The opportunity to represent the United States of America on the Junior National Rowing Team is one of the most exciting and rewarding experiences a young athlete can have. As a coxswain, you will be responsible for leading and motivating your team on the water, and using your skills and knowledge to bring together rowers from all different teams and from all over the country to form one united team... Team USA!
The coxswains invited to camp will have the opportunity to learn from some of the best coaches and athletes in the country, who will help you continue to develop the skills and strategies needed to succeed at the highest level. To get invited to camp, coxswains must be growing and developing their skills at their home programs and making their team's boats as fast as possible. It is important to not cox in a specific way for an invitation to camp, but instead to be the best coxswain you can be during both the school year and the summer. Coxswains who are knowledgeable, skilled, and are leading their teams well at home are going to be the best fits for making a USRowing or another competitive camp team.
With USRowing's new athlete development program, Pathways, there are a few changes to the process that should be noted when applying for camps this summer as a coxswain. See the steps below, head to USRowing's website to learn more about Pathways, or watch the webinar that explains the application process here.
Initial U19 Application Steps:
USRowing Profile
Create or update your USRowing profile - this is where USRowing is going to manage all of their athletes and data, so making sure your profile is up to date is helpful and important.
Audio Recording
Select a 2-minute audio clip recorded while racing other boats. Pick something that best represents you as a coxswain (execution skills, style, technical knowledge, tone). The switch from a full race recording to a 2-minute clip is an important change in the process. USRowing is looking for a sample of your skills, getting a feel for how you cox inside your boat as well as how you race the other boats around you.
Wait to send in your best audio - the coaches are not looking for multiple clips, but rather one singular clip that is the best representation of you.
When choosing a clip to send in for this application, I recommend selecting a 2-minute segment that has a range of internal and external coxing, tone variation, motivation, and exhibits that you as a coxswain are confident and have a good sense of command over the race.
Some things that the selectors will be looking for are call variation, very little filler, a good connection with your crew, and targeted feedback within your boat.
A practice recording is acceptable if you do not have a race tape that you think is the best representation of your skills.
Coach Nomination
USRowing is asking for each application to be accompanied this year by a coach nomination. This nomination will be matched with your application by USRowing, so no need to turn it in yourself.
This nomination will include an assessment of some skill areas, what rank you are on your team, and a free notes section.
ID Camp
Coxswains interested in representing the USA on the Junior National Team should attend an ID Camp. Camp dates and locations are linked here. Make sure to register for the ID Camp you plan to attend.
Go into ID Camp with confidence and a good can-do attitude. Coxswains can help make ID Camps run smoothly by finding out what the coaches want and working to assist them in that execution. Keep in mind, they are assessing coxswains skills, but they also are trying to see what the rowers are capable of, how fast they are on the erg, how they row, and more. As you cox, make sure you are doing your best to let the rowers' ability shine through and to help them be their best that day.
When you attend ID camp, it is important to work well with other coxswains, whether it is on the water or while collecting erg data, this is something that coaches will be looking for and giving value to. If you want to make a good impression at ID camp, it is important to collaborate and communicate with the other coxswains, rather than trying to make yourself look good and trying to do things on your own.
Note: Athletes must be born in 2006 or later, and hold United States citizenship or be a resident of the United States, with a current USRowing Membership, to participate in an ID camp.
Coxswains will be selected based on their skills and abilities, and should also be at or close to coxswain's racing weight as well.“We are looking for coxswains who are confident and composed, and who can execute practice in a way that allows the coaches to both teach the mechanics of the stroke and meld a crew of athletes who have never rowed together before” explained Mike Wallin last year before coaching the U19 W8+ to a gold medal at the 2022 U19 World Championships. Wallin coaches for the 2022 National Champion-winning team Chicago Rowing Foundation, as well as for the U19 Junior National Team during the past few summers.
Use the spring season and the next few months to improve your coxing, expand your skillset, and differentiate yourself. This will help your home team boat this spring, as well as improve your chances of receiving an invite to cox at a U19 camp. For tips on selection camp coxing, click here!
If you are looking for a little extra support this spring in hopes of being your best self coxing wise this spring, or making the USRowing Junior National Team for this summer, explore the resources linked in this article, or feel free to reach out to see if it might be a good fit to work with InsideTurn! We offer 1:1 coaching, technical development, recording review, leadership growth, collegiate recruiting consulting and selection camp guidance.
Resources:
This post is not made in collaboration with USRowing, but instead made to make their resources and application process accessible and digestible to anyone interested in applying.