In the Driver’s Seat, with Natalie Cleri – Rowing Stories, Features & Interviews

next in the driver’s seat–Hearing the people who keep the shell straight and the crew fast is pilot Natalie Crelli.

Natalie has coached the Women’s National Team at Drexel University and led the Dragons to victories in the Dad Vale, Schuylkill Car Cup and Kerry Cup tournaments. She began her helm at Our Lady of Mercy Academy High School in Syosset, New York.

She was in charge as Drexel won the Club Eight with Charles in 2022 and as the Drexel national team led the opening stages of the 2022 CAA Championship grand final against Northeastern. Natalie has a total of three CAA silver medals in Drexel’s top boat and is part of the Dragons’ most successful team to compete in a conference championship in recent years.

let’s hop in the driver’s seat with Natalie:

row2k – What do you think are the three most important things for a successful captain?
Natalie Cleri – The three most important things to become a successful conductor are:

steering: There are three points for good maneuvering.

1. Must be able to steer the boat on board (e.g. 4+, 8+, Vespoli, Empacher). Regardless of boat class or boat shell, the first thing to do in the day is to understand the boat’s steering mechanism and its responsiveness.

2. Know your highest and lowest scores. When trying to steer the boat, have a high point in the sky and a low point in the water and check it repeatedly to make sure you are going straight and on course.

3. Wrap your finger around the gunwale. No matter how much you can fit around the muzzle, do so. The tighter you hold the gunwale, the less movement you have when using the rudder, allowing you to effortlessly set and point the boat where you want to go.

Execution/boat management: On any given day, the most successful conductor is the one who efficiently guides the crew through practices and races as the coach intends. Whatever your workout for the day, stay on top of the details. Stay one step ahead. If you are in a practice situation and know what to do to keep your crew safe and the practice running smoothly and efficiently, do it. If you don’t know what to do at a particular moment, be aware of your surroundings and ask questions at the right time. Overall, helping to safely and effectively carry out practices helps rowers and coaches focus on their responsibilities and creates a trusting and harmonious environment.

Keep it clear and simple. When trying to calm the rower’s mind and communicate inwardly, the best thing to do is to keep things as consistent and concise as possible. Don’t overcomplicate it. Avoid verbosity and don’t implement too many focal points at once. The clearer and simpler it is, the more effective the call will be.

row2k – What’s your favorite exercise to do with your crew? Any tips on how to drill wells for maximum effectiveness?
Natalie Cleri – It may look easy, but one of my favorite drills is just the outside arm on the square. This training is usually done in fours or his sixes, with the rower placing only his outer hand on the oar handle and his inner hand either on the thigh or with his fist on the handle. Row. I like this drill because it’s simple but very effective.

As a captain, the most important thing for the crew to do well in this training is to keep them focused. This drill helps with many focus and technical points in your stroke. The drill is on the square to help adjust handle height for recovery and water depth for drive. To set the boat most effectively, it’s best to use your outside hand rather than your inside hand.

By emphasizing the outside hand, this drill also helps the rower work their lats, keep their shoulders relaxed, and focus on completing the stroke through the water with a flat outside wrist. Only his outside arm on the square helps with posture, engagement, sets, and overall boat speed.

row2k – What’s the best coaching advice you’ve received regarding Cox?
Natalie Cleri – The best coaching advice I have ever received for my Cox is from my current coach, Ashiya Mahmood. I owe a lot of my current knowledge and skills to her.

Car Cup Champions, 2023

Becoming a captain is difficult, but not an easy job. There are many responsibilities and tasks to manage as a conductor at any level. At higher levels, very little change is required to go from college to elite or excellent to excellent. As I have grown and improved as a conductor, two of the best pieces of advice Coach Mahmoud has given me are:

“As much as you think you’re wrong about one thing, you’re doing many things right,” and “Don’t hide your heart.”

Those two pieces of advice have made a huge difference in my steering this spring for so many reasons. i am an emotional person. I am very careful with what I do. Its compassionate nature makes me a better person and a better conductor, but the more calm and emotionally cool I am, the faster my boat goes.

Both advices apply to constructive criticism and feedback. It is important to know that any corrections or comments you receive on the water or on land are not personal and are for your own and crew improvement. Ultimately, that’s what matters most. Coach Mahmoud always reminds us of this when we want it most heard.

row2k – What was a race decision or action that you will remember for the rest of your life? If so, what was involved and how did you call it? Natalie Cleri – One of the most memorable calls I made during the race was “Why Not?”. This particular call is one of my favorite calls, but it has to be implemented at the right time.

Father Bale wins gold in 2021 1V

Earlier this season, our Drexel Women’s team had the opportunity to compete at the Sunshine State Invitational at Nathan Benderson Park in Sarasota. The teams participating in this race are fast and always on speed. So it’s always exciting to see how we can make it happen early in the spring season. To set the scene, I made this call heading into the final 500 meters of the Invitational Grand Final. We achieved our goal of qualifying for the Grand Finals and had nothing to lose. We were one of the three boats tied for third place and were competing for medals. During this part of the race, I told them to walk, and then I said, “Why not?”

My crew was very responsive and we all made it through to the top 2 teams, 3rd place and a medal. Not only was it important to me to know the crew’s capabilities at this point in the race, but it was also important to implement such calls in practice. That memorable call wasn’t just for the moment. It was created and earned by planting the seeds of that energy during practice and practicing the phrases. “Why not?” is a very powerful phrase because a lot is said in one short sentence, “What do we have to lose?” What/who is stopping us? What can we say is impossible for us that was previously thought impossible?

Head of Charles 2022

row2k – Can you tell us something about what you learned about how to call sprints?
Natalie Cleri – Racing sprints are interesting to me. It’s the part of the race where spectators and fans cheer and watch the most, but how you get into it and how you get out of it across the finish line depends largely on the remaining 1500m and beyond. be. Race.

That being said, there are three things I learned that help in my racing sprints.

1. Know your goals. Make sure you know your target location and target time, whatever it may be, and let staff know what it will take to get there if you haven’t got there yet. please.

2. Know the crew and their identities. What do your particular crew members need to hear to push themselves further than they think they should? Find out what words, phrases and tone of voice work best.

3. Make them always present. By this point in the race, many rowers feel dizzy or ‘headed out’. Maintain their presence and draw them back. If that means saying their name, so be it.

row2k – Tell us about your best race/practice ever.
Natalie Cleri – One of the best races of my life was head of The Charles in October 2022. I was one of her nine crew members on the Drexel Women’s National Team 8+ and she placed first in the Women’s Club 8+ category. What an honor. It was the most fun and most memorable race of my life so far, but it took a lot of hard work and dedication to get there.

What is a car cup

I have been studying Head of Charles Course since 2012. I was a spectator at the regatta that year and overheard the announcer say, “This is a conductor’s race.” I took these words to heart and knew that one day he would do everything in his power to make his boat a success, given the chance to helm it with HOCR. I was 13 years old at the time, and for a million years I never thought I would be a future HOCR champion.

2022 was my fifth race at Head of the Charles. I hadn’t raced in HOCR the previous year, so my bow number for the race was #30. If you know HOCR, you know it’s not optimal to lag behind the rest of his 29-man crew. I knew the course like the back of my hand. I knew, I knew the rowers and coaches, but I didn’t want Bow #30 to stop us from doing the best course/line and we all trust it. was doing.

Another thing I did with my coaches and crew in preparation for the race was to use the race timestamps to track how fast they needed to get to each location to win the race. was. After these timestamps, I did some timestamps. We hit the line on the track like it was ours and pulled it out of ourselves. In that race, all 9 of us worked together, mentally and physically, and did our best. After passing many crews, we crossed the line confident that we had done well. We knew we were fast. I just didn’t know how fast it was.

It was the most surreal moment when we got back to the docks waiting for our coaches, teammates and parents to announce the news that we had won first place. I couldn’t believe it and I still can’t believe it. But at the same time, we did it because we understood the level of training and effort that went into it.

Thanks for driving with Natalie — and remember, this column is open to all “drivers” in the world.So if you’re an experienced conductor of any level, from junior to master, and are willing to invite row2k, join us. your If you would like to board, please contact us. We would love to hear your thoughts on the view from the driver’s seat.