A single race in the day of a coach

The sun is high and hot, the water is calm and waiting.  “Have you had a snack?” Burnside High coach Sophie Gilchrist asks Matt Parker an hour before he competes in the U16 singles.

It is part of Sophie’s job to make sure her rowers have had something to eat and drink before she heads out with them to get ready.

They walk towards their trailer together. Sophie calm. Matt quiet and nervous.

At the trailer they sort out the oars and head over to the boats. They work together to untie the boat and get it sitting on stools.

Once the boat is ready Sophie looks at Matt and tells him to sit down for a bit, as they are ahead of time  and it is a good opportunity for him  to rest his legs.

Sophie asks Matt if he is feeling tired from his previous squad race. She gets a  heavy yes in reply.

“This is what your fitness is about, you have to turn around and keep going,” Sophie calmly reminds him. He nods and smiles.

She encourages him: “all you have to do is nail the top four, keep the same attitude as you had in your quad this morning and fight anyone that comes at you”.

Matt Parker, was a cox for one year but has rowed the last two. Sophie says, “he used to be tiny”. Anyone who saw him for the first time now would have a hard time believing that.

Sophie helps Matt carry the boat down to the launch ramp. She holds the boat while Matt gets in, he slips his feet into the attached shoes and she helps him push off while wishing him luck.

Once the boat is launched Matt has about 40 minutes to warm up and get to the starting blocks.

Sophie slowly walks to the benches to watch the race, she prefers not to sit with the parents because, as much as she loves their support, they can be very hyper which can be distracting.

She likes to keep calm so  the rowers keep calm.

Once she is settled in and watching the boats come down the lanes she thinks aloud: “Maybe I will be a New Zealand coach one day.”

Matt finishes out of the top three, but will have a second chance in the repechage.