Winning Behaviors
These “Winning Behaviors” come from a dozen or so high-performing crew teams. I’ve added a few that are specific to GLR and others that make sense for masters crews like ours.
They aren’t meant to be prescriptive. I’m not saying we should or even could adopt every one of them. But I found it useful to reflect on these ideas as we keep working to find more speed at GLR.
I’d encourage you to do the same.
Which of these feel true for us as a team?
Which feel true for you personally?
Pick three behaviors you think our team already does really well, and three we might want to develop further.
Then do the same for yourself: three strengths you already bring, and three areas you’d like to grow.
Both sides matter. Recognizing what we’re already good at is just as important as identifying what we want to improve. That’s how we keep getting faster in a way that lasts.
I’m reading The Inner Game of Tennis by Timothy Gallwey which is relevant here… I’d encourage you to think about these “behaviors” below with the following in mind:
- The real game is internal Every athlete has two selves:
- Self 1 — the talker, the part that tries to control and critique every move.
- Self 2 — the doer, the part of you that already knows how to perform when trusted. Most goal problems come from Self 1 over-managing Self 2. The key is to quiet Self 1 and let learning and performance flow naturally.
- Process over outcome
- Focusing on winning, results, or comparisons tightens the body and clouds awareness. The best goals are process-oriented (what you pay attention to, how you move, what you notice) and awareness-driven (observing rather than judging). When you focus on process, improvement becomes more automatic.
- Awareness is the path to mastery
- Gallwey doesn’t sayt “try harder” — it’s to “see more clearly.” Replace goals like “I need to nail every start” with goals like “Notice how the blade feels in the water” or “Feel the rhythm of the drive.” Awareness sharpens feedback and helps your body self-correct naturally.
- Non-judgmental goals
- Goals can hide self-criticism (“I should be better,” “That was bad”). Instead, treat each rep or stroke as information, not a verdict. Observe without judgment. Keep confidence and learning open, especially under pressure.
- Natural learning and trust
- Don’t sabotage yourself. Give yourself a clear image of what you want… touch your toes, a silent finish, a patient catch, Then let repetition and awareness do the work. You don’t have to force improvement; you have to allow it.
- Freedom in goals
- Goals should focus your attention, not create anxiety. When a goal starts to feel heavy or restrictive, it’s stopped serving its purpose. Goals are not for self-criticism.
Crew / Life Balance
- I keep rowing in perspective… it fuels life, not the other way around.
- I bring my best self to practice, even if life outside the boathouse is messy.
- I take pride in consistency, not perfection.
- I don’t apologize for being human — I communicate, adapt, and stay part of the plan.
- I plan my training week around my real life so that I can sustain it.
- I respect teammates’ limits and celebrate their comebacks.
- I use rowing to reset my head, not to punish my body.
- I show up grateful that we get to do this.
- I measure success by progress, joy, and connection as much as by splits.
- I take care of my responsibilities off the water so I can be fully present on it.
- I remember that excellence at this age is built on health, humor, and habits.
Mindset
- I may get frustrated, but I do not get discouraged.
- I end practice with one thing to keep and one thing to change.
- I volunteer for pieces, seat races, and regattas when eligible.
- I’ll race with any teammate in any lineup I’m assigned.
- I keep my performance benchmarks front-of-mind and strive for improvement.
- I can name one technical focus I’m working on this week.
- I own my results. No excuses, no self-trash. Data is information.
- I focus on improving my strengths, not just my weaknesses.
- I value my contribution to the team and recognize my strengths.
- I complete scheduled tests in the window and post my result.
- If I miss a test, I reschedule and record without prompting.
- I use test data to guide training, not to judge myself.
- I celebrate teammates’ PRs and respect their numbers.
Personal Fitness & Recovery
- I train between rows so we can practice effectively and race to win.
- I hit my weekly minutes and strength work as agreed.
- I keep intensity discipline in cross-training (easy is easy, hard is hard).
- I get 10–15 minutes of mobility/prehab most days (hips, hamstrings, shoulders, core).
- I sleep enough to train well; if I’m under-slept, I scale instead of pretending.
- I fuel around sessions (pre/after) and drink water like a pro.
- I take an honest read on my health/injury status and communicate early.
- I keep a healthy diet to optimize body composition in a sustainable, athlete-first way.
- I keep a simple training log and review trends monthly.
- I avoid choices that sabotage training.
- I manage stress and recovery on purpose (walks, light flush, breathwork, time off when needed).
- I train and practice as a relief for stress, not a cause of it.
- I set realistic near-term goals for myself on the way to more audacious ones.
Process & Professionalism
- I’m at practice early, geared up, ready to shove.
- I give availability and constraints at least a day ahead. No surprises.
- I show up with a smart plan for my body and share it with coach as needed.
- I judge the session by quality and intent, not by how wrecked I feel.
- I can say what today’s session is for and how it fits the plan.
- I stay focused on launching the boat promptly once on the dock.
Racecraft
- I stay on the controllables and row our rhythm regardless of the neighbors.
- I know our race cues and hit them on command.
- I portray professionalism and competence on the dock, when shoving, spinning, lining up, carrying the boat.
- I lock in set and rhythm before I hunt for rate or splits.
- I commit to every stroke for the team.
- When the boat is moving, I only speak for safety or when addressed.
- I park technical talk for scheduled pauses and debriefs.
- I respond to “quiet boat” instantly and help the crew reset.
- I bring composure to the line, courage through the middle, ferocity to the finish.
- I trust my boatmates to take their best stroke and do not try to fix the boat on my own.
- I reflect after races and practices to find patterns, not blame.
Standards & Stewardship
- I’m courteous to officials, other clubs, and volunteers.
- I handle safety without reminders: lights, hi-viz, cold-water layers.
- I fuel and hydrate appropriately for early/late sessions.
- I care for equipment.
- I stay familiar with trailer loading procedures.
- I pitch in off the water: trailer loading, rigging, regatta logistics.
Team Items (Crew Rating)
- We maintain a quiet-boat standard whenever we’re moving.
- We complete and post all scheduled tests in the window.
- We race the lineups we’re assigned and treat every piece as shared work.
- We keep meetings short, decisions clear, comms centralized.
- We treat results as inputs for improvement, not labels.
Teamraderie & Communication
- I know I can lead from any seat in the boat.
- I give and take feedback briefly, specifically, respectfully.
- I accept boating/seat decisions and get on with my job.
- I cut out side-coaching, gossip, eye-rolls, excuses.
- I make new teammates feel welcome and encourage their participation.
- I balance immediate performance with long-term team goals.
- I encourage accountability by taking accountability.
- I participate in training pods to encourage others to participate.
- I build the team I want by bringing it to every practice.
- I protect the team’s focus and mood by how I react to frustration, boredom, and disappointment.
Technical
- I match length, handle speed, and blade depth before adding watts.
- I am patient at the catch; I wait for connection to optimize my drive.
- I hold form when tired — same catches, same finishes, same posture.
- I row our stroke, not my own.
- I keep the hull running with rhythm and relaxation.
- I take every stroke seriously.
- I row from posture, not from muscle — core leads, shoulders follow.
- I keep my sternum on a flat plane through the stroke.
- I connect every stroke to balance and rhythm, not just power.
Training Habits & Consistency
- I’m willing to look awkward as we build new habits.
- When something isn’t clicking, I ask questions instead of getting frustrated.
- I follow our plans consistently.
- Easy is easy, hard is hard. I respect training zones.
- I do basic prehab (hips, hamstrings, shoulders, core) so I stay trainable.
- I use video/data and adjust without getting defensive.
- I recover like an adult: sleep, food, hydration.