CoxPod

Safety is our #1 job, and being safety conscious is an effective way for coxswains to earn the trust of our teammates and coaches. Constructing safety requires training, active attention to detail, and constant situational awareness. We unpack various safety scenarios, from the everyday to emergencies. Be wary of magical thinking! Connect with us on our website at https://www.CoxPod.com, on our Discord server, or on social media. Support us on Patreon!

Indoor rowing tanks are an unusual setting—offering different opportunities and challenges from what we experience on the water or with ergs. We can assess an individual's rowing stroke when unaffected by any other variables, such as the environment or other rowers, and make improvements that transfer to the water. Here are practical suggestions on how to make the most of tank sessions, including dealing with the acoustic challenges. Connect with us on our website at https://www.CoxPod.com, on our Discord server, or on social media. Support us on Patreon!

From the moment we get into the coxswain seat, we build our steering skills by testing and trying different tactics. As we advance these skills, maneuvers become easier at both practices and races. This frees up mental bandwidth for the other things we do as coxswains, and it's more fun! Connect with us on our website at https://www.CoxPod.com, on our Discord server, or on social media. Support us on Patreon!

Our first offering of a blend of practical tips and assorted topics that don't have their own episode (yet). This fast-paced, more causal episode includes topics such as coxing a 7, and asking if you've named your cox box. Connect with us on our website at https://www.CoxPod.com, on our Discord server, or on social media. Support us on Patreon!

Cam shares the details of his incredible win (from behind!) at the 2023 Henley Royal Regatta and how he developed the skills necessary to achieve this pinnacle of coxing success. He articulates the importance of resilience, overcoming isolation and adversity, building relationships, believing in his rowers' abilities, and trusting the crew's race plan. Connect with us on our website at https://www.CoxPod.com, on our Discord server, or on social media. Cam's Henley recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZVstnl-JV0 Cam's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ctm14911/ Cam's email: ctmmoffatt@gmail.com Support us on Patreon!

No one (but us) thinks to prepare you to cox the practice day at HOCR. We talk about how to be safe and efficient in the setting of hundreds of boats of varied classifications and skill levels squashed into a compressed timeframe on a river with complicated geography. This guidance will help you avoid penalties that could get applied to your race, set appropriate expectations, and leave you and your crew feeling prepped for an amazing HOCR. Connect with us on our website at https://www.CoxPod.com, on our Discord server, or on social media. Support us on Patreon!

Our teams can be caught in one or both of these common cycles: the downward spiral of recruiting coxswains who quit the team, or the virtuous cycle of recruiting engaged coxswains who become enthusiastic recruiters of others. We emphasize the importance of intentional recruitment and retention strategies. When these go well, the result is a happy and engaged coxswain. Connect with us on our website at https://www.CoxPod.com, on our Discord server, or on social media. Support us on Patreon!

Does anyone have a spacer? There's water in the foot wells! Do you have any tape? My top nut is loose! I need a bandaid! This whole episode builds on the popular credit card ad: What's in YOUR wallet? For a full blog post version of this episode including links to all the resources we mention, visit https://www.coxpod.com/036. Connect with us on our website at https://www.CoxPod.com, on our Discord server, or on social media. Support us on Patreon!

Learn about Katie's mindset as she coxed through her path from high school to collegiate/masters rowing, and her involvement with co-creating Coxswain Resources. Katie chooses to learn from every experience: mistakes as well as successes. She also stresses the importance of finding an environment that will support our individual development as coxswains. Connect with us on our website at https://www.CoxPod.com, on our Discord server, or on social media. Support us!

This is unlike an ordinary day in our coxing experience, because participants don't know anything yet. And our job on this day is not to teach them: it's for them to experience the sport and decide if they want to pursue it further. In short, we're ambassadors for the sport. Common language is essential for a safe and welcoming experience, and we provide examples of phrases you can substitute for our usual rowing terminology. Leave your jargon at home! For a full blog post version of this episode, visit https://www.coxpod.com/034. Connect with us on our website at https://www.CoxPod.com, on our Discord server, or on social media. Support us!

Coxswains use visual information from bladework to inform our understanding of what a rower is doing with their body, which in turn can inform the calls we make to improve and synchronize the bladework. By working our way from the blade towards the handle, we discuss an approach for using all the visible parts of the oar to your advantage. Connect with us on our website at https://www.CoxPod.com, on our Discord server, or on social media. Support us!

A key relationship in a crew boat is that between stroke seat and coxswain—every boat contains this partnership. Whether you are face-to-face in a sternloader or separated by other rowers in a bowloader, this partnership between the two of you has a powerful effect on the crew's performance. Connect with us on our website at https://www.CoxPod.com, on our Discord server, or on social media. Support us!

If we're distracted by what we're wearing (or not wearing), we can't effectively do our jobs as coxswains. The hosts talk about how to dress for the conditions we encounter in an outdoor water sport, and we own up to some of our past (and current) mistakes. For a full blog post version of this episode including links to all the resources we mention, visit https://www.coxpod.com/031. Connect with us on our website at https://www.CoxPod.com, on our Discord server, or on social media. Support us!

No coxswain has the luxury of being in a boat that's always set. We talk through how to diagnose and correct set issues, no matter your skill level. Connect with us on our website at https://www.CoxPod.com, on our Slack channel, or on social media. Support us!

Coaches often give little or no instruction about how to steer properly. We debunk and explain common advice like "steer as little as possible." The stronger our grasp of the fundamentals, the better we can adapt to changing equipment, lineups, and weather conditions—all variables that impact how we steer. Connect with us on our website at https://www.CoxPod.com, on our Slack channel, or on social media. Support us!

Applying to schools or preparing for a job interview? Leverage your coxing experience when responding to common application and interview questions. We talk about the diverse skills we bring to the coxswain seat, and also emphasize how the skills we learn there can transfer beyond. Connect with us on our website at https://www.CoxPod.com, on our Slack channel, or on social media. Support us!

We focus on the fundamentals that coxswains should incorporate into every drill: consistency, precision, clarity, and tone. Using these elements helps actualize a more purposeful drill. We illustrate these points by talking through a sample of three common drills, including how we call them. Connect with us on our website at https://www.CoxPod.com, on our Slack channel, or on social media. Support us!

You've heard from us, and now we hear from you. Topics include: correcting set issues, stroke seat relationships, confidence, defining what a coxswain is, and the results of three audience polls on Instagram. Connect with us on our website at https://www.CoxPod.com, on our Slack channel, or on social media. Support us!

We discuss starting sequences, mid-race calls, sprinting to the finish, and what happens after crossing the finish line. We also explore approaches for when our boats are ahead, “in the pack” of competitors, or behind. This is the third of three related episodes, including: 022 | Stakeboats and 024 | Sprint Racing: Prep to Marshaling Area. Connect with us on our website at https://www.CoxPod.com, on our Slack channel, or on social media. Support us!

Dealing with the compressed time frame of sprint races introduces complexities before and on race day. Because there are so many intricacies, we gave this its own episode. We touch on how this compressed timeline affects preparation, warmups, and managing the marshaling area. Please note that this episode contains a discussion of weight requirements for coxswains from 06:55 to 13:04. Connect with us on our website at https://www.CoxPod.com, on our Slack channel, or on social media. Support us!

Erg races give coxswains the opportunity to interact 1-on-1 with rowers. We cover this type of event from preparation, through the race itself, to how to deal with the outcome. You can apply these same concepts to helping your rowers through an erg test. Connect with us on our website at https://www.CoxPod.com, on our Slack channel, or on social media. Support us!

Many sprint races start by attaching boats to a fixed object that we call a stakeboat. These stakeboats often require coxswains to deploy all of our maneuvering skills. We discuss the different types of stakeboats and how each of us approaches them, including considerations for the marshaling area and the moments right before the start. Connect with us on our website at https://www.CoxPod.com, on our Slack channel, or on social media. Support us!

We celebrate the podcast's one-year anniversary by challenging each other in a game of Would You Rather. This candid episode contains coxswain-related conundrums and constant camaraderie from your CoxPod co-hosts. We include two scenarios provided by our listeners! Connect with us on our website at https://www.CoxPod.com, on our Slack channel, or on social media. Support us!

Coxswains are in a unique leadership role. We delve into the complexities of the coxswain's relationship with rowers, coaches, captains, race officials, and other coxswains. The tools needed to successfully manage these relationships evolve as we mature, develop skills, and operate in different team environments. Our goal is to build a set of strategies we can opt to take to navigate these situations. Connect with us on our website at https://www.CoxPod.com, on our Slack channel, or on social media. Support us!

Our voices are our leadership tools, and we need to use them properly so that they can serve us for the long term. We spoke with Linda Guida, CCC-SLP. Linda has been a rower for many years, and knows the demands that the role of coxing places on the voice. Key tips include: having working voice amplification equipment, practicing genuine vocal rest, and minimizing yelling. Connect with us on our website at https://www.CoxPod.com, on our Slack channel, or on social media. Support us!

Coxswains need to execute specialized movements of the boat, directing various components in order to accomplish these maneuvers with precision and discipline. We talk about holding water, sculling it around, backing, spinning in place, swapping rowers, and other boat movements. Sun Tzu said: “Maneuvering with an army is advantageous; with an undisciplined multitude, most dangerous.” Connect with us on our website at https://www.CoxPod.com, on our Slack channel, or on social media. Support us!

A quick update from the hosts of CoxPod. We're excited to bring you more content soon! Support us!

Head races require specific coxswain skills, from the moment of entering the chute until crossing the finish line. We explore passing and being passed, strategies for effectively managing the long duration of the race, and the importance of knowing and holding the best line. The complexities of a head race give coxswains many opportunities to positively impact the outcome. Connect with us on our website at https://www.CoxPod.com, on our Slack channel, or on social media. Support us!

We cover the intricacies of preparation for a head race, starting from the moment of deciding to attend the race, through the activities of race day leading up to entering the chute. All of the information gleaned as part of this preparation informs the race plan you'll ultimately execute as the coxswain. Connect with us on our website at https://www.CoxPod.com, on our Slack channel, or on social media. Support us!

You've heard from us, and now we hear from you. Topics include: vocabulary and tone, rowers in the coxswain seat, fostering a collaborative atmosphere, improving when you get no feedback, lining up for a race, judging distances, motivation when you're the underdog, and reflecting on what we'd tell our novice selves. Connect with us on our website at https://www.CoxPod.com, on our Slack channel, or on social media. Support us!

Our guest brings a perspective as a coach, Olympic-level rower, and occasional cox. Why does Abby coach coxswains? She values what they can bring to the boat. She also shared what she appreciates in a coxswain, from her perspective as a rower. We've been honored to benefit from Abby's coaching and mentorship. Connect with us on our website at https://www.CoxPod.com, on our Slack channel, or on social media. Support us!

Docking is a fear-inducing process for many coxswains, including us! As Chuck Yeager (renowned pilot) said: “If you can walk away from a landing, it's a good landing. If you use the airplane the next day, it's an outstanding landing.” We share information about the many details that can affect how we land: wind, current, rowers, etc. Connect with us on our website at https://www.CoxPod.com, on our Slack channel, or on social media. Support us!

No dock? No problem! In this episode we discuss the unique considerations that apply when launching and landing without a dock. While beach/wet launching can present challenges, it also comes with benefits. We hope you'll find this episode particularly beneficial if wet launching isn't your typical experience. Connect with us on our website at https://www.CoxPod.com, on our Slack channel, or on social media. Support us!

Everyone talks about landing/docking, but coxswains rarely get guidance on launching. We discuss how to safely get a boat from the rack to the dock, including: how to deal with rowers of varying heights and physical abilities, where should you be positioned as a coxswain during the launching process, what to do at venues with very long walks to the launching area, and how to do a standing shove! Support us!

We walk through a water practice from start to finish, drawing back the sometimes-opaque curtain and discussing how even a perceived simple act like “get to the dock” is more nuanced and complex than people appreciate.  Connect with us on our website at https://www.CoxPod.com, on our Slack channel, or on social media. Support us!

When you look at a rowing shell, coxswains appear to be sitting motionless, not contributing to the movement of the boat. But anyone who’s been in the seat knows that what we do is physically demanding as well. In this episode, we hear the perspective of a physical therapist (who is also a rower and coach) on the athletic aspects of the coxswain seat. Connect with us on our website at https://www.CoxPod.com, on our Slack channel, or on social media.

The common perception is that coxswains give feedback, but the other side of that coin is just as important. Coxswains aren’t only sources of output. To excel, we have to be receptive to input. In this episode, we talk about how to receive and integrate feedback from coaches, rowers, and race officials. Connect with us on our website at https://www.CoxPod.com, on our Slack channel, or on social media.

How can we wield our words most effectively? Like James Bond (the original 007), a laconic man known for pithy phrases, a great coxswain can learn to use words like Q’s sophisticated gadgets. We also talk about how you can leverage your feedback to support the team’s goals. Connect with us on our website at https://www.CoxPod.com, on our Slack channel, or on social media.

If your first instinct upon hearing that you’re going to be coxing a bowloader is “#?@$!,” this episode is here to help. We talk about what makes communication in this boat type different from in a stern-loaded boat, and discuss how to develop the almighty “boat feel.” Connect with us on our website at https://www.CoxPod.com, on our Slack channel, or on social media.

The prolific author of the “Ready all, row” blog joins us for a conversation about how coxswains can improve their skills, why coaches should coach their coxswains, and other topics relevant to the “oar-less” rower. We’re grateful that a visionary colleague in the coxswain content world is our first guest. Connect with us on our website at https://www.CoxPod.com, on our Slack channel, or on social media.

We’ve fondly dubbed this episode “Into the Belly of the Beast”—listen in to find out why! We delve into the intricacies of a boat class that is ubiquitous in the sport but not often discussed or understood by the larger rowing community. Fear not! Connect with us on our website at https://www.CoxPod.com, on our Slack channel, or on social media.

It’s time to delve into the nooks and crannies of our personalities. We all have strengths, weaknesses, and personality styles that deeply affect how we interact with the world. This includes our roles as coxswains. We’re NOT all the same, and many of us don’t fit the stereotypical cox description. Take your own personality test and think about how you can use this information to be more effective as a coxswain. Connect with us on our website at https://www.CoxPod.com, on our Slack channel, or on social media.

It’s 2020 and the world is coping with COVID-19. The pandemic has shut down most sweep programs. Let’s talk about some concrete ideas designed to help us get through this time and improve ourselves even when we can’t be in the seat. Connect with us on our website at https://www.CoxPod.com, on our Slack channel, or on social media.

Meet Sally, Breana, and Anne, the co-hosts of CoxPod. In this episode we'll introduce ourselves, tell you about how we got started in coxing, and give you a sense of what you can expect from future CoxPod content. We're delighted to have you here! Connect with us on our website at https://www.CoxPod.com, on our Slack channel, or on social media.

Hear the voices of your hosts Sally, Breana, and Anne as we briefly introduce our content. We’re three coxswains with a combined 50 years of experience in the seat. We decided to share our knowledge with coxswains everywhere via this podcast, and ultimately we hope to create a community among our audience, where coxswains can learn from each other.