The Rowing Podcast
The Rowing Podcast
Arshay Cooper and Jenn Gibbons - The George Pocock Rowing Foundation
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https://www.pocockfoundation.org/
Jen, our shake, good morning, guys.
SPEAKER_00Thanks for having us, Matt. Really appreciate it.
SPEAKER_01So starting things off, not so much at the beginning, but just to get a sense of what you guys are doing right now, can you talk a little bit about what each of you does with regards to the George Pocock Rowing Foundation and maybe a little bit about how you got there? I'm sure there's a story behind why you decided to get into this type of work and why you were attracted to this foundation.
SPEAKER_03Sure. So I started at the George Pocock Rowing Foundation in September, but previously had been in Chicago and working for an organization that I co-founded called Recovery on Water, which has been around since 2007. It was really just a passion project. I was coaching juniors for many years. And in my past experience, I had worked with breast cancer survivors and became familiar with the science really behind the research behind exercise and breast cancer, and just how significant of an impact exercise could have on women who had been diagnosed and been through treatment. So that program was a big part of my life for a very long period of time and never thought it would have become, you know, a job. It was something I did on the side. And um I was working in industrial real estate, nothing terribly exciting, but I uh very different. Yeah I woke up at 5 a.m., I coached juniors, I went to work nine to five, and then at night I was coaching breast cancer survivors. And um, you know, there was a point in 2008, um I was laid off from my job, and I remember kind of thinking, you know, of course, when you're like 22, you're like, oh my goodness, I got laid off.
SPEAKER_02This is the end of the world.
SPEAKER_03And I remember my mom calling me and saying, like, well, you know, it's it's good that you're learning this lesson early that you know you don't owe a job anything, and a job doesn't owe you anything, which feels a little cold and crass when you consider the nonprofit world, which is usually not the case, but it was a good experience for me at a young age that to kind of recognize, you know, like I'm going to work every day, I may as well be doing something that I love. And so really threw myself into the nonprofit sector and worked for a uh small women and girls serving organization in Chicago for some time. And then when Roe got a little further along, I decided to do a crazy trip and rowboat around Lake Michigan for recovery on water. That was in 2012. After you live on a boat for three months, you sort of like come back and have even more perspective on life. And you're like, wow, man, I have this apartment, all this stuff that I don't need. What do I want to do with my life? You know, like what do I really want to wake up every day doing? And I decided that I just wanted to give it a go. I asked the board of directors at Recovery and Water if you know they would take a chance on me and in getting the organization moving even further forward. And that's sort of the point in my career where I decided I was gonna be a leader versus sort of taking the traditional rowing coach route. I guess I just never look back. I mean, I was there for a decade and built an organization that was, you know, to me it was really important to leave something I created in a really sustainable fashion. And so I wanted to make sure it was gonna be around for years to come. You know, if you really love something, you know, it's not about you, it's about the mission and it's about making sure that it's gonna be there for you know many, many years. So I wasn't really looking for a job. My friend Lindsay Hockman, who wrote it uh the PRC for many years and was coaching for me at Recovery and Water, tapped me on the shoulder and she said, Hey, I think you need to apply for this job in Seattle. And so that was in January, and we started a conversation about it. And um, you know, I thought to myself, wow, this is an incredible opportunity. What an amazing legacy and just historic organization that's done a lot of really wonderful work that I'm really passionate about, and so I started to learn more. And then you're interviewing in the middle of a pandemic, which is just awkward, let's be real. I've never been to Seattle my whole life, never stepped foot in Seattle.
SPEAKER_02Oh, really?
SPEAKER_03Never ever been here, and so I came out, and um, you know, I think it's it's been really fun to come into again an organization that's been around for a long time, but it's always been all about innovating and leading. And so I feel like we have this combination of like rich hor historical legacy and relationships and um people who've always been at the forefront and then you know, just innovation and new things that we want to be doing, which leads perfectly to the conversation that Arshay and I had as I was coming on in the spring. Um Arshay, I can't remember. Did they announce? Did you already know that I was coming here? Did I put it on LinkedIn? Or how did how did you find out I was coming to the GPRF? Because all those all those weeks sort of become a blur to me now.
SPEAKER_00I know they I know they was interviewing, but um I wasn't, I I can't remember everything, but I remember just being in Florida. I found out somehow and I and I reached out, I text you, or you text me, and I was like, let's talk before you start, just to talk. Didn't even know that we was gonna like even talk again. You know what I mean? I don't know if you remember that. We had like an hour FaceTime about like just this work, right? And and uh in the space, but uh I know it's this summer. I can't remember all the details.
SPEAKER_01So did you guys do you guys know each other before uh the GPRF? I mean, Chicago. I mean, as soon as you I didn't really know that about you, Jen. As soon as you said that, I went, wait a minute. Okay, there's gotta be there's had to have been some crossover prior.
SPEAKER_00Well, I have to say, I'll let you go after Jen, but the first time I heard her her name, she have uh she won uh an award that I've won, the Anita DeFrance Award, um, just for her great work in the sport of rowing, right? And and um, you know, and then I met her at one of the U.S. rowing conventions, I forget what city we were in for like a second. And um and then I then I seen her at like a Chicago Training Center event, uh uh Gala where we talked for a little bit. And I think just you know, everything about her work, because people ask questions and her resume is it's it's tough and and uh and it shows her her work ethic and her passion, right? And when you meet her in person, it's just like this sweet mid Midwestern girl, you know, who who's just amazing and warm, right? And so um, you know, I I I was hoping one day that we will connect a little bit further than that, and and and um life made it happen.
SPEAKER_01What about you, Arshan?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, you know, Roman, you know, it introduced me to my strengths, my weaknesses. It uh it brought me face to face with who I am, right? And um, you know, it'd be the sport was a sport of healing before sport of just being competitive for me, like it impacted my life, right? And and I was that kid, that kid that, you know, if I played a video game, you know, I made and if it was good, I made sure everyone at school knew that it was a good video game, right? And and so uh that's just you know my attitude overall about things I enjoy. And and so, you know, although I uh you know I went to AmeriCourt and I went to La Court on Blue Cooking School, then became a chef for WWE Wrestling, and I worked at um a restaurant called Blackbird in Chicago and then moved to New York to work with Warner Brothers, I always spread the love of the sport, right? And always talked about the sport and in in many different ways. But I think after becoming a culinary instructor for young kids in Brooklyn, you know, I I you know I spent my time daily with kids who grew up like I did and my teammates. And um, and so that and they had a lot of questions of like, you know, how do I become successful? What's what's the roadmap, right? And and and so, and I would give them answers, right? And I would work with them and I would see the impact that was made in their life just by spending time with them. And I said to myself, how can I scale this, right? How can I use my story to to change many other young people out there? Because I thought it was a really great, beautiful story. And so I started writing and and and you know, locked myself in a in a room for a couple weeks, didn't know anything about writing, but I'll tell you, I spent eight hours a day watching YouTube videos on how to write a memoir and listening to like Joan Diddy and the Stephen King workshops on on YouTube and then you know, and then read a bunch of memoirs after that, and then I was like, I'm ready to go. And I just started writing, right? And um, and then Seth published my book first, and I think the Ron World loved it, right? And and then I introduced to Mary Mazio through Twitter, and then she wanted to do a film, and then the book republished called The Most Beautiful Thing. And uh, and you know, and I spent you know a lot of you know time, well, in the last six, seven years in the youth work, you know, working at Rural New York or traveling, working with programs, or started an indoor rowing program in in New York City. Um you know, it's it's it's it's all been good, it's all been good and great when you can you run into a kid and say, I heard you speak four years ago at my school, now I'm growing at Williams, right? Well now I am going to Cal. And so that's uh that's something that uh this sport is something I give myself away to. And I believe talent is everywhere, but it's access an opportunity that it's not, and if we can give access an opportunity, that would be great. And so um people wanted to give to my my mission. I was like, hey, I have to partner with someone who's who's doing the work national, right? And and Jen just went over to the Polcock, you know, we reached out and was like, hey, you know, how can I work with you? I want to work with you, Jen. And uh, you know, we had a good conversation.
SPEAKER_03And and I'm like, I don't even work there yet. Hold on.
SPEAKER_00I don't know, and so I think like Polcock do a great job in Seattle and they do the work regionally, but now nationally, and they've been doing work nationally, it's they you know they have a lot of passion and heart, and and and and the board is great and the staff is great. And so I'm just happy to be there with them and add to all their talents and gifts.
SPEAKER_01You can really see the impact. Uh it's it's very obvious in this city, the impact that that family had. Well, Archie, I gotta ask you, now that you mentioned those two things, number one, what's your favorite video game? Number two, uh, what's your favorite meal to cook?
SPEAKER_00Well, favorite video game of all time growing up. I don't know, uh, I don't play video games as much now. It's it's um as actually it's between two games. Street Fighters, right? I always love Street Fighters, right? Remember that, Jid.
SPEAKER_03Street Fighter were literally the best way to win is just push as many buttons. I pushed that buttons. Okay. I'm an older brother, I know what's up.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, yeah. I mean, I used to see people at the arcade just I'm like, what are you doing? Um, so Street Fighters and then 2K. I'm a huge basketball fan, so uh 2K um is is awesome. I mean, I I love the grill, the charcoal grill. I love the smoker, right? So um just barbecue is like my thing, but I went to the cordon bleu, so I'm can, you know, I I'm used to like the the the French traditions of of cooking, but I I love making soups from scratch, cream-based soups. And um, that's it's a great uh meal to cook for the fall and winter time.
SPEAKER_01Is grilling and s and smoking and cordon bleu are those kind of like antithetical? Are they not really mixed together very well? Those two. No, okay.
SPEAKER_00No, it's not, it's not, it's not. I mean, it's not a lot of money in barbecue and even, so they don't really get into that at the cordon bleu, but you know, it's it's it's more of a even if I didn't become a chef, like the the art of grilling and smoking just is is something like I've I learned it. Guys just love to do no matter what. Smoke meat, you know, and so it's uh yeah, it's it's it's an awesome thing.
SPEAKER_01I think there's a place in I I think I'm gonna get the name right. It's called Schmidt's, I think, down in Austin, Texas. That's super famous for its its barbecue and its smoking. That's the only that's the only place I've ever been to that's like really been super legit. Do either of you guys know any other places in case anybody from any other state is listening? Like, yes, absolutely. Gotta go to that.
SPEAKER_00Hometown barbecue in New York is probably the best, I think, in the East Coast. Jen, any of Chicago?
SPEAKER_03I'm trying to think. I'm I'm vegan, so I might be the last person to ask.
SPEAKER_02Oh, sorry.
SPEAKER_03That's okay.
SPEAKER_02I grew up in the Midwest, and it's all good.
SPEAKER_01Coming back to the the foundation, can you guys you know expand a little bit on you know, rubber meets the road. What's the problem that you guys are trying to solve? And can you give some real life examples?
SPEAKER_03My my understanding of you know the work that we've done over the years and the work that we are still trying to do, and now we've added Archie into the mix is the foundation has really been focused on helping kids find, start, and stay rowing. And I know that sounds like overly simplified, but if you break it down, you know, like finding rowing is not all that easy, right? Like rowing is not in every gym class, it's not super accessible. Kids don't even know that it's an option. So what we really try to focus on with Erged in particular is to bring the rowing machine and bring rowing into the classroom. And part of the success of that has really been to work with PE teachers that the kids already trust and they already know. The start piece, which you know, like it's funny, I think about like when you start rowing, like, oh, okay, you find rowing, and then maybe you start rowing. I would argue the start rowing is one of the harder aspects that you know we've been working um to really try and problem solve. But you know, think about it. Like in order to start rowing, you have to go to a boathouse that's not your school. You have to you have to have a rowing instructor who is not your teacher who you don't trust. Um, there's water, and for a lot of kids that's a hurdle. There's spandex, which is like a whole other level of hurdles. Like there's so many aspects and things that we just don't think about necessarily in terms of what are the hurdles to get the kid to start rowing. And then staying rowing, and this is the work, you know, with our Shea, we're working on this start and the stay piece. You know, traditionally the foundation has been really supportive of boathouses and of athletes with scholarships. So we work really hard to make sure, you know, if the kid needs transportation, if they need a uniform, if they need a scholarship, whatever it is that they need to continue to stay rowing has been the focus of the foundation for really about the last 10 years. And so we found a lot of success with that and um been really grateful to partner with US Rowing and bringing URG ed outside of the Pacific Northwest. When we started this conversation with Arshea and coming in and learning about the work that he wanted to do, it paired up so well with the timing of the success we had of the past and what we wanted to do more of in the future. And I can't think of a better expert, you know, person with expertise than Arshea to come in and to help us learn how to do this in a bigger way and in a bolder way. And you add on top of that the success of the film, you add on top of that, you know, 2020, which has brought a lot more awareness to these issues for so many people. And so boathouses are, I think, in a lot of ways, I mean, Arshay, you speak to this probably better, but I mean, a lot of boat houses are looking to us for answers, and so we have this overwhelming amount of request, and um so every week Arshea and I are just working for how to organize the work, how to best design it. We've had wonderful philanthropic partners. We've raised a little over half a million dollars, and we've still got another half million to go. It's been kind of like a um a really fun ride so far. Um, our Shea started in November. So if you want to take it from there.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I think you know, it's everything that Jen said, but I think, you know, my mission has always aligned with what the work Pocock is doing. And I think that there's three things that I look at that we're continuing and working on solving. And Jen probably heard me read this a million times, but I have to, it's it's just a quick note from a guy who lives in Renton, but grew up in Philly. And he sent me a message after reading my book, and he said uh on on Instagram, he said, I am in the back of my truck reading the last pages of A Most Beautiful Thing, crying quietly behind my sunglasses. Your story is my story. Thank you for sharing it. I used to run by I used to run by the boathouse in Philly dreaming that I was Aurora Temple. I stand in all the white spaces and I feel their stairs. I have drug addic uncles. I know the depths of black ambition. I hope to stand with you one day. Thank you. And when I read that, I just, I mean, I probably read it a million times. I just couldn't stop thinking about it. That and then we we continued to talk. And he said, you know, you heard about me from the Renton Bow House. And there were so many bow houses in Philly, but he felt like he couldn't just walk in and learn how to row as a high school kid. You know, I can't just walk in there and be like, I want to row for this city, right? He didn't have the money, didn't, you know, just wasn't sure. He didn't see people who looked like him, right? And and so, number one, it's like, how do we give access to young people like that who wants to learn all the lessons I learned in the sport, right? Who who, you know, I believe that access and opportunity should be a birthright. And but there's young people who don't feel that way, right? I mean feel that way, but it's not it's not getting that access. And so we are really, really working on making sure that we can get access to a lot of young people. And it's gonna be a lot of work and takes a lot of money. I think the second thing is that there are programs out there that are inclusion and equity focused, right? And kids are showing up, right? And and they love the sport, but it's not a lot of resources, right? They they only three or four days a week. They have the oldest boats in the city and only can afford the newest coach in the city, right? The most novelist coach in the city, and um, you know, they they can't pay to go to regatta's, right? And so, but they want to compete with the other kids in the city, but they just can't. And sometimes people will be like, oh, this is you know, it's just a wreck program, but they they want it as much as everyone else. And so, how do we help them thrive in that city and become a more equitable program? And I think the third thing is that um, you know, two years ago, there's an article that came out uh in Jersey at the Mother's Day Regatta with this black girl who who wrote, she's the only black girl on her team, and she kind of went off by herself, and the opposing team called her Rosa Parks and the N-word, right? And um, you know, if we're gonna reach out to young people that look like me and give them access to the sport, if we're gonna give them all the resources they need, we want to make sure that the sport is warm and welcoming to those to those young people. So, how do we educate and give the training to coaches who really want to diversify their programs, right? And and and and and make our sport welcoming for everyone. And so those are the all the things that we're trying to accomplish at uh George Pocock, and we are excited too. And Shannon's, I tell you, is building a great team. She's been a great leader, she's been so open, and I am excited.
SPEAKER_01Well, I think you know, you under you underscore something that I think that's really important in all this is the idea of story, um, and what you were talking about with um, you know, with your book and which became the movie. It kind of creates this network effect that if enough people see it, enough people start talking about it, and then younger kids get exposed to that type of story, and like you they kind of realize it's possible. It's like uh it's it's more powerful than this movie, but it's almost like the rock, like the movie Rocky, like when people saw that when they were younger, that probably I've heard stories of people saying that's what got me into athletics. I saw this and realized, like, oh, like I, you know, I don't know, it won't be boxing, but I can I can I want to be a sports. I see how valuable that is, and it is it it's inspiring to me. And so the more that you know your book and your movie gets out, and and hopefully more stories like that, I would think coming out would be a positive for people to talk about those things. Um, I think it really, you know, especially in today with modern media, that's how kids learn about things. That's a lot of us learn about things, um, I think that will impact pretty heavily. What are some things you guys have been brainstorming? I mean, you you highlighted a pretty clear problem, which is like how do you get them to the boathouse? Like, honestly, even if they're like what you were saying, Arshea, even if they're standing outside of the boathouse, they might not go in. You know, they almost they actually need somebody to actually usher them in and kind of like welcome them, almost like an arm around the shoulder. You know, what are some things that you guys have been brainstorming or trying? You know, what are some things that ideas that are flying around?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, you know, I think number one is is relationships, right? We have to build relationships with the community. It's not really just stepping into the community and say, hey, I'm here. You know, like everyone's kids go through the school system, right? The public school system or charter school. So I think, you know, building relationships, and that's what we do, Arget, build relationships with um the PE teacher or with the principal or the teachers there, right? Like right away we can't, like you said, we can't take everyone to the bullhouse. But what Polcock do so well is that we bring the boathouse right to the school, right? We bring those lessons that you learn to the school and we teach those lessons to the PE teacher, right? And the PE teacher teach those things to the young people. And now they know the sport is there, right? They know that there is a boathouse in their city, right? And and you and you and you can you you have an opportunity to try out this great sport and be on the water. Let's take the next step. But being there and having our presence there shows the staff and administrative that like we we want a relationship. We want to get to know you. We want to know your name. We want you to know our names. This is what we're all about. And so I think that that's that's the big plus, right? Just relationships. And then we, you know, you build a partnership, right? Like, hey, can we recruit? You know, can we talk to the whole entire school body, right? Or can we connect with the parents, right? Uh where's the parent coordinator at the school? We would love to tell them about George Pocock, George Pocock Foundation, um, and and the sport of growing. So I think that's like that's the start of it. And then, you know, we maybe we'll do a trial, right? Where they come and they check out the bullhouse, or it's a field trip, right? Or, you know, we also, you know, we're big on learn to roll days, right? When I visit um the um George Pocock Foundation a year ago, I went to Renton, right? I spoke in the auditorium, right? And I said, hey, listen, this Saturday, we're doing a learn to roll day. And I want you all to come and bring your parents. They're gonna be refreshments, it's gonna be exciting, right? And and like 40 kids came out, right? And it came and we we gave them a tour of the boathouse, and and I mean, some of them never touched a boat.
SPEAKER_03What's been kind of fun about the connection between what we do and what we want to do with the fund is the you know, we want to be a an organization that is leading generosity in our sport. So we want to give the gift of rowing, and that can mean a lot of things in a lot of different ways. And you know, the the connection between Urugued and the scholarships and the support that we have here and the work that R She wants to be doing, I mean, I think again, it takes it like to this next level and a new level of generosity that you know we have been inspired by, given all of the you know, philanthropy and the generosity that has come our way since the film came out. And so, you know, our you're leading this in terms of the program design. You know, we're we still kind of have our cities as top secret, so we can't quite break those out just yet. But um, we want to build on these really wonderful organizations that are doing the work in these cities, but they really need help. So um I think what's wonderful about Arshea's approach is that he already has so many relationships. I mean, everybody across the country who has been doing this work knows Arshea. And um, so it's been it's been wonderful to be able to almost like get started three or four steps into the process, just feeling like we've already got a running start with all of these beautiful relationships and um and trying to figure out how we connect that back into the work that we do here in Seattle and then we focus on largely in the Pacific Northwest has been really fun.
SPEAKER_01What can people do to get involved now and contribute and help?
SPEAKER_00Of course, you know, if if you can give money, give money. Uh no, you know, it's the it's it the it's it's uh you know, everyone knows that the sport is expensive, right? Like right now, I read an article and and and you know, listen to a lot of podcasts about how like soccer is now expensive to play in some of these underserved communities, right? And all you need is a ball, but they can't afford they can't afford to play soccer. You know, it's like now you gotta travel, you gotta get your cleats, right? You know, that you gotta pay the coach and in the field and and it young kids who grew up where I grew up don't have access to play soccer, you know, and if but imagine the sport of rowing where you know a boat is the same price as your car, you know, and and so um that's something that you can always give. If you have access to give financially, uh please give. I think you know, volunteering at a local um rowing organization, if they need tutoring, right? You may have those skills, right? And it, you know, if they need someone um helping out with facilities or at the boat house, like you can always ask the boat house, how can I volunteer? What can I do? Can I be a ref, right? Like, how do you know just you know, volunteering overall in the sport uh really helps? And then also spread, spread the news, what we're doing, right? What we're accomplishing, uh, what we want to see in this sport with with the George Porkott Foundation, like post it, you know, and and there's a few things I can think of. Jen, you want to add to that?
SPEAKER_03One of the most powerful things I've sort of recognized just within myself and with the groups that we've done to work with is just becoming more conscious of your experience and how that experience may be drastically different than someone else's as they just approach the sport to find the sport and to consider, you know, what it takes to get someone to the place where they put the ore in their hands, like for one person, could be drastically different than it would be for someone else. So unpacking all these things and these assumptions we have about, you know, how easy it is and how we fell in love with it so quickly, you know, I think people find rowing in different ways and at different points in their life. I've certainly seen that in the time that I've been doing this work. So approaching it from you know, a non-traditional sense, I think is almost always just a great place to start. Um, I mean, our sport is just, you know, it's old and traditional, and it's um, you know, I think we have a lot of room to grow in that space. And I think that the foundation and the work we're gonna be doing with Arshea is gonna be hopefully really innovative and and help us find new ways to think about how people come to rowing in the first place. Um, giving always, um, I'll echo what Arshea was sharing on that as well. You know, we still have a half a million dollars to raise before we can really start doing this work. So we've had a lot of really wonderful partners and individuals, corporations, foundations that have come forward. And uh we still, you know, again, we still have another half million to raise before we really get going. And we want to be able to just serve these communities in a really generous way as we head out and and build these relationships and try and shape these communities in boathouses. So we can't do that without financial support. Um, but I think you know, it's it's been really fun just in the brief time that we've been doing this to hear from so many communities of people who are really interested in this work and want to be doing this work, but they're just not sure where to start. So we are really hopeful that over the year, first year, that we do this, we can come back to the Rowan community because there is such a significant need. You know, we hear from coaches, we hear from administrators, we hear from teachers, we hear from parents that say, you know, we want to diversify our teams. We don't even know where to start. And so providing more tools for more communities and more boat houses is really important to me and important to our Shea. And so, you know, whatever it is that we learn in the next year and in the three years that we have this work ongoing, hopefully it'll continue after three years, is just for us to be able to share that with the rowing community in a way that is scalable and that people can learn from. Um that's kind of the part that that's the aspect that I'm I'm most responsible for is making sure that we manage the work in a way that it can continue to grow for years to come. All the people who've kind of come our way through this work and just this new fund, and you know, we have just a totally stellar committee that's focused on this. So we have a Most Beautiful Thing Fund, uh, inclusion fund committee at the GPRF. And you know, we have all of the Olympians of color on this committee. We have Mary Mazio, we've got Bill Hudson, Dave Coven, we've got people that are really committed to one of the things I most appreciate about the committee is that they're like, yeah, this is gonna be really hard. We're gonna help you raise money, we're gonna be right behind you helping you get this done. And so, you know, I I want to give them a shout out because you know, none of this would be possible without all of their support. And that's not just financial support, that's you know, being willing to give us space to try and figure out how to solve these really big problems is just a wonderful, like gracious thing. So I'm I'm grateful for that. I want to make sure we we give them a shout out.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, Jen, make sure you don't forget a special shout out for Dan, you know, Dan, our man.
SPEAKER_03We have a lot of love for Dan.
SPEAKER_00Uh thank you for that. Yeah, I second what Jen said.
SPEAKER_01Who's Dan? Maybe I missed something. Sorry.
SPEAKER_00Oh, Dan Walsh is on our committee too. He's a two-time Olympian, he works for Hudson and just like an awesome friend of ours and part of the committee. Gotcha. Good company too.
SPEAKER_03He is, he is. Dan's Dan's been tying in the Hudson and C2 connection, and um, it's been fun because you know, he just he has so much energy and he's so full of just you know love for this sport and no lack of enthusiasm. And uh it's just great. I mean, it's fun to be a part of like uh, you know, we try and meet once a month and like containing the energy that we get from all these calls and everybody who's coming around the table to make it all happen. It's just you know, it's impossible to do it perfectly, but man, it's it's really fun, and we sure do try.
SPEAKER_01Staying with tradition to some degree with the podcast. Um, I always like to finish with a bit of a questionnaire to find out a bit more about um our our guests and to uh give you guys a chance to give a little bit more insight about your your background in rowing and some of the things you learned. So, starting with number one, uh Jen, we'll start you off on this one. If your closest friends could only describe you using three words, meaning three adjectives, which words would you hope that they would use for you?
SPEAKER_03Oh good question. Optimistic, stubborn, and hopeful.
SPEAKER_01Awesome. Arche?
SPEAKER_00I'm gonna have to still let hopeful, um open, uh, and uh just you know, just passionate.
SPEAKER_01Who is someone that you admire in rowing and why?
SPEAKER_00Uh for me uh hands down I'd say Anita de Friends, right? First uh black Olympian uh in uh trailblazer in in this sport and also with the International Olympic Committee. So of course Anita de Friends. John?
SPEAKER_03Well, I recently learned about Lucy Pocock, who is George's sister, and she was winning singles, races, and dresses essentially. Um I'm a big fan of Lucy Pocock recently, having had learned about just all the barriers that she had sort of broken down, and um, you know, there's just so many great leaders in the sport, but it's it's recently been really fun to learn about her and the family, and you know, not unlike a lot of history. It's like this incredible woman, but nobody really talks about her. So I might be on top of trying to talk about her a little bit more in the future.
SPEAKER_01Awesome. We definitely should. Um favorite race course and or favorite regatta and why, Arce?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I have to say that for me, still, it's always gonna be Chicago Sprints. It's it's hard. Oh, it's going, Arce. Yeah, is where it started. And I think it's it's just you know, it's a straight course, it is right there by Lakeshore Drive, it's beautiful, got the best style. I mean, I think it's the the the when it comes to uh a race course, we have the best view ever, you know what I mean? So I'll go to Chicago Sprint.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I would, you know, the sprints is great because you can literally walk the entire course and you can be super close to the boats, so you can just see the whole experience, and it's very narrow and um it's fun. There's a bridge at the end, it's super, it's just a great regatta.
SPEAKER_01What is your favorite rowing drill and why? Starting with Jen.
SPEAKER_03I'm a big fan of cut the cake, probably because I have you know crazy handle heights most of the time. Um I think that's probably my favorite.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I think for me it's honestly it I wouldn't say it's more of a drill. It's and for me, it's the guys because like we, you know, we we all just like super competitive and it's all about strength in the boat and outside the boat. So when it's just time to go after it, I think that's what we love. We all collectively love most, just go after it.
SPEAKER_01What is the most challenging workout you've ever done? Arsha.
SPEAKER_00Oh, the most challenging workout I've ever done. Um, you know, the the the the the 6K, right? The the 10K is on on a sometimes on a summer day, right? You know, um we did a lot of those, you know. I I Jen, I am not running away from the erg, but I'm not you know avoid the erg as much as I can. But like, you know, those those those long pieces, you know, uh not not in the wintertime because we expect that, but like some sometimes you have to do it on a summer day, you know, and and uh those are hard workouts, man. The erg is a beast. It is a beast.
SPEAKER_03Some of us are doing the holiday challenge, so you know, thinking about those meters right now. I would say um I used to do a workout on Wednesdays, it was 40 sets of 45 seconds on, 15 seconds off, and you know, you do 20 of them and then you take a five-minute break and you do another 20 of them, and you just kind of want to puke when it's all over.
SPEAKER_01But um what is the most out there thing you've ever done in pursuit of rowing?
SPEAKER_00You know, I think that um it's I guess it's it's pursuing of spreading the word of rowing. And it was with my wife, and I was like, you know, I'll you know, to work with this this publishing group, I was like, and they said I had this amount of time to finish the book, and I was like, there's no way with with my work hours. And I was like, you know what, I'm gonna stop working just to write this book because I believe that it's gonna be successful, and I believe it's gonna get the word out there, and I believe great things are gonna happen after that. And she was like, No way, are you sure? And I was like, trust me, and I stopped working, right? And I every day I just dive into just like writing, writing, writing, writing, writing, and the book went out there, and um and I think it worked out.
SPEAKER_01How uh how long did it take you to write it? Because it sounds like the way that you tell it, it sounds like you like locked yourself in a room, like, I'm just gonna power this thing out and like write it.
SPEAKER_00You know, I I wouldn't I I did do that, but there was breaks. So there was there was emotion times where it was just too emotional to write, and I will take a mug off and be like, I need to clear my head, and then I would go back to like every day for three weeks and then take a week off, then go every day for two weeks, and then take two weeks off. So uh off and off for a year and a half, like in that way.
SPEAKER_01Got it. Jen, what is the most out there thing you've ever done in pursuit of rowing?
SPEAKER_03Probably quitting my job and living in a boat, rowing around Lake Michigan. Uh probably the most insane rowing thing I've done. Yeah, I mean, it is funny when you take that leap. I remember that too, Arce. Like, uh, it's like, well, uh, I think my job will have me back, but I gotta quit in order to do this. So um, we'll just see what happens. And you know, and I I think those opportunities actually kind of felt that way. I I felt like I hadn't taken a big risk like that in some time until I took this job, you know, like where you're like, I don't know how this is gonna work out. I don't know anybody in Seattle. I don't, you know, hopefully I can do a great job in the role. And, you know, I think in life you really need to have those leap moments. And when you haven't had one in a while, if you're not, you know, a particularly risk-adverse person, it's it's a wonderful thing. It teaches you so much about yourself and to have to really depend on your gut is um it's a it's a really beautiful thing in life.
SPEAKER_01Well, the last question is uh pretty open-ended, but it's kind of three pieces of advice. So if you could give one positive piece of advice to each of the following people who is looking to excel in rowing, what would you say to a rower, to a coxswain, and to a coach? Arsha?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I would say to a coxswain, um be a voice, not an echo, not only in the boat, but outside of the boat. Uh to a rower, I would say continue to give what hurts in the boat, outside of the boat, and you get the results that you want to see. And to a coach, um try um weekly or daily or monthly to eliminate uh some of the dreams and goals that that your uh your athlete has.
SPEAKER_03I would say for coaches to consider that, you know, athletes are coming to practice, but they're like not fully formed humans, you know, like these are kids. They are evolving their learning from everything that you do, including, you know, not just the words that you're saying in the boat or what they're hearing through the megaphone. You know, they're really looking to you for guidance in so many ways, and you just don't know what kids are bringing to practice in terms of where they are in their life and and what this work could really mean to them. Um I think for coxswains, I would say that you know, your words are powerful. And um, I'm a big fan of the four agreements, and one of those is you know, be impeccable with your words, and you only got so many words uh for us to really be able to absorb in a boat. So being concise with communication and your words are powerful. Uh, for rowers, I was gonna steal our shades, you know, give until it hurts. I think that you know, as a rower, you really learn who you are, who you're not, and uh who you want to be in those moments, in those pieces, and those workouts, and those practices and experiences. And so, you know, understand that you know it's wonderful. There's a great sort of glory that comes in being able to have individual accomplishment, but understanding how that fits into the bigger hole and how you can give to something, I think you'll find that you give so much more than you ever thought you could if you've got a group of people to do it with.