in House of Cards, if you're not familiar). I try to keep everyone motivated and most importantly reminded of why we do what we do. At the end of the day, it's all about perspective.

The parts about this role that can be especially difficult really boil down to the management aspect. When you're on the water you're not just "sitting there," steering. You're listening to the coach, feeding rowers information, getting the boat in sync to move smoothly, paying attention to whats ahead of you as well as anticipating the actions of other boats on the water. There is so much going on at one time, which can be exciting and daunting and frustrating and also crazy-fun. One of the biggest things I've learned over the years is how to assess what's going on in my immediate surroundings, plan ahead and get information across effectively, while having a fun time with it.

This role is something that's come to define me over the years, especially as I've grown and learned and fallen in love with the sport. I am so lucky to be surrounded by a group of talented, motivated and incredible girls that keep me inspired to keep doing what I do. Crew is one of the most rewarding (albeit trying) things I've ever been a part of and I am so thankful for where it's brought me and the people it's introduced me to.