Wanted: Rowing Coach

by Brad Alan Lewis

Rowers are a strange breed. In one of athletics' most demanding sports, they spend hours each day training for races that no one sees and fewer still appreciate. Why would someone want to coach in such an unpromising enterprise?

Brad Lewis, Olympic gold medalist in 1984, answers that question. More to satisfy creditors than a longing in his soul, he hired on as varsity rowing coach at the University of California in Santa Barbara. During a long year of work, he found a new dimension in the sport and in himself: unselfishness.

"A perfect narrative of the tragi-comic life of a rowing coach. Very engaging." (B-O-T Editorial Review Board)

Audio Cassette

First published March 1, 1996

About the author

Olympic gold medalist (rowing, 1984) writes a bunch of books. Then goes hiking, specifically the John Muir Trail. I've hiked the length of the JMT (223 miles) 27 times over the last 35 years. Solo. Better that way. You can go slow or go fast. Stop when you want. Eat when you want. Sleep late or get up at 1:30 AM and hit the trail. Who's to say no?

Maybe I'll see you one the trail next summer? Hope so.

Reviews

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a rowing coach and former rower, it’s nice to read that not much has changed… rowers are rowers and rowing, too, is unchanging.

[Rick Bayko · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favorite rowing book of all time is Assault On Lake Casitas by the same author. I found his first-person account of the story told on David Halberstam's The Amateurs to be far more inspiration, delving deep into the mind of an aspiring Olympian and laying out in detail the myriad details that resulted in a Gold Medal. This book takes a similar approach, detailing both the successes and failures of on-the-job learning about how to run a collegiate rowing program under less than ideal conditions. The life lessons thrown in for free were a generous bonus.

There seems to be much about Brad Lewis beyond his rowing and I look forward to more of his writings.

[Ian · Rating 3 out of 5]

In which a great rower is a dedicated-but-frustrated coach. Reading Lewis's account of trying to take the ideas and lessons that made him successful, like weird mantras and metaphors, and repackage them for a group of variously-motivated rowers is pretty compelling.

[Joe Rennie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Non Rower

Enjoyed this book .In some ways, it reminds me of a k ob I had at a local history book publishing company .It is also a good cautionary tale about coaching.

[Hilary Parkhurst · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having met Brad Lewis and having read Assault on Lake Cassitas yeas ago, I had forgotten that his writing was average. He was an Olympic oarsman, writer and later coach. The book describes his year of coaching the UCSB men. There were some interesting stories, but no real insights. It is nothing compared to The Boys in the Boat...

[cellomerl · Rating 4 out of 5]

A story about the will to win, and doing what's right. Full of little gems and wisdom, about rowing in particular and life in general. There is even some good technical information for rowers.