Transform From Anxious Novice to Race-Winning Cox

The crew is looking at you. The coach is watching. The race is on the line.

Do you know exactly what to call? When to push? How to steer the perfect line?

Or are you hoping you don't mess this up?

Here's the truth about coxing: Technical skill isn't enough. Confidence without knowledge is dangerous. And guessing your way through a race costs your crew everything they've trained for.

Most coxswains learn through:

• Trial and error (expensive for the crew)
• Scattered YouTube videos (inconsistent, often contradictory, US versus UK language varies)
• Assuming they'll figure it out (they don't)

The result? Coxes who know they're the weak link. Crews who don't trust their cox. Coaches who wish they had better options.

There's a better way.

Here's What You'll Master:

Series One: Foundation to Competence

• Booklet 1: First outings without fear
• Booklet 2: Commands that crews actually follow
• Booklet 3: Steering that doesn't waste watts
• Booklet 4: Safety and emergency procedures
• Booklet 5: Basic race preparation
• Booklet 6: Executing your first competitive race

Series Two: Competence to Excellence

• Booklet 7: Advanced race strategy
• Booklet 8: Reading the competition
• Booklet 9: The psychology of crew motivation
• Booklet 10: Tactical calls that change outcomes
• Booklet 11: High-pressure decision making
• Booklet 12: Becoming the cox coaches recruit

A word from the author

Size does matter. When selecting a rowing crew, size and weight are physical qualifiers for choosing a coxswain – this guide cannot address your physical predisposition for coxing – either you qualify as a member of the select few or you do not! Happily, what it can do is address size and weight in equally important areas: the size of the coxswain’s knowledge base and the weight of the coxswain’s words.

Without a sizable knowledge base and words that carry the weight of authority a coxswain is not a crew
member, he or she is a passenger! Wielding a seriously big rudder with an equally big voice makes wash and noise; it does not make a coxswain.

As the fifth member of a Four or the ninth member of an Eight, the coxswain is there to contribute a lot more than his or her minimal bodyweight. It probably should go without saying, but a fast boat is
fast because all crew members contribute equally and that includes the coxswain.

Andrew O'Brien, author