Emily Nowak '21 Recruiting Profile

Coxing has allowed me to become open to growth and have a desire to gain greater knowledge and perfection in my role on the team. I like being able to motivate the rowers to reach their full potential both during practice and on race day. Additionally, it is fun to use that part of me to see how the people in the boat respond to me. Coxing requires strong multitasking ability which I have been able to gain through practice. When on the water, I must be able to keep everyone on track, steer, make calls, listen to the coach, execute drills, and be highly aware of my surroundings. Doing this all at the same time was difficult at first, but now I am able to do this and succeed while coxing. Being a part of a College Rowing team would allow me to be a part of a strongly competitive program with a rigorous practice schedule and extreme intense races. Coxing boats to the finish line at races gives me the greatest joy because it allows me to push the crew to give the race all they have as well as steer the boat with the best course. Throughout my experience as a coxswain, I have had to work hard for the boats I want to be in by improving my steering, the effectiveness of my calls, and my relationship with the coaches. I succeeded in these aspects because I now have the head coxswain position on the fastest team in my program. Being in the 1V8 and 1V4 have allowed me to now push the fastest boys to their limits both at practice and on race day, as well as providing them with the best course and calls to do so. Ultimately, I want to continue to cox in college because I would like to continue being a part of a tightly knit team and be able to use my skills to lead rowers to their highest potential. To me, this is what it means to be a coxswain.