The coach is super important, but the coach is in a launch. It’s the coxswain who has to make all the decisions, it’s the coxswain who is really the leader.”

Heather McNamara

Ask any crew of eight rowers — or get thrust unexpectedly into a boat with an empty seat, as this writer experienced while reporting this story — and you understand the critical role of the coxswain in absolutely everything.

Crouched into a small cavity at the stern of the boat, the coxswain is the only person facing the direction that the crew is traveling. She steers the boat, sets the pace, and corrects and coaches the rowers, deftly mixing criticism with motivation.

It takes someone special — typically the smallest person in the crew — to take command of both boat and person, to be both inspiring and instructional.

It’s why East Bay Rowing is always on the lookout for good coxswains. Good coxswains are hard to find, and great ones are in high demand. Several of the club’s alumni have transitioned to college programs, and some of them have received scholarships for their talents. Barrington High School graduate Ellie McGee received a full scholarship to the University of Rhode Island and is coxswain for the women’s crew that just won the Atlantic 10 title and competed in the NCAA championship regatta.

Former college rower, now East Bay Rowing Director Kelsey Gosch said, “The coxswain really is an extension of the coaching staff. In a perfect world, when you’ve got a really good coxswain, the coach can explain the workout, and then the coxswain will take the reins, execute, rally the team and boat together, and provide on the spot feedback, because come race day, that’s exactly what they have to do … It’s a great seat to be in.”

Asked what personality traits fit a good coxswain, East Bay Rowing co-founding and club president Deb Sullivan said they run the gamut. “We’ve had the shy, quiet type. There’s a girl now, who is a senior in high school, and when you meet her you might think she’s scared of her own shadow, but she’s a phenomenal coxswain. She’s on fire. We’ve had spunky personalities. You’d think they would always be the firey, little person, someone with that Napoleon complex, but in my experience, it could be anybody. And we’re willing to train them.”

Masters participant Heather McNamara, a mom who learned to row as an adult, is in awe of what the coxswains are able to do. “A good coxswain is the most important thing in a boat,” she said. “They can make or break that boat. The coach is super important, but the coach is in a launch. It’s the coxswain who has to make all the decisions, it’s the coxswain who is really the leader.”

She continued, “It’s amazing to me how these kids can be shy, and the second the get in that boat, they transform. And they’re the leader for everything. They help us get the boat down, they guide us in everything.”

McNamara once tried being a coxswain but learned it’s not for her. “Years ago, I had a tendon issue and I couldn’t row, so I decided to cox. I was convinced I was going to love it, but I was actually terrified of it. It’s not for everybody. But when it is for you, it just clicks. And it’s such an excellent opportunity for kids, and there are so many opportunities for colleges … It’s so difficult to find a good coxswain.”

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