Good coxswain recordings give me so much energy even if all I am doing is sitting down and listening to them over and over again! This is one of my favorite recordings that I discovered this year.

Start (0:24-1:00) – This start sequence is similar to what my club used this year, so it was helpful to see how she calls the next stroke at the finish of the previous stroke. Then for the 20 high, she calls the stroke at the catch. 43 SR!?! Flyyyyyy, girl! “Big 9, 10 shift down” is a great way to call the transition. Keeping the power on while changing the rhythm.

Status update (1:09) – She keeps the crew informed of their place throughout the race. When I ask rowers what they like to hear and don’t like to hear during a race, one of the most frequently requested calls is status update. They want to know where they are compared to other crews and the distance.

Ratio shift (1:20-1:46) – I like her ratio call here because of these three reasons: 1) She gives a two-stroke heads up, 2) She tells the crew how many beats she wants to bring down so that everyone is on the same page. 3) She updates the crew on where they are after the shift. Not too long after, she seamlessly brings one more beat down to where she really wants them to be.

Posture (3:21) – “We are all gonna sit up and relax it down one whole beat for ratio shift.”

Move (3:40-4:40) –  It’s awesome that you know exactly what is going to happen here. During the focus 10, rowers are gearing up for that big power 20 to move.

Call to write down (5:52-6:06) – “You sit up, and you do not let off that gas pedal. Do NOT let off because you know who’s watching you right now. Every fucking girl in our team who’s worked all year to get you here. Every coach.”