Rowing

S4E23 - The Jen Huffman Connection

Jen Huffman gave her son a guilt trip about learning to row. “You would make your great grandpa so happy!” And when your great grandpa is Joe Rantz, 7 seat in the University of Washington crew that took gold at the 1936 Olympics, you learn to row. Jen also took up the challenge and learned to row as an adult, quickly becoming an accomplished masters rower in the Seattle area.
Growing up, Jen didn’t know much about her Grandpa Joe’s rowing history. But late in his life, she found his memorabilia from the crew’s trip to the Berlin Olympics. Jen tells us how a scrapbook she made became the jumping off point for author Daniel James Brown’s now blockbuster book The Boys in the Boat.
Ten years after the book was published, it’s become a George Clooney-directed movie. We talk with Jen about the power of rowing and seeing her grandpa brought to life on the big screen.
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QUICK LOOK
00:00 - Intro
01:49 - Team huddle: Jen’s rowing bio 
02:13 - Jen’s rowing week rated a 6, and included a “sushi race” in Lake Union in Seattle, WA
05:33 - Hot Seat Q&A
08:34 - Getting to know grandpa Joe
13:18 - Jenn guilt-tripped her son into learning to row, then learned to row herself in 2008
18:24 - Coaching gymnastics, coaching rowing, and taking off your coach’s hat when you’re rowing
25:56 - Jen’s 2023 rowing season
28:45 - The story of The Boys in the Boat book began with a family scrapbook 
34:42 - Being a part of Daniel James Brown’s writing process, and learning about Grandpa Joe chapter by chapter
39:55 - MOHAI exhibit, Joe’s “Amerika” flag, and some Husky Challenger history
43:28 - North Cascades Crew Joe Rantz Boathouse on Lake Stevens
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To see photos of Jen, Joe, and 1936 UW memorabilia, and to 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 was made possible in part by Breakwater Realty, Concept2, EB5 Investors, RowSource, and our Patrons.

S4E22: 2023 Year in Review

In this special episode, co-hosts Rachel Freedman and Tara Morgan take a look back at 2023. Go behind the scenes of Steady State Podcast to learn more about Rachel and Tara's rowing careers, listen to clips from some of their favorite season 4 episodes, consider their big takeaways from interviews with nearly 40 guests in the past 12 months, and get a peak at what's to come in Season 5 in 2024.
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QUICK LOOK
00:00 - Intro / a reflection on the first 4 seasons of Steady State Podcast
03:14 - Get to know co-hosts Rachel Freedman and Tara Morgan
08:57 - On a scale of 1-10 ... rating our rowing year
13:28 - Hot Seat Q&A
24:05 - The building blocks of a podcast: awesome audience, supportive Patrons, marketing
26:25 - Favorite moments of 2023: gender identity policy series, Gevvie Stone, Lindsay Dare Shoop, Next Level Rowing, Indianapolis Rowing Club spotlight, Unity Boat Club's Excellence in Black Rowing event
45:05 - Upping our game as a media outlet at USRowing Masters Nationals and Head of the Charles
47:41 - Takeaways: it's time to take beach sprints and coastal rowing seriously; incorporating non-binary athletes into racing is complicated
53:05 - Partnerships
54:29 - Wrapping up Season 4 with Jennifer Huffman, masters rower and granddaughter of Boys in the Boat central character Joe Rantz.
56:07 - Season 5 sneak peek: Olympic coxswain Mary Whipple, on water emergencies and safety, keeping junior athletes safe, indoor world record holder Elizabeth Gilmore, and Lessons in Chemistry author Bonnie Garmus.
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To see photos of Rachel and Tara, 2023 podcast guests, and get links to the people, clubs, policies, and events mentioned in this episode, check out the show notes on our website.
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This episode was made possible in part by Breakwater Realty, Concept2, EB5 Investors, RowSource, and our Patrons.

S4E21: Mass. Local Ellen Minzner on HOCR, Para, and Equity in Rowing

Think of rowing and Boston and there’s one name that really stands out: Ellen Minzner. Born and raised in Lawrence, Mass., Ellen has spent more than two decades developing and leading programs in the state, including most recently as the Director of Outreach and then Director of Inclusion and Advocacy at Community Rowing Inc.
Ellen also balances being the co-chair of the Head of the Charles Announcing Committee with her full-time position as USRowing Para High Performance Director, a title she’s held since 2019.
From walk on at Villanova University to 5-time National Team member, to her transition into coaching and program development, Ellen saw the long game: changing the status quo of her clubs, organizations, and communities.
In this episode, she also gives a peek behind the curtains of the world’s premier annual rowing competition - the Head of the Charles - from her vantage point in an announcers booth on the roof of Cambridge Boat Club.
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QUICK LOOK
00:00 - Intro
00:24 - Lead-In Banter
04:45 - Welcome
06:26 - Bio/Olympics Distance
Rowing Week is quiet after getting home from Worlds, looking ahead to para rowing in ‘24 and ‘28
11:19 - The Hot Seat Q&A
18:51 - Walking on at Villanova sophomore year, being a part of Boathouse Row, and finding summer rowing in Lowell, MA
23:39 - Coaching at CRI planted the seeds of a National Team dream. A bumpy trajectory across five national teams in the ‘90s was a lesson in playing the long game.
26:24 - Retiring from the National Team and transitioning into college coaching
28:40 - The teaching magic of the pair
31:50 - Returning to Massachusetts to help bring rowing opportunities to her blue collar community
34:36 - Pairing rowing community accessibility with “what is just and equitable” has driven Ellen’s career
37:15 - The future of para rowing: developing juniors athletes, and supporting collegiate programs that recruit athletes with disabilities
45:50 - Ellen’s early involvement with HOCR, how announcing has changed over the years, and how it makes the sport more inclusive and accessible
49:54 - Watching HOCR from the roof of Cambridge Boat Club, Elliot Bridge, and other great spots
51:58 - Behind the scenes at HOCR
56:56 - Listener Question: "My HOCR coxswain hasn't coxed in several years. Should I be worried?" 
58:50 - HOCR meet and greet for para rowers at Noon in the USRowing tent
1:00:04 - HOCR’s Ellen Minzner trophy, awarded each year to the winners of the  LTA 4+
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To see photos of Ellen 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 was made possible in part by Barb, Breakwater Realty, Concept2, EB5 Investors, RowSource, and our Patrons.

S4E20: Back to School with Lindsay Dare Shoop

In 2002, Lindsay Dare Shoop reluctantly walked-on at the University of Virginia. Within a year she became an NCAA Division I All American. In four years she broke a world record and earned her first World Championship. Within six years her hard work manifested a gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Today she seeks to help others remove self-imposed limitations. This Fall, 20 years after it all began, the author of Better Great Than Never returns to UVA as an assistant coach, paying it forward. 
This thought-provoking conversation considers serendipity, struggle, pressures on student athletes, walk-ons, team-building, rowing for life, Head of the Charles (and being coxed by Mary Whipple), and a whole lot more.
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QUICK LOOK
00:00 - Intro
04:50 - How 9/11 indirectly led to Lindsay walking on at the University of Virginia
07:38 - When Rachel met Lindsay at Steeringuwright / Endeavor Racing Alliance Camp; coaching rowers to consider the long timeline
11:30 - The Huddle
12:48 - Coaching CrossFit coaches and developing an indoor rowing curriculum with USRowing
15:31 - Rowing Week
16:00 - Preparing for HOCR, being coxed by 3-time Olympic medalist Mary Whipple
18:14 - Beijing teammate Anna Mickelson on savoring the moment
19:30 - The Hot Seat Q&A
23:23 - Growing up on a farm in Virginia, playing with boys, and trying “all the sports”
25:19 - Early Olympic dreams and the notion of “not being a real athlete”
27:40 - Losing her athletic self and finding it again at the University of Virginia
32:44 - The waning prevalence of collegiate walk-ons, the importance of novice rowing, and optimizing movement patterns
38:48 - How social media, NILs, and the prospect of financial contracts  have put additional pressure on college athletes
43:15 - Beyond erg scores: intangibles that make for positive team culture
46:19 - Better Great Than Never, inspiring others, “catching up with the things your parents always said,” and taking it one day at a time
50:49 - “Team” as the tribes of today; and the importance of paying attention, getting and staying connected with people
53:00 - Winning gold in Beijing and the weight of the moment she was handed a medal from Anita DeFrantz
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To see photos of Lindsay 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 was made possible in part by Barb, Breakwater Realty, Concept2, EB5 Investors, RowSource, and our Patrons.

S4E19 - Mitch King: Finding and Pushing Past Limits

“Physical limitations only exist if you’re willing to find them.” This is the philosophy of Mitch King, a coxswain for River City Rowing Club in Sacramento, CA. Every day he does countless things that doctors said were impossible when he was a kid diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy.
Mitch doesn’t call himself a disability advocate, doesn’t want to be an inspiration, and would rather folks didn’t try to tiptoe around his disability.
We talk balancing coxing with graduate school, collaborative coxing, finding tenths of seconds on the erg, and shattering expectations. 
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QUICK LOOK
00:00 - Intro
02:10 - The Huddle
04:38 - Rate Your rowing week: 1-10… quickly turns into swapping coxing stories
10:05  - The Hot Seat Q&A
15:44 - Coxing origin story
19:24 - How rowing helps student athletes with discipline and time management
21:22 - Erging with the team began as a means to understand what his athletes were going through, and became an outlet for moving beyond internal and external limitations of his Cerebral Palsy
29:18 - Collaborative coxing: getting to know your rowers, giving and receiving feedback, sharing race strategies, leaving your worries on shore
35:08 - Diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy as a kid, Mitch wants strangers to assume he, and other people with disabilities, are competent and capable
38:50 - It’s okay to ask, and it’s okay to say “disabled”
43:21 - Being an inadvertent ambassadors for people with disabilities, how we’ve been socialized to understand disability, and  rebutting the notion of being an inspiration
49:03 - Mitch’s rowing pitch
50:00 - What’s next and hoping to make it to Head of the Charles
49:56 - Outro
54:48 - Outtakes
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To 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 was made possible in part by Barb, Breakwater Realty, Concept2, EB5 Investors, RowSource, and our Patrons.

S4E17 - Horizon Racing USA Seeks Adventure and World Record on the World’s Toughest Row

The World's Toughest Row is a 2,800-mile race across the Pacific Ocean. On June 12, 2024, more than 20 teams will leave Monterey, CA and race to Kauai, HI in unsupported, man-powered ocean rowing boats.
Hannah Huppi (NORC), Phil Doyle (PBC), and Hunter Deuel (OWRC) formed Horizon Racing USA to take on this massive rowing challenge. They are solidly into their planning and training with a goal of breaking the Mixed 4x World Record for rowing across the Mid-Pacific ocean – which currently stands at just over 34 days.
We talk about lots of steady state training on the erg, star-gazing and the unknown, competitive drive, Cheez-Its, and fundraising for Laureus Sport For Good USA.
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QUICK LOOK
00:00 - intro
02:00 - Welcome and The Huddle
03:20 - Rate Your rowing week: 1 to 10
05:04 - The Hot Seat Q&A
08:33 - Rowing origin stories: Hannah, Phil, Hunter
14:13 - About the World’s Toughest Row across the Pacific
15:50 - About their 4-person Ranoch RX45 boat
18:20 - Whose  idea was it to row the WTR; finding a fourth crewmate, necessary skills, and the importance of coming together as a competitive unit
28:56 - Supporting their charity partner Laureus Sport for Good USA
31:20 - Sponsorship opportunities and Hannah’s hopes for Cheez Its
33:24 - How training started, what they’re looking forward to, and what they’re nervous about 
40:40 - Letting go of flatwater perfection, thinking BIG intervals, and canned peaches for celebrating milestones
46:15 - The adventure of a lifetime and leaving an impact on the next generation
50:10 - Sign Off
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To see photos of Hannah, Phil, an Hunter, 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 was made possible in part by Barb, Breakwater Realty, Concept2, EB5 Investors, RowSource, and our Patrons.

S4E16 - Challenging the Binary: Making a New Lane in Rowing

This is the final episode in a four-part special series on gender identity policies in rowing.
Since December 2022, World Athletics, World Rowing, USRowing and other national governing bodies, have announced updated gender identity policies. In response, voices across the rowing community have stood up for "fairness for women" and alternatively "inclusion for marginalized athletes." We're taking a closer look.
Dr. David Scherzer learned to row with DC Strokes Rowing Club, one of just a handful of dedicated, independent LGBTQ+ rowing clubs in the world. But for many years, even DC Strokes wasn’t able to provide answers to David about how they could participate and race as a non-binary athlete.
And when Bobbi Kizer, PhD inquired about racing at Head of the Lake as a transgender athlete, the organizing committee worked with them to create an exhibition “mixed” category for all genders.
But in general, the current USRowing gender inclusion policy leaves transgender, non-binary, and other gender nonconforming rowers with very few opportunities to race.
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QUICK LOOK
00:00 - Rachel and Tara re-introduce the podcast’s Gender Identity Policies series05:40 - Welcome and The Huddle08:05 - David and Bobbi’s rowing week10:12 - Hot Seat Q&A12:45 - Rowing origin stories: Bobbi, then David21:02 - Club community agreements and DEI committees25:09 - Intro to World Rowing and USRowing gender identity policies26:55 - Laying the groundwork: sex, gender, and gender identity29:45 - Bobbi’s experiences as a trans rower at SRRA, Head of the Lake, and ZLAC sweep camp37:50 - David’s surprising experiences as a non-binary rower in an LGBT+ club40:32 - What current USRowing open and mixed racing opportunities mean for non-binary and trans rowers46:32 - ICONS petition and “fairness for females”53:21 - As a new member of USRowing’s DEI committee, David is ambivalent56:08 - David and Rachel’s perspective on DC Strokes Rowing Club and the challenge of retaining gender non-conforming rowers1:01:35 - How Bobbi’s combining their psychiatry practice with the sport through rowing group therapy 1:06:00 - Sign off
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To see photos of Bobbi and David, and to get links to the people, clubs, policies, and events mentioned in this episode, check out the show notes on our website.
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This episode was made possible in part by Barb, Breakwater Realty, Concept2, EB5 Investors, RowSource, and our Patrons.

S4E15 - Indianapolis Rowing Center: From LTR to National Championships

Start your engines! Get to know Indianapolis Rowing Center, host of the 2023 USRowing Masters National Championships. We talk with IRC board President Janet Francis, Masters Head Coach Zach Christopher, and recent LTR grad Lisa Stickley. Developed in the 1980s, the race course at Eagle Creek remains one of the country’s premiere venues, host to PanAm Games, World Rowing Championships, NCAA Championships, and a lot more. Get an inside scoop on Vendors Village, course strategy, and IRC, Indy’s only rowing club.
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QUICK LOOK
00:00 - Intro/Lead-in02:35 - Welcome and The Huddle05:06 - Rowing week and local tornado07:00 - Hot Seat Q&A12:13 - Rowing origin stories: Zach, Lisa, then Janet17:50 - Rowing into our 80s20:19 - Janet’s role as IRC president, current challenges and plans/ initiatives 24:13 - A local’s perspective on Eagle Creek27:25 - IRC is the only rowing center in Indy, and offers programs for all ages30:41 - Volunteering for Masters Nats31:11 - Recruiting new members33:18 - Rowers sure do love talking about rowing…36:46 - the development of IRC at Eagle Creek for a premiere rowing venue39:55 - committees and community partnerships make big events possible41:37 - Vendor village, the beach where there shall be no swimming, beer garden, and coxswain tosses are approved.43:41 - First Masters Nationals experiences48:51 - IRC Course trade secrets50:44 - Sign off
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To see photos of Janet, Zach, and Lisa, and to 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 was made possible in part by RowSource, Barb, EB5 Investors, Concept2, and our Patrons.

S4:E13 Midwest Pride: Chicago Rowing Union’s Michael Toutloff

PRIDE MONTH SPECIAL: PART 2We visit Chicago Rowing Union (CRU), the Midwest's only LGBTQ+ rowing organization, and one of just a few such clubs in the world. CRU member and social media manager Michael Toutloff talks with us about the importance of safe spaces and being yourself, finding community and competition on the water, and proudly flying the flag at regattas. 
Listen to Part 1 of our Pride month special – a chat with LGBTQ+ DC Strokes Rowing Club and the Melbourne Argonauts.
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QUICK LOOK
00:00 - Podcast lead-in01:37 - Rachel and Tara banter about Pride month03:30 - Team Huddle: Michael’s bio in 45 seconds04:14 - Tara’s out sick!05:18 - The Hot Seat Q&A09:35 - “Set the wayback machine” - learning to row at Indiana University with tulip blades and wooden shells12:30 - Personal and professional changes led Michael back to rowing after many years off the water17:33 - LGBTQ+ community in Chicago20:10 - Partnering with other LGBTQ+ sports organizations for networking and club growth21:00 - CRU – the only LGBTQ+ rowing club in the midwest – was established in2006 for the Chicago Gay Games22:43 - Comparing experiences at CRU with other rowing clubs, and CRU as a safe space where LGBTQ+ members can be themselves26:07 - Flying the flag of inclusion, and acceptance of the local rowing community30:25 - Supporting DC Strokes’ boycott of the 2022 USRowing Masters National Championship in Florida34:48 - CRU is having a renaissance in 2023
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To see photos of Michael, and to 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 was made possible in part by Breakwater Realty Group, Concept2, Live2Row, Barb, EB5 Investors, and our Patrons.
 

S4E10 - Rebekah Armstrong on Getting and Giving Support

Washington, DC’s two rivers – the Potomac and the Anacostia – haven’t been swimmable in decades and folks that live in the nation’s capital often have no relationship with the rivers. But when one of Rebekah Armstrong’s teachers suggested she join Capital Juniors rowing, she found a sport she loved wrapped up in just the right package of diversity and scrappiness.
The influence of a great coach prompted Rebekah to check out the University of Wisconsin Madison, where she walked on to the women’s crew. Having come from a diverse life and team in D.C., the transition to Wisco was challenging – Rebekah at one point was one of just ten Black female athletes on campus.
Rebekah opens up about the (slowly) changing face of rowing in the United States, finding mentors and support, and her drive to help BIPOC athletes as a certified mental performance consultant.
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QUICK LOOK
00:00 - podcast lead-in02:17 - Team Huddle: Rebekah Armstrong’s bio in 60 seconds03:17 - Icebreaker: Washington, D.C., Capital Rowing Club, and USRowing DEI Associate Jess Jackson05:17 - Rapid Fire Q&A09:12 - Pre 2k snacks and the mental prep for erg tests11:35 - Learning to row with Capital Juniors and the influence of a great coach on her decision to row in college15:15 - The cognitive dissonance of rowing at the Anacostia Community Boathouse19:35 - Being a “shrimp” and walking on at Wisco22:27 - Finding balance as a student athlete, prioritizing athletic success over identity26:50 - Gaining a mentor and being empowered as a member of Student Athletes Equally Supporting Others30:31 - Support and inspiration at the U23 selection camp in Charlottesville, VA34:39 - Post-graduation coaching at Wisco, collegiate burnout and what happens next?38:53 - Nervous about the transition to masters rowing, Rebekah found welcoming teammates and fun on the water at Lincoln Park Boat Club in Chicago41:19 - What it meant to row in the first all Black Women’s 8 at Head of the Charles44:31 - Landing in Chicago as the Program Director at Chicago Training Center, and pursuing dual masters degrees as a licensed counselor and a certified mental performance consultant48:20 - Increased visibility of DEI work in recent years
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To see photos of Rebekah Armstrong, 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 was made possible in part by Breakwater Realty Group, Concept2, Live2Row, Barb, EB5 Investors, and our Patrons.
 

S4E9 - Coach Ann Strayer on Inclusion and Self-Worth in Rowing

This is the second episode in a special series on gender identity policies in rowing. We’re getting to know some of the people behind initiatives challenging the notion of fairness and inclusion in our sport.
Since December 2022, World Athletics, World Rowing, USRowing and other national governing bodies, have announced updated gender identity policies. The Biden administration is proposing changes to Title IX. In response, voices across the rowing community have stood up for "fairness for women" and alternatively "inclusion for marginalized athletes." We're taking a closer look.
Ann Strayer, OLY, was a self-described "natural" in a single in high school. She quickly earned a seat on the 1978 Junior National Team, and went on to row at Princeton 1978 to 1982. While at university she made her first National Team in 1981, followed by five more teams in the 1980s, culminating in a spot on the 1988 Olympic squad.
Today, Strayer is the Varsity Women’s Coach at Oakland United Rowing in Oakland, CA. In response to the ICONS petition seeking to define "eligibility for the women’s/girl’s categories to participants born female," Strayer and fellow OUR coach and Olympian Erin Cafaro have written a letter in support of USRowing's gender identity policy. They, along with 50+ Olympians and coaches who have signed the letter, strongly believe that the most important thing for scholastic transgender and non-binary athletes is to welcome them into boathouses, and allow them to row as the gender with which they identify.
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QUICK LOOK
00:00 - Rachel and Tara talk gender identity policies, the ICONS petition fighting for fairness for females, and the letter that Strayer and Erin Cafaro have written in support of gender inclusive policies.
08:15 - Team Huddle: Coach Strayer's bio in 45 seconds 
09:10 - Rapid Fire Q&A
12:40 - Growing up in Cape Cod, MA: sailboats, softball, and basketball. Being a “natural” rower in high school and making the Junior National team.
14:40 - Early post-Title IX experience at Phillips Academy, and how it was different at Princeton
19:10 - Balancing Olympic dreams and rowing for Princeton under Coach Kris Korzeniowksi
23:45 - The transition from coxed quad to straight quad
25:48 - On USRowing’s gender identity policy, Strayer’s own experience coaching trans kids, and the letter of support she and Erin Cafaro penned
32:27 – Contemporary perspective on gender, and why trans women should row in the women’s category
36:10 – Coaching with Erin Cafaro and the search for a media distribution of their letter
43:33 - Strayer's personal experience in the 1980s lining up against Russian, Romanian, and German squads that were doping
47:37 - Early days of coaching in Boston, and getting back into it decades later in California
52:25 - Coaching as a volunteer for OUR out of a passion for the sport
55:07 – A vision for the future of rowing
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To see photos of Coach Ann Strayer, and get links to the people, clubs, events, and policies mentioned in this episode, check out the show notes on our website.
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This episode was made possible in part by Breakwater Realty Group, Concept2, Live2Row, Barb, and our Patrons.
 

S4E7 - The Crew of San Diego Crew Classic

We head to California and go behind the scenes of the San Diego Crew Classic, celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.
Crew Classic Executive Director Bobbie Smith – also a masters rowers and coach in San Diego – for the past year has been planning this event with Associate Director Megan Kalmoe. Megan, who is currently training for an historic fifth Olympic team, began her racing career at Crew Classic as a novice walk-on at the University of Washington. Coxswain and Head Beach Master Lex Switzer also joins the conversation about this West coast regatta that kicks off sprint season in the United States.
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QUICK LOOK
00:00 - Intro01:44 - Episode lead-in02:46 - Team Huddle: get to know Bobbie, Megan, and Lex07:49 - Rapid Fire Q&A17:00 - The guests reminisce about being college walk-ons24:19 - For Bobbie and Megan, Crew Classic was their first 2k race27:48 - Lex explains the diagonal line optical illusion that coxswains see on the Crew Classic course30:30 - What first-timers can expect at Crew Classic32:55 - Tara and Rachel’s Crew Classic memories, 2k vs 1k racing, and making use of a “flutter”37:03 - Celebrating 50 years of Crew Classic and its evolution from collegiate only to today’s inclusion of youth, masters, and novices.45:51 - The work behind the scenes to plan and host Crew Classic50:04 - 50th Anniversary celebrations and special happenings
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To see photos of the Bobbie, Megan, and Lex, 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.

S4E6 - The Next Generation of Coaches: Inclusive, Supportive, and Motivated

We believe whole-heartedly in inclusion at all levels of rowing. That’s why we created the Steady State Network Changemaker Scholarship initiative, designed to help up-and-coming leaders of programs, clubs, and small businesses to get the knowledge and skills they need.
To support the development of these leaders in the rowing community, we provided scholarships to three deserving coaches to help them attend RowCon, USRowing’s Annual Convention, held In Atlantic City, NJ Feb. 3-5, 2023.
Thanks to Concept2, Rower’s Dream, and the support of our Steady State Patrons, whose financial support helped make these scholarships possible.
Our third-annual class of Changemaker Scholars to attend the USRowing Annual Convention is a young, diverse group of rowers, coxswains, and coaches, all in the early years of their coaching careers.
Today we’re talking with our 2023 Changemaker Scholarship recipients – Jalen Baldwin, Angelina Koch, and Faby Velazques – to find out what sort of ideas and information they picked up at the Convention, and what they’re exited to put into practice this season.
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QUICK LOOK
00:00 - Intro02:03 - Episode lead-in03:23 - welcome04:11 - Rowing Week 1-1005:52 - Rapid Fire Q&A08:16 - Team huddle: get to know the Changemakers15:22 - The importance of coaching education, and what motivated each Changemaker to apply20:35 - Big “aha” moments from RowCon202326:43 - Jalen’s Networking strategy and fundraising for Row, Sail, Dream30:00 - Putting new coaching concepts into practice36:49 - Coaching the whole athlete39:09 - What would you give a TedTalk about40:20 - Elevator pitches
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To see photos of the Changemakers, 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 sponsored by the George Pocock Rowing Foundation, and made possible in part by Breakwater Realty Group, Concept2, Live2Row, and our Patrons.

S4E5 - RowAlong Founder John Steventon on Rowing, Rubbish, and Racing

The popularity of indoor rowing has exploded since the early days of the COVID pandemic in 2020. A whole new rowing community has come together around the erg, buoyed in large part by people who have never touched an oar.
 
On this episode we talk with John Steventon, a gold medal and world record holding indoor rower who made his way into the sport by way of squash and cycling. He started to make rowing workout videos while rehabbing from an injury during the pandemic lockdown, and today John’s RowAlong YouTube channel boasts nearly 17,000 subscribers and provides hundreds of indoor rowing workouts.
We had a long chat with John and most of it was too good to chop, so we hope you enjoy this extended episode, full of story telling and curiosity.
John explains: "I wanna’ be the rowing buddy talking rubbish to them while they're rowing. And of course I talk technique, but there doesn't need to be another Shane [Farmer of Dark Horse] or another Training Tall because they're really good at what they do. What I found is there was a tiny niche for some idiot Scotsman to fill and I filled it perfectly."
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QUICK LOOK
00:00 - Intro
02:27 - Welcome, regatta t-shirts
07:45 - It’s a 10 out of 10 rowing week for John, who’s back on a “proper training for rowing program” after spending 8 months training for Hyrox
11:27 - Falling in and out of love with rowing; the lines between exercising, putting in effort, and performance training; and finding reasons to row
14:24 - Rapid Fire Q&A
15:13 - John tells a spirited tale of his transition from squash player, to cyclist, to indoor rowing enthusiast
23:42 - First impressions of the indoor rowing scene as someone without on-water experience
26:45 - Finding community with other indoor rowers; how COVID lockdown changed perspective on training on the erg; the recent implosion of indoor competitions in the UK; and the rise of a new class of indoor rowing machines
36:44 - How a kitchen knife accident helped John focus the development of RowAlong, find his niche, and help people have fun and get a good workout
45:28 - After creating 400 videos: a wide variety of content, packaging, green screen use, a vivid imagination, and “talking rubbish” are key
50:22 - Why John is evangelical about the rowing machine
55:50 - John admits he’s never rowed on the water, and we try to convince him to learn to sweep
58:17 - A RowAlong fan calls in to say thanks, and John comes to terms with being recognized as “RowAlong John” in public.
1:01:34 - A non-rower and jiu jitsu practitioner calls in to ask about optimal 60-minute pacing
1:08:10 The psychology of chasing and being chased while racing
1:14:45 - Looking ahead: John’s planning to make a big come back when he hits 50, using micro and macro goals
1:22:55 - bonus outtake
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To see photos of John, 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.

S3E23 - 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 intro02:07 - Episode lead-in03:50 - A HOCR unlike any before: five months pregnant09:10 - Camaraderie of team boats in the Basin at the Charles11:04 - Rapid Fire Q&A13:10 - Wrapping up 2022 at Head of the Schuylkill and contemplating modifications for winter erging15:15 - When your spouse doesn’t row … talking about things besides rowing18:20 - Life-changer: getting recruited to row at the University of Iowa25:00 - Moving to Princeton, NJ to work at USRowing, and a debate about Carnegie Lake26:55 - Venue media manager at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics30:05 - Witnessing raw Olympic elation and defeat up close33:20 - What’s ahead? Cheering on friends from the shore35:28 - 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.

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.

S3E18 - Brothers Dick and Pete Dreissigacker: The Innovators Behind Concept2

Concept2 oars and indoor rowing machines are nearly synonymous with rowing. But did you know that it all started in the early 1970s with brothers Pete and Dick Dreissigacker? They were just a couple of grad students messing around with carbon fiber and fiberglass in a kitchen hoping to develop a better oar - their “secret weapon” for finding more speed on the water.
And to keep training through cold winters in Vermont? Nail an old bike to the floor and pull on the free end of a chain. Voila! The mass market indoor rower was born.
Pete and Dick open up about:
getting hooked on rowing
how Title IX expanded the demand for oars
being champions of rowing in the 1980s fitness market
hoping to get it all together by the time you reach the HOCR start line.
GUESTSDick DreissigackerPete Dreissigackerwww.concept2.com
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TIME STAMPS[00:00] Episode lead-in[03:04] Rapid Fire Q&A[08:20] In preparing for another run at HOCR (which they’ve done every year since 1979) working on disappearing into the row, and sharing memories about their coxswains[15:28] Dick left football for rowing, and persuaded Pete – a discuss thrower – to get in a 1x[19:00] Getting hooked on teamwork and getting it all right[25:06] Starting to experiment with making composite oars[30:38] Oars: early prototypes, manufacturing, and what made them unique[33:55] Tackling innovations: split handles, big blade controversy of 1992[39:29] Growing a business, hiring staff, driving innovation[44:05] Success of C2 oars around the world[46:55] Listener question: Who has a faster 5k?[48:10] Listener question: How does the monitor calculate its data?[51:10] The Model A origin story, and what the indoor rowing market looked like in the early 1980s[55:00] Best screen display for learn to row students[56:50] The impact of COVID on Concept2 production and staff, and the explosion of indoor rowing around the world[1:00:30] What expectations Dick and Pete had for the business[1:04:11] Favorite coxing commands
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This episode was made possible in part by our Patrons, Concept2, and Lake Washington Rowing Club. Subscribe on your favorite podcast app.
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EPISODE MENTIONS
CAMPSCraftsbury
CLUBSLake Washington Rowing ClubVesper Boat Club
COACHES Albin Moser
EQUIPMENTGamutSpeedBoss (Bart Gullong)
EVENTSC.R.A.S.H.-B.sErg SprintsHead of the Charles
RESOURCESScience of Rowing
ROWERSMeredith BreilandLarry GluckmanJudy GeerSusan Kinne
UNIVERSITY PROGRAMS Brown UniversityDartmouth CollegeTrinity CollegeStanford University
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To see photos of Pete, Dick, early oars and ergs, and to get links to the people, clubs, and events mentioned in this episode, check out the show notes on our website.

S3E9 - Isaac Kenyon: Seeking Connection, Finding Purpose

Isaac Kenyon just set his third ultra-distance world record on the Concept2 indoor rower. This follows on the heels of other huge achievements, like rowing the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge, climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro, and swimming the English Channel. We dive into the philosophy and motivation that helped him break free of the lure of screen time, and the coping mechanisms necessary to take on audacious challenges. Through it all, Isaac's advocated for the environment and Autism awareness.
TIME STAMPS
00:00 - Introduction
01:53 - Rapid Fire Q&A
04:04 - Rowing Week: Scale of 0-10 
04:54 - World record for C2 tandem longest continual row (2 person) Male 20-29 LTWT to raise awareness of Autism
06:40 - Tandem partner Jordan Williams: From novice to world record holder in 5 months. Training, self-care, technique triggers
11:24 - Finding motivation, getting out of dark places, the importance of a support network, coping mechanisms
17:44 - An invitation to row the Atlantic was Isaac's introduction to rowing
22:25 - The tipping point from “outdoorsy guy” to seeking audacious challenges, exploring, and honing new skills
24:35 - The way into adventuring: start small
26:55 - 2018 Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge: training, nutrition and communications, losing sight of shore, and swimming with whales
36:55 - 2019 Ted Talk: Seeking a balance between outdoor time and screen time; how the Atlantic row changed his relationship with technology
39:45 - Regulating brain chemicals, substituting outdoor time for technology
45:24 - Being a part of the first digital generation, FOMO, and never seeing people again
50:50 - Up next: Setting a speed record for swimming the 7 biggest seas in one year
53:25 - Flying the flag for the outdoor time in exchange for screen time
58:15 - Letterboxing
See the full show notes at www.steadystatenetwork.com/podcast

S3E6 - Embracing Chaos: Coastal Rowing in New Orleans

Ask most any rower about the perfect rowing conditions and they’ll wax poetic about  glassy calm water and zero wind, when a blade can quietly drop into the water at the catch, release clean, and the boat glides across the surface undisturbed.
But ask a coastal rower about great conditions and the answer will be completely different. It’ll involve navigating waves, executing turns around buoys, and end with a sprinting dive to the finish line on the beach.
We invited John Huppi, Kats Siemens, and Will Kuckro from New Orleans Rowing Club to tell us about The Big Easy – a city with a rowing history that stretches back nearly 200 years – and their vision for the future of coastal rowing in the Gulf South. 
TIME STAMPS
00:00 - Intro and welcome
02:30 - Rapid Fire 
04:22 - Mardi Gras is more important than rowing
07:42 - Recruit by looking outside standard flat water pipeline/training/racing 
11:40 - How Will and Kate as “coastal outsiders” are contributing to NORC’s success
12:30 - With fewer flat water LTWT opportunities, smaller rowers are finding success in coastal 
13:45 - How is coastal different?
16:55 - On-water problem solving and the importance of finesse
21:24 - The thrill of mixed boats and beach sprints
21:24 - The time John was a boat handler for Norwegian Olympians
28:44 - Throw “the perfect stroke” out the window, prepare for chaos
31:30 - What makes a great coastal rowing venue?
34:35 - Hurricane Ida's impact on NORC and training
38:04 - On coaching: helping people overcome challenges
40:39 - Rowers take ownership and redefine rowing training
42:58 - To grow coastal in the Gulf South, NORC is hosting development camps and experiential opportunities, and developing an endurance race on Lake Pontchartrain
44:38 - In a tourist town, coastal touring could thrive
48:58 - Coastal bucket list locations 
52:23 - Turning coastal boats and historic stake races in New Orleans
52:45 - NORC is the only boathouse in the Louisiana with juniors and masters programs
54:40 - LA2028 Olympics: perfect for building audience engagement, race coverage
58:50 - The year ahead at NORC
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www.steadystatenetwork.com/podcast

S2E11 - Coach Rachel Le Mieux, Martha‘s Moms

As a 5’1, 108lb freshman at Western Washington University, Rachel Le Mieux was literally picked up and placed in a coxswain seat. Thirty five years later she’s the head coach of Martha’s Moms, a competitive masters women’s team in Seattle, WA. She’s also a USRowing referee and FISA umpire.
During her years in the cox seat, coach’s launch, and chase boat, Rachel’s seen her share of sketchy situations. Today, in her role as the Chair of the USRowing safety committee, she wants to make sure that rowers, coaches, and coxswains have the knowledge and skills to stay safe around the boathouse, at practice, and during regattas.
We talk boat feel, coxing commands, flipping a four at the dock, nearly losing your lunch after a race, the rich history of rowing in Washington, and a whole lot more.

S2E5 - Tracy Falkenthal: Paying it Forward

An introduction to rowing as a teen in California completely changed the trajectory of Tracy Falkenthal's life. She has spent the years since paying it forward as a member of the Army National Guard, a firefighter, a personal trainer, health coach, and rowing coach.
Today she's a member and coach at Texas Rowing Center in Austin, and is working in lock step with the Center's owner to develop and lead DEI initiatives to get "butts in seats."
Her rowing story is one of finding a way up and a way out through rowing and sport, and we’re honored to talk with her.
 

S2E3 - Indoor Rowing: A Community for Fit, Fast, Fun

Part erg review, part coaching advice - this episode is what you need to get connected and get moving on your rowing machine.
If you’re a rower – in a boat, with oars – it’s likely that your introduction to the erg was by way of supplemental workouts for race training and the dreaded 2k test. Most on-water rowers (aka oarsmen) roll their eyes at the mere mention of spending time on the erg.
Sarah Fuhrmann, CEO of UCanRow2 wants to flip the script and reshape the way people think about indoor rowing. She is passionate about sharing the sport with people who can benefit from its total body workout no matter their fitness or competitive athletic goals at any age.
Lisa Weise was a recipient of the Steady State Network Changemaker Instructor Scholarship in April 2021. With the scholarship, Lisa was able to attend a UCanRow2 online instructor certification course.
A note: UCanRow2 founder – and Sarah’s business partner – Terry Smythe, passed away from mucosal melanoma, a rare form of the skin cancer melanoma, in November 2018. While recording this interview it was clear that telling the story of UCanRow2 and indoor rowing was impossible without telling Terry’s story, too. Terry’s legacy lives on through Sarah and Lisa, UCanRow2/Concept2 instructors, fitness professionals, and enthusiasts they have worked with around the world.
GUESTS
Sarah Fuhrmann: CEO, UCanRow2
Lisa Weise: Founder, Rower’s Dream

S2E1 - Rowing Reimagined: Coastal is a Fun Challenge

Steady State Podcast hosts Rachel and Tara together have more than 50 years of rowing, coaching, and coxing experience. That’s all been flat water rowing on rivers and lakes. So what do we know about coastal rowing? A little, but not a whole lot, so we sat down with four coastal rowers to talk wetsuits in winter, beach sprints and endurance races, a groundbreaking new coastal 1x boat design, surfing green waves, and running in the sand.
Coastal is slated to be a part of the 2024 Junior Olympics, and 2028 Olympic Games. USRowing established a coastal rowing committee in 2020 and is looking to identify U19 and U23 athletes for USRowing's upcoming 2021 Beach Sprints National Team Trials scheduled for June 19 in Sarasota, FL.
Besides ALL of that, coastal just looks plain fun and offers up exciting opportunities for experienced rowers and new rowers alike.