What's a coxswain?

Varsity 4+ keeping things serious on our home course

Nationals in Atlanta, Georgia with the Varsity 8+

Me and my fav coxswain, sharing some pre-regatta gossip as usual.

In rowing, a coxswain, pronounced "cox-in," or "cox" for short, is the person in charge of a boat. Typically, coxswains are short and at, or under, 125 lbs.

As a coxswain on my university's rowing team, my job has been to steer, lead, motivate, and correct the men in my boat. This position pushes me to take leadership of my boat, because as the cox, I am in charge of the lives of 8 men and a $60,000 boat the size of a semi truck.

Here are some frequently asked questions I get:

What are you supposed to say? 

In practice, a lot of what I do is focused around correcting and adjusting the technique of the rowers in my boat. During races, I say whatever will motivate and push my boat into first place.

Are all coxswains power hungry and bossy?

Absolutely not! There is definitely a line between being authoritative and being a huge jerk. Rowers will not respect someone who is overly aggressive. It's important to earn their respect first.

What's the benefit? 

I've gotten jobs solely from my experience coxing. It has taught me to adapt to change quickly, and how to take control in a situation. I believe my experiences on the team have helped me in life just as much as my college curriculum.

and last, but not least,

Is it hard being the only girl with eight muscle-y men?

Umm, no. Sure, they can be cute from far away, but once you get to know them, a strong brotherly bond starts to grow. Also, as much as I love them, seeing men vomit all over themselves after a strenuous workout doesn't exactly get me going haha.

If any of you have any questions about coxing, please do not hesitate to ask! I'm always happy to give advice :)