Coxswain Resources

Coxswain Resources · RowingRelated

The RR
Coxswain Resources

Coxswains play an instrumental role in the success of any crew — but that role is often misunderstood or overlooked. Here's everything we've gathered to help you cox smarter, lead better, and steer straighter.

7Essential Skills
4RR Interviews
5Featured Recordings
A vintage photo of the stern of an eight, with the coxswain steering
A vintage view from the stern of an eight — the coxswain's domain
Introduction

The Role of the Coxswain

The coxswain sits in the stern of the boat and is responsible for steering, coordinating the crew, and providing motivation and feedback during a race or training session. The cox is also the boat's safety officer — keeping an eye out for other boats and obstacles on the water at all times.

A good coxswain can motivate their crew, make strategic decisions mid-race, and provide the kind of real-time technical feedback that turns a collection of strong rowers into a cohesive, fast crew. They are, in every meaningful sense, the coach on the water.

Essential Skills & Qualities
01 — Leadership
Take Charge
A good coxswain is confident, assertive, and able to motivate the crew — taking charge without creating tension. Leadership isn't volume; it's clarity and composure under pressure.
02 — Communication
Clear & Concise
Simple commands and precise feedback on technique and strategy are the cox's primary tools. Every word on the water needs to count — especially in the closing 500.
03 — Knowledge of Rowing
The Coach on the Water
A coxswain must deeply understand rowing technique, equipment, and racing rules. The crew needs to trust that the voice in the stern knows what it's asking them to do — and why.
04 — Situational Awareness
Eyes Up, Always
Other boats, buoys, weather, current — the coxswain must process all of it in real time while simultaneously managing the crew. At a race like the Head Of The Charles, a broken rudder mid-race can make or break the result.
05 — Strategic Thinking
Adapt Mid-Race
Race plans rarely survive contact with the course. A great coxswain adjusts strategy on the fly, reads the field, and makes the call — while keeping the crew focused and rowing with confidence.
06 — Positive Attitude
Steady the Ship
When things go sideways — and they will — a coxswain's tone sets the crew's emotional temperature. Calm, confident, and constructive even when the plan falls apart.
07 — Trustworthiness
Earn the Seat
Rowers close their eyes and pull. They're trusting the cox with everything — the line, the rate, the splits, the moment to move. Be transparent on distance, time, and stroke count so every seat always knows where they stand.
Resources
RR Interviews
Featured Recordings
Further Resources

Trending posts this month

The Complete Guide to Rowing Machine Benefits: Why Indoor Rowing Is Perfect for (Virtually) Everyone

Image
Updated 2026 — with links to our full Rowing Machine Reviews . The rowing machine (or ergometer) has evolved significantly over decades, but its core purpose remains unchanged: bringing the comprehensive full-body training experience from water to land. Today, with immersive workout experiences available through streaming platforms and integrated displays, the gap between indoor rowing and on-water training has narrowed substantially. Of course, it's never going to be a 1:1 feeling from the dock to the boat, and rowers (typically with not-great ergs) are apt to point out that "ergs don't float." But the value of rowing machines for fitness enthusiasts, athletes, and beginners alike is undeniable. Table of Contents: Essential Rowing Machine Benefits Lesser-Known Rowing Machine Benefits How to Incorporate Rowing Into Your Fitness Routine Best Rowing Machines for Home Use (2026) Rowing Machine Workouts by Fitness Level Frequently Asked Ques...
Read more

8 Tips to Tackle Your 2k Erg Test

Image
Lightweights racing at Crash-Bs in 2012 (Photo: B. Kitch) The junior and collegiate indoor rowing season is just around the corner, and that means sooner or later you are going be testing yourself for 2,000 meters along with your teammates. Whether it's at your club's boathouse, a regional championship, or Crash-Bs, there are a few tips that can help you to achieve your goals this winter. There are as many ways to approach a 2k as there are people rowing, but given my experience the following, simple tricks can put you in the right place when the electronic starting official let's you know it's time to go. 1. Don't worry if you can't sleep. Being nervous is natural, and look at it from the positive standpoint of neurological and physiological preparation: your body and mind are ready to get after it. That's good. The best advice I ever heard regarding sleep was as simple as this: when your body needs sleep, it takes it (I believe this came from Matt Pi...
Read more

"I Row Crew" — Rowing in 'The Social Network'

Image
Like many of the rowing faithful, I've been keeping up with the saga penned by Dan Boyne about the filming of the rowing scenes in David Fincher and Aaron Sorkin's The Social Network , and I must say I had high hopes going into the film. The first problem I encountered: the phrase, "I row crew." It was uttered so many times before anyone "rowed crew" on the water that I had trouble buying any of it later. It's understandable that the character of Mark Zuckerberg makes that mistake, since he has no idea about the sport. But when the Winklevoss twins themselves utter the phrase several times, one begins to wonder where Boyne was when these lines were not being chopped or changed. Seriously, who says that? As far as the actual rowing goes, the first scene, which has the twins out training in a pair along with the rest of the Harvard squad, is not all bad — it just ends that way. The line, "Those guys are freakin' fast" is certainly every b...
Read more

Best Rowing Drills: The Athlete's Perspective, with Olympic Bronze Medalist Megan Kalmoe

Image
Megan Kalmoe in the single (Photo: Nikki Raab) The first three of articles in our 'Best Rowing Drills' series have focused on the view from the launch, so we thought it was time to flip the script—here, we check in with two-time Olympian and London 2012 bronze medalist Megan Kalmoe about her approach to skill and drill on the water. Kalmoe began her rowing career at the University of Washington, and earned her first international bid with the U.S. U23 team in 2005, winning gold in the BW4- in Amsterdam. Since then, Megan has more often raced with two oars, switching to sculling and competing at the Olympics in Beijing and then in London, the latter of which saw her win a bronze medal in the U.S. W4x along with teammates Kara Kohler , Adrienne Martelli , and Natalie Dell . Last season, Kalmoe switched back to one oar, and earned a silver in the women's pair with Kerry Simmonds at the 2014 World Rowing Championships. Here are a few of her favorite exercises to develop ...
Read more

Coaches' Corner: Swing

Image
One of the most important, rhythmic sequences in the stroke is the movement of the upper body from the finish position through to the body-set position.    The video above, published by Everett Rowing Association , is a good example of the benefits of good swing. The stern four of this crew have gone on to prominence in the collegiate rowing ranks, and the eight move very well together out of the bow.  Swing is easy to work on during the winter, as is team-wide uniformity of swing, by lining up the ergs at your training session and having the rowers do their steady state training together. If your team can match their hand and body movements as they establish good body position on land, it will solve a great deal of issues when you take to the water once again in the spring. Swing begins with good posture at the release.   The rower must be sitting tall, making sure that the ribcage is not collapsed over the hips. The abs must be engaged in this position, so that...
Read more