UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Wednesday, April 17, 1996
3B
Coxswains encourage rowers to win
People at back of the boats keep members at their best
Tyler Wirken / KANSAN
By Evan Blackwell Kansan sportswriter
Three members of the Kansas women's rowing team carry one of their boats at the Great Plains Rowing Championships, held last weekend in Topeka.
They are the coxswains.
They are the only members of the Kansas women's rowing team who don't use oars. They sit low in the boat, are hard to see and are in charge of steering the boat. They are often called the quarterback of the shell.
"The coxswain essentially works as the liaison between the coach and the rowers in the boat," junior Melissa Liem said.
The coxswains are seated in the rear of the shell, and they steer the boat with the use of cords hooked to the rudder.
Senior Mary Beth Kurzak, junior Amber Rossman and Liem are the three Jayhawk coxawains who have seen the most action.
Both Kurzak and Liem have won Kansas Coxswain of the Year; Kurzak in 1994-95, and Liem in 1995. Rossman won the team's 1994 Best Newcomer award as a coxswain.
Kansas women's rowing coach Rob Catloth said the coxswain was the leader of the boat and his or her role as on-board tactician should not be underestimated.
"You need people who are very sure, of themselves," Catloth said. "They should not be afraid, to take control of the other gals when necessary."
Liem said her leadership role was one that she took very seriously.
"We're definitely like the point guard," Liem said. "I'm responsible for making the boat go faster and helping us win medals."
Rossman said her ultimate goal was always for the good of the team.
"If I feel like the rowers aren't picking it up when I want them to, then I might yell something like. 'You have got to want this.' Rossman said.
While she can at times be stern in the boat, Rossman said she and the other coxswains had a great relationship with the Jayhawk rowers.
"I want them to trust me," Rossman said. "I'm pretty much the eyes and ears of that boat, and if I don't know what I'm doing then there's going to be eight other people in the boat who won't know what they're doing."
"My biggest pet peeve is when people say, 'Oh you're the little person who sits up there and shouts at the boat,'" she said. "And people always think you just sit up there and yell 'Stroke!', but I've never said stroke in my life."
One way the coxswain ensures the boat will go
Liem said that often times the verbal encouragement was personalized.
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"You have to find out why each rower rows, and sometimes you really have to use some personal motivation techniques," Liem said. "You have to learn what makes them move the best."
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faster is through verbal encouragement, Rossman said.
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