In the Driver’s Seat, with Victoria Grieder – Rowing Stories, Features & Interviews

next in the driver’s seat–It’s Coxswain’s Victoria Greeder that we hear from people who aim their shells straight and their crews on target.

A sophomore varsity Coxswain at Rutgers University, Victoria started Cox at OARS Middle School in Orlando and won the Women’s Coxed Four at the U19 World Championships in 2021 before arriving on the banks of the Raritan River.

In her first year with the Scarlet Knights, Victoria made it to the NCAA Championship in 2V, and last weekend row2k announced that she started her sophomore season at the helm of the Rutgers 1V in a Big 10-Ivy Double Dual. discovered.

let’s jump in the driver’s seat Head “upstream” with Victoria, as they say at Rutgers.

row2k – What do you think are the 3 most important things to be a successful mastermind?
Victoria Grider – Successful Coxswains are adaptable, coachable, and leaders.

Adaptable means flexible and “in the moment”. Whether it’s maintaining a calm and confident tone in coordinating logistics or being adaptable on the phone to accommodate crew needs. , being a student of sports raises the level of coxing. Making mistakes is normal, but you can master the basics by learning from them rather than sweeping them under the rug. , helps keep the team together on and off the water. As a leader, you can create something special in your ship.

NCAA 2022

row2k – What’s your favorite drill to do with your crew? Any tips on how to drill wells for maximum effectiveness?
Victoria Grider – At Rutgers, we focus on mastering the basics with drills. With that in mind, I enjoy doing some leg-only pose finishes, leg-and-swing, and full-stroke leg-progression drills. Simultaneous leg drive initiation builds on the ideal feeling of accelerating the shells together. ‘

To get the most out of it, it’s important to listen to how your coach explains the drills to perform your technical focus. As Coxswain, I can provide feedback on timing, bladework, and technical focus. These are useful for reference during continuous rowing.

Winning silver in the 2022 women’s sprint at Rutgers 1V

row2k – What’s the best coaching advice you’ve received on coxsing?
Victoria Grider – In my first semester at Rutgers University, my head coach, Justin Price, introduced me to the concept of being a “catalyst” in rowing. At the cockpit, this means promoting standards of excellence while creating a positive atmosphere. We have the potential to bring out the best in our teammates. To be a catalyst, it helps to have the mindset, “This boat is going to go faster because I’m on it.” Throughout college, I’ve been trying to keep improving myself and trying to be as ‘sailor’ as I can be at the helm.

Another valuable piece of coaching that my head coach has instilled is bringing the best attitude to training. Approaching training with the mindset of “this is going to be rough” and “let’s rock and roll” is an entirely different mindset that can affect how a training session progresses. But it also applies to how we approach all areas of life. This is an exciting element of how the skills learned through rowing can be applied.

NCAA 2022

row2k – What was your most memorable call or move during a race? If so, what did it involve and what was it called?
Victoria Grider – I love racing and I accept similar situations in training. The racing moment that comes to mind is not necessarily the call itself, but when the crew responds with force.

At the 2021 Junior World Championships Women’s 4+, they were beaten by Italy with 450m to go. Once the ball of the bow was level, I performed a 5-stroke building move that cut the bow in half. Then, quite boldly, we called it gold. With the rhythm we built, we knew we would continue to gain traction and momentum, so we were able to win in the open water.

Luckily, this punching bag problem was hot and was all fixed by the Jr Worlds finals.

row2k – Can you tell us something about learning how to call sprints?
Victoria Grider – When I was in middle school, I thought the best way to get the crew to “empty the tank” was to yell “sprint”. To this day, I’ve learned that I need to be on the same page with the boat before the race as to what to say and how to respond to certain requests. Along with clarifying the , it helps to discuss how you want the sprint to feel and what you want to do. However, going back to adaptability, Coxswain should be confident in assessing the situation during the race and deviating from the plan if it’s best for the crew at the time, especially in the sprint.

Information motivates. Clearly communicate the margin of the nearest boat to the crew, opening the margin if ahead and closing the margin if behind. Another piece of information to communicate is split. As the boat picks up speed, tell the rowers to pick up momentum.

In my own time, I have a few sprinting workouts on the treadmill or erg. Saying similar words or phrases is often translated well by the crew, so understanding what I’m saying to myself in moments when I’m on my limit is helpful.

Doc Hosea Invitational, 2022

row2k – Tell us about your best and worst race/practice ever.
Victoria Grider – I love training with Rutgers. Whether on the water, in the weight room or during an erg session, we have a lot of fun. On the water, it’s great to see two boats trading bow balls while pushing yourself and your teammates to the highest level. It’s a great workout to replenish each other’s energy with your teammates. One time last year I was piloting a boat on an “add a pair” drill and the energy from the crew was so great that I wasn’t sure if they were listening to me and it was a lot of fun At the college level, I spend more time training than racing throughout the year, so I am grateful to be in the program with people I enjoy being with every day.

I maintain a standard of perfection in all areas of my life. My worst training session is to suffer myself for not reaching my full potential and forget that I am part of rowing. Because it’s a lot of fun. A teammate once told me.

Thank you for riding with Victoria – and remember this column is open to all “drivers” out there. your Ride, please contact us here. I would appreciate it if you could tell me your impressions from the driver’s seat.