Crew Selection

1
Crew Selection

• May 11, 2002

2
Approach

• Why me?
• Benchmark (dream team)
• Basic principles
• The cornerstone
• Early on - year 1
• Still quite early - 2
• Issues
• Solutions

3
The Position Benchmark

• Seat I
• Skill position
• Smooth stroke/consistent side to side
• Competent/confident
• Sets tone pace
• Getting bigger
• Seat II
• Ditto to seat I
• Good communicator stroke crew
• Change race, in longer, maintains constancy
• Ama responsibility

4
The Position Benchmark

• Seats III IV
• Meat seats
• Bigger/Strong
• Good feel for the boat calls/pushes
• Motivation
• Seat IV ama responsibility
• Seat V
• Power
• Weight complement to I II

5
The Position Benchmark

• Seat VI
• Skill
• Personality
• Confidence
• Weight/strength consideration
• Fittest/most skilled crews not always first
  across the line
• Meshing key
• Personalities
• Paddling styles
• Weight
• Harmony

6
Basic PrinciplesPractice Race

• Safety
• Fun for paddlers coaches

7
The Cornerstone to success

• Critical that the club mission statement be
  developed and communicated to new and prospective
  members. Can evolve over time.
• Paddlers know full well the necessity of pulling
  together. Club members should all be clear on
  what they are signing up for and buy in on the
  approach their club takes to the sport and the
  resultant action plan
• primarily recreational, some racing
• blend of recreational and racing
• strictly race oriented
• Training/racing plans and crew selection process
  flow from the above and must be communicated from
  outset

8
Early on year 1New club or novices in
established club

• Focus on skill development
• Everybody must learn how to rig
• Everyone must learn how to steer
• Start every practice by having different people
  rig boat
• Rotate steersmen and other skill positions. There
  are ways to make this fun and non-threatening
• Establish a crew structure define roles
• Establish a practice structure. Make it
  interesting/challenging. People should want to be
  there.
• Beware of too many coaches in the boat
• Crew selection can be relatively benign process
  at this stage. Tied to club objectives

9
Still early year 2

• Specialization begins
• Paddlers declare their goals objectives as to
  position in boat and racing
• Crew selection becomes tougher
• A little knowledge/expertise can really
  complicate things

10
Issues

• Ego Vs reality, personality Vs capability
• Differing levels of commitment
• Differing levels of fitness, skill and rate of
  progression
• Attendance
• Blending all of the above into a program that
  works for all

11
Solutions

• Mission statement its communication should
  avoid some potential conflicts
• Seat races, in 6 man OC-1 (if possible)
• Challenge ladder
• Dedicated races (to blending).
• Dedicated practices (to blending). Need social or
  other hook to keep advanced paddlers actively
  participating
• Club intramural races. Skill elements to support
  program to develop basics of steering rigging.
  Link to social
• Occasional town hall meetings/feedback sessions
  to learn what is working and what is not