A couple weeks ago I had the good fortune of visiting the Craftsbury Outdoor Center in Vermont. For those who have never been it’s affectionately described as “Adult Summer Camp” by the athletes at Lake Washington Rowing Club. It feels a world away from the hustle of life here in Seattle. Exactly what a summer camp should be.
Craftsbury is situated on Hosmer Pond, a quaint little body of water, populated by Loons, and nestled in the Vermont countryside. The setting is a calming and enjoyable place to row but the real value of Craftsbury is the exposure to different coaching perspectives. Different perspectives can be challenging. Often times they offer competing information from what we’ve been taught. It requires patience and openness.
I frequently see athletes and coaches buy-in fully to one way of doing things. Closing your mind off to different ways of rowing ultimately limits you and your athlete’s development. By willingly seeking and exploring different approaches to the sport you’ll truly be taking steps toward mastery.
Coaches love working with athletes who can adapt to any scenario. These athletes approach every practice as an opportunity to learn. Are you open to executing a change a coach is asking for? Can you effectively get into a boat with different people and different line ups? Are you able and willing to try an unfamiliar drill? Ask yourself these questions before you head out on the water this week.
I’m not suggesting that you follow all your coaches blindly. Asking coaches questions to clarify their approaches and philosophies is valuable. It helps coaches understand how to serve the needs of their athletes. The coach/athlete relationship needs to be one of trust and openness.
Approach your rowing with an openness and patience. It can be confusing at times to make sense of competing information but the more perspectives you expose yourself to the closer you’ll come to mastery.
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