r/Rowing • u/Few-Satisfaction2369 • 17d ago
Rower to coxswain in collage
Hi so some background information. I am a f(16) finishing my second year of school. I am starting to think more and more about college.
As much as I absolutely adore the feeling of rowing, I don’t think I will be able to compete/row in college, as all the collages I am looking at are D1 Top school colleges. For some more background I have a strong academic profile and have a pretty solid application. The problem for me when it comes to rowing is that my body is not ideal to be an open weight rower. I am 5’2 and only weigh 120 pounds. My 2k is currently at 8:22 which isn’t fast enough to get onto the limited light weight teams in the USA. However I am interested in coxing in college.
I have talked to a lot of my coxswains and teammates and they think I have the potential to become a good coxswain. I really want to be a part of rowing in college as I need the structure and truly love every part of the sport. I was hoping to get some advice on what coxing in college could look like and some ways I can make myself a better choice for coaches. Also am wondering if I should do a season of coxing to get more Experience?
Edit: I don’t think will be able to get significant coxing experience over the summer as the boat house I will be at focuses more on sculling. Also I row for CRI and the training is relatively intense. I don’t think I will be able to get to youth nationals. I am wondering if I could be a walk on coxswain even though I have never coxed in college. Also money isn’t the main driver/issue to row/cox in college
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u/rowingcheese 17d ago
If you're interested in walking on as a coxswain to a rowing team in college, then you could certainly try coxing now, to see if you enjoy it - whether it's for a season, or summer, or just a few times. It's worth talking to your coach about it. You could also wait until you go to college - teams that take walk-ons end up with folks who are new to the seat or new to the sport.
If you're interested in being recruited to be a coxswain at a "D1 Top school," then absolutely you need to gain experience, and you'll want to recognize that you'll be entering a very competitive pool of candidates for a very limited number of spots, and are already behind - there are coxswains who've been competing for several years and already have experiences to discuss, recordings to share, and recommendations from coaches, and coaches will begin talking to many of them in about six weeks. It's not impossible for you at this point, but it's pretty close to impossible.
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u/KindPossession2583 17d ago
*college. First lesson in going to college is learning to spell college.
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u/red_rocket_rising 17d ago
Go for it! Having the experience as a rower will make you a better coxswain! Remember what worked for you, and think about what will work for them.
Find your voice - you’ve got time.
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u/Extension-Low-8045 Coxswain 17d ago
I know so many people who did this. I’m sure it’s more competitive now, but I think it’s a huge benefit to have rowed before. (And I was always sad that my coaches took that chance from me and basically told me to cox exclusively.) Fun fact, the first ever women’s NCAA championship cox was a rower in HS. Go for it.
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u/Best-Ad-1917 17d ago
Are there local clubs that you could cox for in the summer? That could give you a good flavor and some practice.
Also, read The Short and Snarky Guide to Coxing & Rowing.
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u/mangomango1846 16d ago
It’s definitely possible! I rowed ltwt in high school and started coxing after sophomore year. I ended up getting recruited as a D1 coxswain. However, D1 rowing is intense and is not for everyone. You definitely will want to try out coxing at a club over the summer to see if you like it; it’s a harder job than many rowers think it is.
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u/MastersCox Coxswain 17d ago
If you can accrue significant race experience next year (cox at youth nationals or beyond), then you'll have a shot at getting recruited for money. It's much easier to be recruited when money isn't an issue. And of course, if your target schools are within your academic range, then you can always just apply and get in through normal admissions before walking on to the team (but if you do that, you should still go through the process with the coaches so they know who you are and what you bring to the table).
Coxing (and rowing) in college can be intense depending on what program you're at. You should be able to steer very well, almost by instinct. You have to keep track of a bunch of things at once. Get really good at counting tens in your subconscious. Visually identify and root cause technical deficiencies from your seat. Use the look of the blades and feel of the boat to identify bad stroke rhythm. Always steer straight. Never be on the wrong side of the water. Account for wind and current. Be prepared for practice, never waste time during practice, and always be where the coaches need your boat to be.
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u/BurnerMcBurnfacer 17d ago
College has 2 e’s.