This winter, I had the good fortune of teaching a class on coaching at the Institute for Rowing Leadership at Community Rowing, Inc. It was energizing to work so closely with a group of young coaches at the start of their careers, guiding them through uncovering and strengthening their own identities as leaders. While we read a variety of academic articles, listened to podcasts, and watched TED Talks, we found that some of the most valuable time we spent in class was learning directly and personally from other rowing coaches.
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This included a panel discussion on coaching philosophy with Al Acosta, head coach of the Cal women, Mike Gennaro, head coach of the Yale heavyweight men, and Kate Sweeney, head coach of the Ohio State women. All three coaches were at different stages in their careers, with differing backgrounds and influences on their paths to their current positions, but I was struck, yet again, by the similarities. Good coaches do so many of the same things well, even if they do them in their own ways.
A theme well worth repeating is how important it is for coaches to create and communicate the value of being on their team and doing this sport—not only to recruits and members of the team but also, crucially, to stakeholders on campus. Al spoke clearly and strongly about his rowers learning just as much, if not more, from their time on the rowing team as they gain from their time in the classroom. He talked about rowing as a complement to the academic education they’re receiving, not a detriment.
As the ground beneath college sports shifts almost daily, it’s critical for the survival of rowing, and all Olympic sports, that coaches articulate the value that their teams bring to the college experience, since we aren’t bringing in the money obviously of the big-time spectator sports.
Amateur sports teach resilience, teamwork, independence, and leadership in practical, high-stakes ways that cannot be rivaled elsewhere on campus. They create the kind of accomplished, loyal, giving alumni all colleges covet.
If elite collegiate rowing is to continue to exist, it’s imperative that coaches become adroit and relentless in preaching the value of our sport for those who participate in it and the schools that sponsor it.
