Upcoming Event: Rowing versus Princeton Chase on November 2, 2025
Rowing
vs Princeton Chase
University of Oklahoma Athletics
In-Depth With Coach Crain: The Big 12 Championship
April 28, 2010 | Rowing
Is it already that time of year? Is the Big 12 Championship this weekend? Are we prepared?
Hard to believe but yes, Texas, Kansas and Kansas State are coming to town this weekend. We will face off at the Big 12 Championship on Saturday and one team will go home with the Big 12 title. Who will it be? Will it be the Longhorns who won the team title last year? Will it be the Jayhawks who have dominated nearly everyone they've raced this season in the varsity four? Will it be the Wildcats who picked up the win in the varsity eight at last year's championship? Or, will it be the newest program in the Big 12 - the Oklahoma Sooners?
We started the season in March at the OU Invitational and had the opportunity to race Kansas head to head. We won the varsity eight, second varsity eight and novice eight, but came up short in the varsity four and second novice eight. At the Longhorn Invitational the following weekend, we got a chance to see the other two teams. We went undefeated against Kansas State, but lost every race to Texas. So, on paper we should lose to the Longhorns, beat the Wildcats, and be fighting it out with KU for second place, right? Of course we know it's not as simple as that. The race course doesn't know who's supposed to win or lose. That's why we line up and race.
Anything can happen on race day. We take approximately 240 strokes over 2000 meters. It's almost impossible for every rower in the boat to take 240 perfect consecutive strokes. We strive for it, but it's almost certain not to happen. There are things we can control on race day and things we cannot. We can control our race plan, stroke rating, steering, level of effort and proficiency. That's about it. We certainly can't control what's going on in the other teams' boats. They'll do their thing and we'll do ours and one boat will cross the finish line first. The question is who will it be?
I'm a realist by nature. I like to collect facts and data and predict outcomes. That's part of my job as a coach. In order to prepare a team to race, you have to do these things. We track erg scores, record split times, analyze body comps, tweak lineups, chart progress in the weight room. We understand the importance in doing so because it's a way to accurately assess the process. Are we getting faster? Are the athletes recovering from workouts? Are we peaking at the right time? Will we be ready on race day? These are valid questions to be answered throughout the season. These are the tangible things that we can more easily get our minds around and manipulate to make improvements.
Some would say that it all comes down to training and the natural physical ability of a crew. I say, not so. Yes, rowing is a sport of power and endurance. The rowers need to possess these two physical characteristics. But that's not the end of the story. If it were, we coaches would just send erg scores back and forth and there would be no reason to race. But it's more than that. Racing is about giving everything you have, having the courage to go beyond your limits, and having the trust in your teammates to do the same. Rowing a perfect race is not about taking 240 perfect strokes. That's virtually impossible. There will undoubtedly be a couple of bobble strokes at some point in the race - especially in the great state of Oklahoma where the winds come sweeping down the plains. Rowing a perfect race is about emptying the tank. It's about every athlete committing to the common goal of covering 2000 meters in as little time as possible. Because the fastest boat always crosses the finish line first.
I am incredibly proud of this team. These young women have already exceeded my expectations this season with some stunning results for a program in only its second year. I know we are as prepared as we can be for this weekend. The coaching staff can take a deep breath and exhale because we have challenged these kids to be at their best every day since our first practice in September. The athletes can also breathe in and breathe out knowing that they have sacrificed a great deal of themselves for each other and for this program. As a team we can take pride in knowing that we have committed ourselves fully to being the best we can be.
We are Sooners. We are believers. We are confident. We are unified. Together we are strong.
And we are ready to race.
Boomer Sooner!
Hard to believe but yes, Texas, Kansas and Kansas State are coming to town this weekend. We will face off at the Big 12 Championship on Saturday and one team will go home with the Big 12 title. Who will it be? Will it be the Longhorns who won the team title last year? Will it be the Jayhawks who have dominated nearly everyone they've raced this season in the varsity four? Will it be the Wildcats who picked up the win in the varsity eight at last year's championship? Or, will it be the newest program in the Big 12 - the Oklahoma Sooners?
We started the season in March at the OU Invitational and had the opportunity to race Kansas head to head. We won the varsity eight, second varsity eight and novice eight, but came up short in the varsity four and second novice eight. At the Longhorn Invitational the following weekend, we got a chance to see the other two teams. We went undefeated against Kansas State, but lost every race to Texas. So, on paper we should lose to the Longhorns, beat the Wildcats, and be fighting it out with KU for second place, right? Of course we know it's not as simple as that. The race course doesn't know who's supposed to win or lose. That's why we line up and race.
Anything can happen on race day. We take approximately 240 strokes over 2000 meters. It's almost impossible for every rower in the boat to take 240 perfect consecutive strokes. We strive for it, but it's almost certain not to happen. There are things we can control on race day and things we cannot. We can control our race plan, stroke rating, steering, level of effort and proficiency. That's about it. We certainly can't control what's going on in the other teams' boats. They'll do their thing and we'll do ours and one boat will cross the finish line first. The question is who will it be?
I'm a realist by nature. I like to collect facts and data and predict outcomes. That's part of my job as a coach. In order to prepare a team to race, you have to do these things. We track erg scores, record split times, analyze body comps, tweak lineups, chart progress in the weight room. We understand the importance in doing so because it's a way to accurately assess the process. Are we getting faster? Are the athletes recovering from workouts? Are we peaking at the right time? Will we be ready on race day? These are valid questions to be answered throughout the season. These are the tangible things that we can more easily get our minds around and manipulate to make improvements.
Some would say that it all comes down to training and the natural physical ability of a crew. I say, not so. Yes, rowing is a sport of power and endurance. The rowers need to possess these two physical characteristics. But that's not the end of the story. If it were, we coaches would just send erg scores back and forth and there would be no reason to race. But it's more than that. Racing is about giving everything you have, having the courage to go beyond your limits, and having the trust in your teammates to do the same. Rowing a perfect race is not about taking 240 perfect strokes. That's virtually impossible. There will undoubtedly be a couple of bobble strokes at some point in the race - especially in the great state of Oklahoma where the winds come sweeping down the plains. Rowing a perfect race is about emptying the tank. It's about every athlete committing to the common goal of covering 2000 meters in as little time as possible. Because the fastest boat always crosses the finish line first.
I am incredibly proud of this team. These young women have already exceeded my expectations this season with some stunning results for a program in only its second year. I know we are as prepared as we can be for this weekend. The coaching staff can take a deep breath and exhale because we have challenged these kids to be at their best every day since our first practice in September. The athletes can also breathe in and breathe out knowing that they have sacrificed a great deal of themselves for each other and for this program. As a team we can take pride in knowing that we have committed ourselves fully to being the best we can be.
We are Sooners. We are believers. We are confident. We are unified. Together we are strong.
And we are ready to race.
Boomer Sooner!
Coach Crain
Highlights: Big 12 Championship
Sunday, May 14
Highlights: Rowing Big 12 Championship
Sunday, May 15
Sooners Take 4th at Big 12 Championship
Saturday, May 15
My Inspiration: Cameron Guild
Wednesday, February 03
