Why I would hire a rower
The first women to win an Olympic gold medal for rowing wanted to be known as “fast and ugly.” Their coach described the race simply — it wasn’t about strategy; it was about speed. Whoever goes the fastest wins. But what does it take to be the fastest?
These women made it look easy, but it requires many hours of dedication and practice to be the fastest in the ultimate team sport. Rowing requires exactness in technique and synchronicity in movement. Every person in the boat has a job to do, in the right way, at the right time. There is no room for error.
As I watched the video of their historic win, I realized rowing is a perfect example of my dad’s coaching philosophy, DDS – Desire, Discipline and Structure.
Desire
Most rowers don’t grow up rowing. They are athletic but often have participated in other sports and bring what they know about competing to their rowing team. They are drawn to the competitiveness and physical requirements of being part of a team that can’t succeed without trust and chemistry. There is no success without desire to be there.
We can all learn a few things from this US women’s team
Discipline
Every person in the boat has a role to play based on their position in the boat. The sport requires a strong sense of personal responsibility to fulfill that role. A rower must have strength, endurance, and strive to perfect their rowing technique. It requires focus and consistent practice. If they were musicians playing in an orchestra and one of them hit some wrong notes, it would be noticeable.
Structure
Positions in the boat are clearly defined and rowers are led by the “stroke” position who sets the timing for everyone else. A coach places rowers in position based on their size, strength, technical ability, and mindset. The success of the team depends on putting the right people in the right place as required by the structure.
Why I would hire a rower
The importance of teamwork is evident in every sport, but it’s nowhere more crucial than in rowing. There is no leading scorer. The team operates as one unit.
Rowers understand their role and put in the work to fulfill their responsibility to the team. We can all learn a few lessons from them.
Thank you to my favorite rower and work teammate, Dusty!
Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash