“The art, though difficult, may be acquired by imitation of a good practitioner, and, once it is mastered, constitutes one of those delightful combinations of strength and delicacy in which is found the chief charm of the higher athletics.â€
How can we define confidence? What separates it from arrogance? Where are the lines blurred between positive and negative personality traits? Arrogance, or cockiness, in an athlete and in the sporting world more generally, is most often viewed as a negative trait. However, the very qualities that can result in arrogance clearly help to make […]
What does it take to become world-beating – or just very good at sport? Do we inherit our talents, are we born champions or can someone teach us to be a winner? This great book by British and Commonwealth table tennis champion, Matthew Syed takes personal experience and sports science to unravel the answers – […]
The few minutes from when a crew hears the gun till the end of the race often seem to be the toughest. What can you do to ensure your preparation has been perfect? You should have completed extensive physical training to prepare for the race, but how well was your mental aspect of the preparation […]
Is Mental Toughness All It’s Cracked Up To Be? asks Jason Dorland – and gives answers to our audience. THE CONTEXT: By continually celebrating the merits of mental-toughness, are coaches possibly limiting their athlete’s ability to reach their highest potential? What if telling our athletes they need more grit in order to be successful was […]
An athlete/player’s intense training and competing schedule leaves little time for education and personal development. Crossing the Line (experts in supporting athletes) have responded to this need by developing a unique series of webinars that are available live and on-demand to cater to their various schedules and time zones. The team hosts two webinars per […]
Getting back on track A back wound from an unforeseen boat crash or a painful overuse rib stress fracture that lingers on for months are unfortunate events that can happen in rowing. The main causes of injury are physical factors such as muscle imbalances, collisions, overtraining, and physical fatigue but psychological factors can also contribute […]
A coaching mnemonic for rowers Over the years I have coached all age groups and have used the mnemonic F.I.T to help focus minds and discover where the strengths and weaknesses are in particular rowers. I have a board in the boathouse that I use to address both new and developing rowers. It asks the […]
Chris Shambrook: Intelligence for Coaching Discuss the most rewarding coaching experience you ever had round the table. What did you feel like? Emotional intelligence for coaching rowing First task Write down 4/5 words about the athletes who are easiest to coach Alongside write down 4/5 words about how you feel when coaching them Chicken or […]
I sat in the bow seat of a coxed four for a long distance race (the Fours Head of the River). It was remarkable for two things. Firstly we were a girls sweep crew and being chased by a mens quad and secondly I learned the difference between port and starboard. Des was our coxswain […]
