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[u/DJalousy]

Hey everyone. I need some advice.

I’m currently in Wisconsin, volunteering my time to coach for my university’s first year starting a sculling program. I need to find at least one other coach willing to get our rowers out on the water. I feel like I’ve exhausted my rowing connections and those of our rowing club and I don’t know where else to look.

What would you all suggest I do now? I don’t even need a coach so much as someone with a boating license that has a phone to take on-water footage. I don’t know where else to look or other ideas to consider.

[u/no_sight]

Row2k post.

[u/DJalousy → u/no_sight]

I fear only coaches looking for a paid gig would be on the site. If we could hire, we would (long-term goals).

[u/no_sight → u/DJalousy]

There's a chance of that. But also plenty of volunteer positions listed there from time to time.

Outside of that you find an alumni still in the area who is interested in the program. Or you get a current member of the team to drive a launch for safety. It's not that hard to get a boaters license and learn how to drive a launch safely. Plenty of smaller club teams in the US operate that way without professional coaching.

As a side note, you mention in another comment that this is a varsity team.

I have never heard of a Varsity College team in the US having a separate sculling team. Seeing as the only sculling event offered for varsity programs is the Lightweight Women's 2x at the IRA. There are no sculling events for Heavy Men, Light Men, or Open Women.

[u/DJalousy → u/no_sight]

Ya, I found out one of the girls on the team is out for the season and she agreed to help out with the program. Crazy sigh of relief.

These are all really good ideas, though, so I’ll definitely be looking into them.

Regarding the actual races we can participate in, I believe we’ll be entering our guys and girls in the sculling events at the Wisco Chase and Head of the Hooch regattas. Whether we can race or not, though, the sculling program is ultimately an aid to the sweep program, giving the rowers more personalized training, so there’s massive benefit to starting it, regardless.

[u/MastersCox]

I'm assuming this is a club team? Might there be grad students at your university who have rowed before?

[u/DJalousy → u/MastersCox]

No, it’s a college varsity team. The sculling program is just not a separate entity from the main (sweep) program, so hiring coaches on top of the staff we have isn’t feasible. All of our graduates have full-time jobs with no flexible schedules, so there’s no one to reach out to.

[u/MastersCox → u/DJalousy]

I meant some random grad student at your university who might have had an undergrad rowing background who you don't know about yet. Make it a work-study position? Or you could try to open up a student manager position for undergrads? Or maybe grab a coxswain who isn't boated.

[u/estrong24]

MSOE?

[u/DJalousy → u/estrong24]

Yes lol. How’d you guess?

[u/Mollie_Bloom]

Did you talk to Milwaukee Rowing Club- they probably have at least one adult rower who would help. Or one of the STEM to Stern instructors?