Floating Classroom
BY BILL MANNING
Coaches are teachers. Knowing the subject matter—rowing and sculling technique—is a prerequisite but also insufficient unless coaches know how to teach it. The ability to teach the desired technique, not simply knowing it, leads to the best outcomes in the shortest period of time. (There’s tremendous value in creating an environment in which athletes can mess around and figure it out on their own, but rarely is there enough time for this.) All coaches can follow a simple teaching progression to instruct their athletes more effectively.
Begin by telling athletes what to do. This is obvious and widely accepted but rarely yields good results alone. The explanation must create a picture in their minds as crystal-clear as possible. It’s not enough to speak; a coach must communicate, and often this requires repeated and varied ways of stating the desired behavior.
Explain what should be done rather than what not to do. For instance, “Don’t sky” is less helpful because it’s less specific than “Keep the blade down before the catch.” Positive instructions are explicit and give clear direction toward the desired behavior. Negative instructions leave open too many other possible actions. Tell your rowers what you want them to do rather than one of the many things you don’t want them to do.
Next, explain why. When athletes understand the “why” behind the “what,” they’re more motivated to get it right. Doing so can be as simple as showing a much faster crew (“See what the varsity does that helps them go fast”) or as complicated as explaining the physics behind it (“By keeping the blade down, you miss less water and connect the blade better, thus moving the boat faster”). Too often, we underestimate the curiosity and intelligence of our athletes. By neglecting to involve these powerful traits, we miss learning opportunities. Understanding is empowering.
Knowing what to do and being motivated to do it, athletes now need help learning how to do it. If “what” is direction, then “how” is instruction. Work back from the desired behavior to the underlying actions that can produce the correct outcome. Demonstrate and describe how to do what is wanted: “Square the blade down to the water by rolling the knuckles of your inside hand up and away….Keep the chin and chest up and thus the hands up.…Keep the lower edge close to the water by sitting tall and keeping the hands relaxed as the knees rise.…Loosen your grip.”
Combining demonstration with description is the best way to convey how to do it correctly. Without verbal explanation, your athletes won’t know what to focus on or what actions bring about the desired result. After you show and tell the athletes, they should attempt to imitate; crucially, the coach should correct to refine the imitation and improve it. There must be accountability to the repetition, and it doesn’t serve your athletes to avoid correcting them. Negative feedback can be delivered when there’s a positive atmosphere and trust. Hold your rowers to the appropriate standard for their age, capabilities, and ambitions.
Typically, successful coaches introduce the “what,” explain “why,” teach “how,” and repeat until athletes get it right.
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