i know- coxswains don’t get blisters on their hands or scream in pain on the erg machines. they don’t have to physically push themselves to the limit.
but mentally, being a coxswain is insanely difficult and taxing. they take the blame for every. single. mistake. made. regardless if it was their “fault” or not. they get bitched about behind their back, and all they can do is pretend like they didn’t hear a word. they’re constantly worried about screwing up whether it be in practice or regattas. they have to please the coach while still being a fun person to be around. honestly, i’m a coxswain that doesn’t easily let go of things that happen on the water because i just feel this overwhelming guilt for a long LONG time. even if i couldn’t have done anything better or different, i always feel like it’s not enough. it’s incredibly stressful 24/7, but coxswains just act like everything’s okay since they’re the glue that keeps the team together.
so please, appreciate your coxswains. understand that a bad row is just a day and that they’re probably mentally going through the practice over and over again, beating themselves up for everything they could, or couldn’t, have done differently. and if it’s only the first week or so of the season, we promise that our coxing ability or style doesn’t determine who we are as people, and all we want is to gain some respect. coxswains really try, and we’re sorry if we mess up. please take this information to heart the next time you’re considering bashing a coxswain directly after a practice/regatta; your words and actions make a deeper dent than you might think.
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