The most important lesson I learned from rowing has nothing to do with weightlifting technique, nutritional health, or erging. Rowing has taught me how to trust and rely on people fully. The most obvious person I have to trust, as a rower, is my coxswain. It was difficult for me at the beginning to put all of my power and strength into making a boat move backward. I couldn’t see where we were going! So, I had to trust this person to keep me safe.

On the other hand, the coxswains place a lot of trust in their rowers. They have to know that the rowers are going to do what they say. If rowers don’t put in the power asked of them, or stop when they are told, the system falls apart. So, although it may look like coxswains hold the majority of the power in the 9-person system, they only have the power that the rowers give them.

The coaches also have to trust the coxswains with their rowers and equipment. They teach the athletes everything they need to know. But, especially in the first few weeks, there is a large leap of faith coaches must take. At the varsity level, coxswains are responsible for enforcing much of the coach’s training plan on and off the water. The data they record is invaluable. It can determine lineups. And their efficiency on the water can make or break a practice. I admire the work coxswains do in the boat and behind the scenes. I trust them to lead me anywhere.

The athletes, rowers and coxswains, also place a lot of trust in their coaches. This respect and communication are what drives the boat and the team to be the best it can be. As I’ve toured colleges and NCAA Division III crew facilities, I’ve realized how lucky we are at Stonington Crew. The training plans we follow are comparable, which shows how truly talented and knowledgeable the coaches here are. It amazes me that they can foster a level of commitment and competition in high school athletes, that college coaches do, and with fewer resources.

Rowing is a triangle of trust. The three points are the coaches, the coxswains, and the rowers. The trust has to go both ways in every pair for the triangle to be fully defined, safe and powerful. I have learned to take on the responsibility asked of me and to trust my teammates and coaches over the past four years.

The Most Important Thing I Learned from Rowing Isn’t About Rowing

Elizabeth Yarnall

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