Steady State Podcast

S4E3: The Freshman (Power) 15 with Corin Wiggins

On today’s show we’re talking with Corin Wiggins. You might remember that we interviewed her back in 2021 for our "next generation of coxswains" episode. At the time, 17 year old Corin was a member of the Atlanta Junior Rowing Association and already had four years of coxing experience. But what really caught our attention was her Instagram account - @TheBlackCoxswain - which she began in an effort to connect athletes of color in the rowing community. Two years later, she’s a recruited member of Hobart College men's crew, and has forged a community of thousands online and on the water, while finding her own coxing voice.

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CATEGORIES: Coxing, Culture

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QUICK LOOK:

00:00 - Intro

02:00 - Southern transplants to NY

05:55 - Learning coxing skills and confidence from coaches at AJRA, and developing the trust of her athletes

09:45 - Rapid Fire Q&A

14:15 - Getting on the water in winter

15:30 - From thinking of quitting to getting addicted to the multi-tasking challenge of coxing

17:55 - HS senior season in the 2V and transition to first year at Hobart College

20:44 - Winter training camp in FL, learning about practice management, and mentoring novice coxswains

26:15 - History of rowing at Hobart College goes back to 1860; alumni visit the crew 

31:10 - Establishing @TheBlackCoxswain IG account, growing a community of thousands, and open the door for networking and recruiting opportunities

37:12 - The importance of mentors

40:47 - Corin’s idea of the perfect stroke begins and ends with rhythm

42:37 - This one time, at ODP HP camp: when everything went right

49:39 - bonus outtake

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To see photos of Corin, and get links to the people, clubs, and events mentioned in this episode, check out the show notes on our website.

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This episode is made possible in part by  Breakwater Realty Group, Concept2, Live2Row, and our Patrons.

S4E2: Jess Jackson Brings DEI Perspective to USRowing

A former D1 volleyball player with an M.S. in Sports Administration, Jess Jackson joined USRowing in 2022 as a DEI associate. She hasn't learned to row (yet), but swears by Orange Theory workouts which incorporate indoor rowing. She's honest about her first impressions of rowing as exclusive and white, proud of the steps USRowing is taking around diversity and equity, and hopeful that today's juniors are leading the way in inspiring change for the future of rowing.

We also talk in depth about USRowing’s RowCon2023, which is scheduled to take place two weeks after this episode launches.

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CATEGORIES: Coaching, Culture

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QUICK LOOK:

00:00 - Intro

02:00 - HOCR experience and thoughts on sync in the boat

03:45 - On a scale of 1-10, this week was an 8: travel, Orange Theory

05:14 - Growing up playing a variety of sports

08:00 - Title IX influence on all of us

11:15 - First impressions of rowing: exclusive and white

14:15 - Takeaways from HOCR

17:05 - Code switching, the challenges of overcoming the sport’s exclusive past, and today’s juniors leading the DEI charge

22:46 - Defining diversity, equity, and inclusion

25:08 - The DEI team at USRowing

28:08 - About the TruClusion survey developed to help USRowing formulate its strategic plan

30:40 - RowCon2023's wide variety of content, all with an inclusion lens

37:52 - How RowCon2023 attendees can take ownership of the event and network successfully

46:23 - bonus outtake

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To see photos of Jess, and get links to the people, clubs, and events mentioned in this episode, check out the show notes on our website.

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This episode is made possible in part by  Breakwater Realty Group, Concept2, Live2Row, and our Patrons.

S4E1: For Lisa Stone and Daughter Gevvie, a Philosophy of Joy

Seattle has the Pococks. Philadelphia has the Kellys. And Boston has the Stones. We’re really excited to kick off season 4 with mother/daughter Olympians Lisa and Gevvie Stone. Lisa was a member of the first U.S. women’s Olympic rowing team in 1976. She married Gregg Stone (an Olympian and original founder of C.R.A.S.H.-B.s), and went on to a 42-year coaching career at the helm of collegiate and high school programs. 

Gevvie was raised in a competitive environment, and was a natural when she took up rowing in high school coached by her mom. She won Youth Nationals her first year on the team and went on to row at Princeton. Gevvie was a member of the 2012, 2016 and 2021 U.S. Olympic teams – all while in medical school, and then as an emergency medicine resident.

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CATEGORIES: coaching, training, racing

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TIME STAMPS
00:00 - Welcome 

02:42 - Tara and Rachel talk about why they’re excited to talk with Lisa and Gevvie

05:00 - What's going on their rowing week

06:45 - Rapid Fire Q&A

11:25 - Lisa’s quick turn from LTR to National Team

16:45 - Gevvie was a natural, winning youth nats her first spring season

20:52 - Gevvie and her siblings were raised to be active and competitive - but not necessarily to be rowers

25:45 - The perfect stroke: is it even possible? There’s always “faster” out there

32:01 - Lisa reflects on being part of the first women’s Olympic squad, doped vs undoped, incremental progress for women in sport

37:47 - Gregg Stone: Rude and Smooth Harvard crew, C.R.A.S.H.-B.s

42:00 - The family dog interrupts and Gevvie ends up telling a story about racing boat slings

43:19 - Leaving a family legacy of joy in rowing in Boston

49:45 - Advice from Gevvie’s coaches 

51:25 - Lisa reflects on her coaching legacy

53:32 - Looking ahead to 2023

58:00 - bonus outtake

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To see photos of Lisa and Gevvie, and get links to the people, clubs, and events mentioned in this episode, check out the show notes on our website.

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This episode is made possible in part by the Breakwater Realty Group, Concept2, and our Patrons.

S3Ep26 - CRI Octogenarian 8+ Proves Rowing is for the Ages

If you were at the Head of the Charles in 2022 and stuck around Boston through Sunday afternoon, you might have caught a glimpse of a Community Rowing, Inc. crew with a combined 720 years of rowing experience. Coach Catherine Saarela put together what she calls her dream team – an Octogenarian 8. In this episode we’re talking with Coach Saarela, 86-year-old coxswain Bill Becklean, and 83-year-old rowers Lee Warren and Alan McClennan. They shared insights on lifelong fitness, being relentlessly active, and those moments you can only find after shoving off the dock.

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CATEGORIES: Coaching, Coxing, Culture, Training

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TIME STAMPS
00:00 - Intro and welcome
04:45 - Rowing week: coaching, sculling, and begrudgingly getting on the erg
09:54 - Rapid Fire Q&A
16:47 - Learning to row at any age
23:55 - Rowing stroke styles, sculling vs. sweep, and caring for your body long term
32:35 - Coach Saarela’s idea for an Octo 8 at HOCR
35:15 - Coxing, being coxed, and finding swing on the Charles
43:25 - Thoughts on rowing as a lifelong sport, the elusive perfect stroke, and why getting out of bed and into a boat each morning is worth it
50:23 - Rowing and aging: what’s necessary for continuing to row as long as possible
54:15 - What rowing can teach us about: time management, body awareness, seeking perfection, and accepting imperfection

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To see photos of Community Rowing Inc.’s Octogenarian 8, and get links to the people, clubs, and events mentioned in this episode, check out the show notes on our website.

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This episode is made possible in part by the Breakwater Realty Group, Concept2, Lake Washington Rowing Club, and our Patrons.

S3 Ep 25: Liz Winter on Coaching from the Inside Out

When she learned to row in the late 1970s, Liz Winter was excited to have a place be “unladylike.” She fell in love with putting power behind the oar and moving boats fast. After landing in Pittsburgh in the ‘80s, Liz was involved in developing Three River Rowing Association, focusing on creating community. Now retired, she’s combined her experience as a lawyer, social worker, coach, and educator, with a USRowing Level 3 High Performance Coaching Certification. We talk with her about coaching education, trauma-informed coaching, and building trust.

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CATEGORIES: Coach, Train

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TIME STAMPS

00:00 - Intro

04:10 - Rowing week: Winter training means a transition to the erg and resisting the urge to peek at your teammates monitors

11:09 - Rapid Fire Q&A

13:10 - Learning to row at Oxford in the mid-1970s: freedom to be “unladylike” and altering men’s heavyweight equipment for women

16:44 - Seeing a shift in perspective about women’s rowing beginning in the 1980s

20:15 - Leaving a career in London, traveling around the world, discovering Pittsburgh's rivers, and a deep involvement with developing TRRA with a community-first focus

25:38 - Law + social work + coaching education = integrated formula for ”do no harm.” For coaches to earn the trust of their athletes they have to be consistent, have integrity, and be transparent.

31:30 - Trauma-informed, allowing rowers time to learn, and “outside in” coaching

39:00 - USRowing Level 3 High Performance Coaching Certification: every rower, at every level, deserves a high performance coach

42:44 - Team Based Learning approach

46:00 - Coaching rowers with anxiety: start with small, incremental challenges

54:00 - Passion project: Partnering with the Puerto Rico Rowing Federation to establish a coastal rowing program

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To see photos of Liz, and get links to the people, clubs, and events mentioned in this episode, check out the show notes at www.steadystatenetwork.com/podcast/s3ep25-liz-winter

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This episode is made possible in part by the Breakwater Realty Group, Concept2, Lake Washington Rowing Club, and our Patrons.

S3 Ep24 - Isaiah Harrison: Blazing His Own Trail

Isaiah Harrison is a huge talent in the next generation of American single scullers. Born and raised in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, he started erging – and setting indoor records in 2016, when he was just 12. Today, this 6’9” 19-year-old currently holds 35 indoor rowing world records across multiple age groups. Isaiah made the transition from the erg to a single, coached by his Dad, and quickly started racking up medals. Independent of a school program or community club, Isaiah climbed the ladder to the Junior National team and now the U23 National team. He was just named the 2022 USRowing Under 23 National Team Male Athlete of the Year and has his sights set on Paris 2024.

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Categories: racing, training

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TIME STAMPS
00:00 - Podcast intro
02:07 - Before the Show: Rachel and Tara chat about Isaiah
07:05 - USRowing Golden Oars
08:58 - Isaiah’s rowing week is a 6/7 on a scale of 1- to 10: High volume intensity work with a goal of breaking the overall men’s world indoor 1k record
12:14 - First taste of in-person competition: Northwest Ergomania
11:08 - Rowing all the distances, and the body knowing how to respond
16:48 - Rapid Fire Q&A
22:30 - How Arnold Schwarzenegger motivated 12-year-old Isaiah to get on the erg
24:48 - Transition from indoor rowing to sculling and his pursuit of excellence from a young age
29:28 - How growing up in a large family translates to team boat rowing
31:44 - Isaiah’s and his Dad dove into rowing theory and mechanics to create a blueprint outside the box of standard scholastic rowing programs
36:20 - Advice for young rowers: set your own goals
41:05 - All in the family - a team effort
43:20 - Rowing up a category at HOCR in the Men’s Champ 1x
48:35 - Isaiah describes the perfect stroke

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To see photos of Isaiah, and get links to the people and events mentioned in this episode, check out the show notes at www.steadystatenetwork.com/podcast/s3ep24-isaiah-harrison

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This episode is made possible in part by the Breakwater Realty Group, Concept2, Lake Washington Rowing Club, and our Patrons.

S3 Ep23: Baby on Board: Allison Mueller Balances Pregnancy and Racing in 2022

Allison Mueller is many things including: a highly competitive masters rower. A successful business owner. Former communications director for USRowing. Associate Faculty at Columbia University School of Professional Studies. We’ve followed her career trajectory for years, and her most recent marketing campaign has really got us enamored: Allison announced that she and her husband are expecting a baby early in the new year. She wrapped up the 2022 season having rowed seven regattas and 15 races, 14 of them with her +1.

 

Categories: business, coaching, coxing, gear

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TIME STAMPS

00:00 - Podcast intro
02:07 - Episode lead-in
03:50 - A HOCR unlike any before: five months pregnant
09:10 - Camaraderie of team boats in the Basin at the Charles
11:04 - Rapid Fire Q&A
13:10 - Wrapping up 2022 at Head of the Schuylkill and contemplating modifications for winter erging
15:15 - When your spouse doesn’t row … talking about things besides rowing
18:20 - Life-changer: getting recruited to row at the University of Iowa
25:00 - Moving to Princeton, NJ to work at USRowing, and a debate about Carnegie Lake
26:55 - Venue media manager at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics
30:05 - Witnessing raw Olympic elation and defeat up close
33:20 - What’s ahead? Cheering on friends from the shore
35:28 - Coming up next on Steady State Podcast: Isaiah Harrison

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To see photos of Allison, and get links to the people, clubs, and events mentioned in this episode, check out the show notes at www.steadystatenetwork.com/podcast/s3ep23-allison-mueller

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This episode is made possible in part by the Breakwater Realty Group, Concept2, Lake Washington Rowing Club, and our Patrons.

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This episode was written, produced, hosted, and edited by Tara Morgan and Rachel Freedman. Tara provides additional audio engineering, and Rachel manages the website and social media. Our theme music is by the Free Harmonic Orchestra.

S3 Ep22 - Brent Keuch’s Course Correction

Before he was the Director of Marketing for King Racing, 13-year-old Brent Keuch was watching TV when rowing came on the screen. That was when he knew he wanted to learn to row. Looking for direction, Brent found a boarding school 120 miles from home where he could study and row. Later, rowing helped him land his first job, and introduced him to the woman who would become his wife. He’s coached juniors and masters. Today his personal and professional philosophy is all about getting more people in boats and sharing the life lessons that this sport holds.

Categories: Business, coaching, coxing, gear

 

TIME STAMPS
00:00 - Intro
02:49 - King Racing preps for off the charts HOCR boat rentals; why boat rental at regattas became commonplace
07:25 - Stories of coxswains gone bad
11:40 - Rapid Fire Q&A
14:52 - Brent’s return to the erg to remedy “Dad Bod”
16:35 - Shipping off to boarding school at 13 to row
17:59 - Rachel & Brent compare experiences coaching in D.C.
21:00 - First season rowing, learning to row in small boats, teamwork in big boats

29:40 - Chinook and Endeavor: clubs of ”nowhere and everywhere”
32:03 - Coaching masters women at Rock Creek Rowing
35:10 - What rowing has meant to Brent, and pitching the sport to parents and adults
39:38 - Rowing’s life lessons for juniors
47:00 - Partnerships and collaborations: Rowing Blazers, Stem to Stern, Detroit Boat Club
55:20 - History and legends: UW, Husky Open, Windermere, and building replica hulls for the Boys in the Boat movie.

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To see photos of Brent, and get links to the people, clubs, and events mentioned in this episode, check out the show notes at www.steadystatenetwork.com/podcast/s3ep22-brent-keuch

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This episode was written, produced, hosted, and edited by Tara Morgan and Rachel Freedman. Tara provides additional audio engineering, and Rachel manages our website and social media. Our theme music is by the Free Harmonic Orchestra.

Bonus: Eric Murray on Hamish Bond’s Famous Mid-Race Hand Dip

In [S3] Ep20 we interviewed New Zealand Olympic gold medalist Eric Murray, known for dominating in the men’s pair with partner Hamish Bond. The wide-ranging conversation covered his terrible novice season, impressive U17 erg splits, World Championship and Olympic training and racing, and a lot more. So much more we couldn't get it all into one episode.

In this 15-minute bonus episode, Eric tells us about racing in the 2014 World Championships when Hamish dipped his hand in the water at 38spm, and the preparation necessary to have the confidence to pull that off.

He also shares a story about an Amsterdam World Cup race nearly sidetracked by an errant water bottle; hydration and chronic sweating; and dialing in heavy pre-race warmups on land.

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Just a heads up: Eric does swear a bit in this episode ...

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This bonus episode is made possible in part by the Breakwater Realty Group, Concept2, Lake Washington Rowing Club, and our Patrons.

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www.steadystatenetwork.com/podcast

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Steady State Podcast is a production of Steady State Network.

This episode was written, produced, and edited by Tara Morgan and Rachel Freedman. Rachel also manages our website and social media.

Our theme music is by the Free Harmonic Orchestra.

S3Ep21: Sophie Brown Shows Up, Does the Work

When Sophie Brown wanted to learn to row a coach asked her, "why would you do this if you're disabled." Her reply was "why not?" More than a decade later, a drive to find the perfect stroke has brought her two Henley wins. She'll be checking off a bucket list item when she crosses the pond to race a para mixed double at the 2022 Head of the Charles. 

We first met Sophie when she began working out with us during our virtual Steady State Sunday erg workouts. She's been a lively and spirited fan of the erg work and our podcast, and this was our opportunity to talk with her about adaptive rowing, racing, and awareness.  

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To see photos of Sophie Brown, and get links to the people, clubs, and events mentioned in this episode, check out the show notes on our website.

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This episode is made possible in part by the Breakwater Realty Group, Concept2, Lake Washington Rowing Club, and our Patrons.

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Steady State Podcast is a production of Steady State Network.

This episode was written, produced, and edited by Tara Morgan and Rachel Freedman. Rachel also manages our website and social media.

Our theme music is by the Free Harmonic Orchestra.