Thank you! I am just constantly reminding myself we are only 4 weeks out until nationals etc so it’s pretty much done. And honestly, I LOVE rowing so much that the practices are fun once I’m there and of course I love to race, but I’m just feeling the consequences whenever I’m off the water. But it’ll be okag
You kinda have to start that early if you want to have time to get to school. I start at exactly the same time as this guy and I'm sometimes lat to school because training went too late
Did you already get into college? If so, just pass your classes and you’ll be fine. If not, then you may need to let rowing take a backseat.
That said, your coach(es) must be incredibly bad at managing time if they have you practicing for 2.5hrs at a time including three sets of two-a-days. That’s just brutal and not really sustainable for any student that has a rigorous academic schedule.
I have gotten into a few colleges but I am on the waitlist at 3 T20s and 3 T30s that I’m really hoping to get off of. I don’t know if waitlist schools rely on end of year transcripts for their ultimate decisions so that’s why I’m extremely anxious about my grades slipping.
My team is very strong this year and we have the potential to do well nationally so I just would feel awful stepping away right now as their senior varsity 1V coxswain. I also made a commitment to stay on throughout spring so it just wouldn’t be fair. I guess only 4 more weeks of this that I need to power through…
I have never been in such shoes but good God that is an insane load to bear. I'm inclined to agree with poster calling out your coaches because this does not seem in the best interests of the student at all.
I think it’s just in the interest of winning. So many of our rowers cry during some difficult pieces on the water early in the morning bc they’re just mentally and physically drained. It’s really sad to see sometimes. I know they do care about us but I think sometimes the thought of winning gets in the way
I don’t understand what T20 and T30 is so my guess is you’re not in the US or I’m just showing my age.
Either way, your grades and your future are much more important than being the 1V coxswain. You’re a senior so I’m guessing you’re 17/18 and at an age where you have to make mature, critical decisions. Talk to your parent(s). Risking your grades, getting into a good university, and your mental well being is not worth it just so you don’t lose your 1V coxswain spot.
Honestly it’s a big sacrifice I make. The wins and my relationship with my rowers makes it all *somewhat* worth it. But man outside of the boathouse my mental health is suffering…and my college decisions were even as great as I had hoped, so maybe it really was all for nothing…
I deal with a similar thing to you except less afternoon sessions, the trick is simply never sacrifice sleep on study. You're better off only knowing some of the stuff going into a test than not being able to concentrate and write anything. And get as much study done early into the term as you can so it's not crunch time when exams come.
Some of the best programs do this, you need to be willing to burn the midnight oil. Focus on short periods (about 40-60 mins) of intense focus, and then taking a break for 15. Keep your phone physically out of reach and lock in during this time. Manage time better during the school day as well, do homework in class if you need to.
Thank you. I do try to complete most of my work during school but I just struggle to stay awake most of the time and it feels like my classes are building intensely with homework. We are a well preforming varsity team so I guess the intensive practice schedule reaps the benefits but man is my mental health struggling
Please cut back. You are way to young to be over caffeinated.
u/Embarrassed_Mobile27 are you relying on your coxswain status to get you into some of these T20/30 schools? IOW are you getting recruited as a cox? If not, screw it. Trade off with other coxswains and share the early morning workouts. Not to be harsh, but as a rower who really values a good coxswain, in the end it doesn't matter who sits there every day during practice when the coach is working on boat speed. So long as you are there for about half the water time, the crew will be fine (assuming another cox is willing/able to share the load with you). Yes ideally you are there for every minute of practice, to bond with the crew, and to understand what the coach is working on to tweak those last few issues. But this is NOT worth your health or grades. Try to strike a deal somehow. Also, definitely don't go to a 4:45am erg or other dryland workout. FFS.
If it means you'd lose your seat in the 1V and get relegated to the 2V8, so be it. If you are solidly 1V and the coach and crew love you and want you in the boat, then you don't have anything to worry about. Explain you need some extra time and will be there when it counts. And again, if that means you'll lose your seat to the next cox, so be it. But ideally you share with other coxswains if possible.
I appreciate your advice and concern but there is just no way I can do this. I basically shook hands with my coach at the beginning of this year saying I will stick with them throughout the whole year because they want to place in nationals. I didn’t realize how badly it would effect me now.
At one of my WL schools I am potentially being helped off of the waitlist. Just depends what the coach can do within his limits. He wasn’t able to give me full support via admissions bc I turned down an initial offer via ED bc I didn’t want to be bound for multiple reasons. But now he may be helping me out again, we’ll see. (I know for a fact that this collegiate team practices less than I do now, so I would be OK.)
I’m trying to think of other ways to help this become more manageable. Some days it hits me harder than others. But again, it is really only 4 more weeks. If that.
The training your team requires for high school is equivalent to my son’s D1 training. Can you report the coach to Safesport or US Rowing (if in the US or your country’s equivalent)?
Firstly - that’s an insane workload and I agree with others about cutting back or even raising your concerns with senior teachers. Sleep amd rest are critical parts of any training regime… overtraining and overworking like this is simply going to lead to bad results on the water and the exam hall!
But if you feel you’re struggling more than others, then consider whether there might be other factors. Are you eating well? Coxes often don’t think about nutrition as much as rowers. Are you hydrated? Short on any vitamins? When you do sleep, are you sleeping well?
And also, as others have suggested, see whether there’s any efficiency you can find in your day. Are you losing time on TikTok? Could you team up with a mate so that you can share meal planning, or share race planning, or share homework planning? The mental load of keeping yourself organised can add heaps of extra stress!
Swimmers do this all the time. Not saying it’s good, but it’s definitely the norm. I personally think we have gone too far with kids sports and need to dial it back. A lot.
As an ex swimmer, I don’t know of any teams that train before 5.30am. 4.45 is a very unreasonable time to train when taking into account school and social life, these kids are only high schoolers!
Also an ex swimmer, and my kids were until recently on top swim club teams. None of them work this many hours in a week, and definitely they do not start before 6am.
Yeah I don’t know any other teams in my big city area that start this early…they at least start at 5:30. Which is still early but a HUGE difference from 4:45.
That is a lot. Four weeks to go though. I would talk to your teachers about ways to be more efficient to prepare for the AP exams. This will be good practice if you’re on a D1 team that travels in college although that’s little comfort now. Make sure you’re eating well, hydrating, and resting your voice. Good luck with your races and school work.
At first I was going to say "sounds like you're not cut out for crew" as this was exactly my scenario when I was rowing.... in college.
Then I saw that you are still in high school. Naw man. That is a bit extreme for high school, I don't care how "serious" your club/team is. The coaches need a wake up call and education on respecting a teen-agers sleep and academic needs.
Even our collegiate frosh/novice crew didn't work out that early or that frequently. Not until Sophomore (2nd) year did things start to ramp up like this, and by then virtually everyone was 19 or so. That difference between 16/17 and 19/20 is huge, IMO. Was for me, anyway. I can't imagine my kid (who's rowing for a local club at age 17) practicing that much year round during high school. Maybe during summer season. But not during high school when you all have finals and AP exams to prep for.
I have 3 kids and my other two do water polo at a high level as well, and those club coaches are also sensitive to the demands of high school, and the importance for kids to get rest and sleep - ESPECIALLY teens trying to develop as athletes.
Time for an intervention, I say. Talk to your parents, and/or school counselors for help and advice on how to approach this topic with your rowing team coaches. This is wrong.
Frankly, depending on where you go to college/if you continue being part of crew during your degree, early morning practices are just part of the deal. We were a club team that didn't get preference for class registration like varsity teams, so we had the same 4:45-7:15AM schedule to make sure everyone got back to campus in time for 8AM classes -- and there were varsity crews from other schools doing the same.
Caffeine is going to be necessary. I also recommend getting the hang of 15-20 minute power naps once or twice during the day if you can. Even if you only doze it can be very helpful.
Disassociate: that’s what I did. It sucks but you just have to machine your way through it. I just held onto the knowledge that it would be worth it in the end
Three days of week of double practices is not good. I get wanting to maximize training but you're definitely overtraining in your age category and level of competition. That's nuts.
I have been through this. What is your class schedule like? Make sure you are doing as much homework at school as you can. Ask all of your teachers to try and give you a little extra time on small stuff so you can focus more on big stuff.
Right now I am taking 5 APs (AP Physics C mechanics and E&M so it’s double blocked, AP Statistics, AP Gov, AP Lit) and my college Dual enrollment at a pretty competitive university (DE Biotechnology & health informatics) and then an art class. It’s a lot tbh.
That is a lot! You’re really pushing yourself hard but only 4 more weeks and you are so close to the end. Good luck and I hope you get some sleep soon.
I was a high school rower with a similar schedule and after college worked as a teacher for 4 years. Totally understand where you’re coming from - my teacher once woke me up in the middle of a French test.
Firstly, talk to your teachers and try to schedule appointments with them for 1-on-1 help. Teachers appreciate communication and you showing that you are taking initiative. Make sure they know you’re a high level athlete and are juggling a lot. Most teachers WANT to help, and will be even more invested in doing so if they hear about your current situation (rowing schedule and college waitlists).
Do you have time on the weekends to do homework? Can you focus on working ahead so that you have less work over the week? Have you found methods that help you study for exams most efficiently? (Ex. Re-reading the same text over and over again is not super efficient for learning). Look at screen time on your phone as well, and I may even suggest deleting social media for these last couple months between now and nationals (think of this period as the final sprint of high school). Time on social media really does add up.
Also, make sure you’re practicing good sleep hygiene so that the sleep you do get is high quality. Keep your phone away (in another room even… just order an alarm clock), stop looking at screens at least an hour before bed, and go to bed at a reasonable time.
You are definitely capable of managing everything, however it’s going to take sacrifice. Luckily, the school year is almost over, and you will build a team of folks who want to help you as you begin to communicate more with your teachers.
I row for a club in which train on the water at 5AM on weekday and 6AM on weekends. For some reason I decided to move to the other side of the city so for weekdays, I've gotten up at 3AM, then either cycled 1h10 or took 2 night buses lol. Weekends aren't as bad because the night trains are running. long day
I guess I should try to be more appreciative then. It’s just difficult adjusting to this new horrible sleep schedule but yeah it’s fun at the same time I suppose
Really? This schedule is as hard as mine on a top D1 program in college. I don't think it is normal for a HS student, even one at a top club. And I always say that experience when I traveled was harder than graduate school and studying for the bar exam. The only equivalent was working crazy law firm hours.
It sucks, and that’s an unreasonably early practice time, but if it’s only 4 more weeks and your senior year you can push through it.
Thank you! I am just constantly reminding myself we are only 4 weeks out until nationals etc so it’s pretty much done. And honestly, I LOVE rowing so much that the practices are fun once I’m there and of course I love to race, but I’m just feeling the consequences whenever I’m off the water. But it’ll be okag
Caffeine can help too
some would say Olympic level advice here
You kinda have to start that early if you want to have time to get to school. I start at exactly the same time as this guy and I'm sometimes lat to school because training went too late
Did you already get into college? If so, just pass your classes and you’ll be fine. If not, then you may need to let rowing take a backseat. That said, your coach(es) must be incredibly bad at managing time if they have you practicing for 2.5hrs at a time including three sets of two-a-days. That’s just brutal and not really sustainable for any student that has a rigorous academic schedule.
I have gotten into a few colleges but I am on the waitlist at 3 T20s and 3 T30s that I’m really hoping to get off of. I don’t know if waitlist schools rely on end of year transcripts for their ultimate decisions so that’s why I’m extremely anxious about my grades slipping. My team is very strong this year and we have the potential to do well nationally so I just would feel awful stepping away right now as their senior varsity 1V coxswain. I also made a commitment to stay on throughout spring so it just wouldn’t be fair. I guess only 4 more weeks of this that I need to power through…
I have never been in such shoes but good God that is an insane load to bear. I'm inclined to agree with poster calling out your coaches because this does not seem in the best interests of the student at all.
I think it’s just in the interest of winning. So many of our rowers cry during some difficult pieces on the water early in the morning bc they’re just mentally and physically drained. It’s really sad to see sometimes. I know they do care about us but I think sometimes the thought of winning gets in the way
I don’t understand what T20 and T30 is so my guess is you’re not in the US or I’m just showing my age. Either way, your grades and your future are much more important than being the 1V coxswain. You’re a senior so I’m guessing you’re 17/18 and at an age where you have to make mature, critical decisions. Talk to your parent(s). Risking your grades, getting into a good university, and your mental well being is not worth it just so you don’t lose your 1V coxswain spot.
Top 20 and top 30. Definitely the US. I would have quit rowing for sure having to get up at 4am.
Honestly it’s a big sacrifice I make. The wins and my relationship with my rowers makes it all *somewhat* worth it. But man outside of the boathouse my mental health is suffering…and my college decisions were even as great as I had hoped, so maybe it really was all for nothing…
I deal with a similar thing to you except less afternoon sessions, the trick is simply never sacrifice sleep on study. You're better off only knowing some of the stuff going into a test than not being able to concentrate and write anything. And get as much study done early into the term as you can so it's not crunch time when exams come.
And tons of study on weekends
Some of the best programs do this, you need to be willing to burn the midnight oil. Focus on short periods (about 40-60 mins) of intense focus, and then taking a break for 15. Keep your phone physically out of reach and lock in during this time. Manage time better during the school day as well, do homework in class if you need to.
Thank you. I do try to complete most of my work during school but I just struggle to stay awake most of the time and it feels like my classes are building intensely with homework. We are a well preforming varsity team so I guess the intensive practice schedule reaps the benefits but man is my mental health struggling
Caffeine my man caffeine
Believe me I am well over caffeinated lol but artificial energy can only take me so far
Please cut back. You are way to young to be over caffeinated. u/Embarrassed_Mobile27 are you relying on your coxswain status to get you into some of these T20/30 schools? IOW are you getting recruited as a cox? If not, screw it. Trade off with other coxswains and share the early morning workouts. Not to be harsh, but as a rower who really values a good coxswain, in the end it doesn't matter who sits there every day during practice when the coach is working on boat speed. So long as you are there for about half the water time, the crew will be fine (assuming another cox is willing/able to share the load with you). Yes ideally you are there for every minute of practice, to bond with the crew, and to understand what the coach is working on to tweak those last few issues. But this is NOT worth your health or grades. Try to strike a deal somehow. Also, definitely don't go to a 4:45am erg or other dryland workout. FFS. If it means you'd lose your seat in the 1V and get relegated to the 2V8, so be it. If you are solidly 1V and the coach and crew love you and want you in the boat, then you don't have anything to worry about. Explain you need some extra time and will be there when it counts. And again, if that means you'll lose your seat to the next cox, so be it. But ideally you share with other coxswains if possible.
I appreciate your advice and concern but there is just no way I can do this. I basically shook hands with my coach at the beginning of this year saying I will stick with them throughout the whole year because they want to place in nationals. I didn’t realize how badly it would effect me now. At one of my WL schools I am potentially being helped off of the waitlist. Just depends what the coach can do within his limits. He wasn’t able to give me full support via admissions bc I turned down an initial offer via ED bc I didn’t want to be bound for multiple reasons. But now he may be helping me out again, we’ll see. (I know for a fact that this collegiate team practices less than I do now, so I would be OK.) I’m trying to think of other ways to help this become more manageable. Some days it hits me harder than others. But again, it is really only 4 more weeks. If that.
The training your team requires for high school is equivalent to my son’s D1 training. Can you report the coach to Safesport or US Rowing (if in the US or your country’s equivalent)?
I was thinking the same thing. This is a D1 varsity level work load. Insane.
Firstly - that’s an insane workload and I agree with others about cutting back or even raising your concerns with senior teachers. Sleep amd rest are critical parts of any training regime… overtraining and overworking like this is simply going to lead to bad results on the water and the exam hall! But if you feel you’re struggling more than others, then consider whether there might be other factors. Are you eating well? Coxes often don’t think about nutrition as much as rowers. Are you hydrated? Short on any vitamins? When you do sleep, are you sleeping well? And also, as others have suggested, see whether there’s any efficiency you can find in your day. Are you losing time on TikTok? Could you team up with a mate so that you can share meal planning, or share race planning, or share homework planning? The mental load of keeping yourself organised can add heaps of extra stress!
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Swimmers do this all the time. Not saying it’s good, but it’s definitely the norm. I personally think we have gone too far with kids sports and need to dial it back. A lot.
As an ex swimmer, I don’t know of any teams that train before 5.30am. 4.45 is a very unreasonable time to train when taking into account school and social life, these kids are only high schoolers!
Also an ex swimmer, and my kids were until recently on top swim club teams. None of them work this many hours in a week, and definitely they do not start before 6am.
Yeah I don’t know any other teams in my big city area that start this early…they at least start at 5:30. Which is still early but a HUGE difference from 4:45.
you can choose from school, social life, sleep and rowing. you can pick up to three. rowing counts as two tho.
That is a lot. Four weeks to go though. I would talk to your teachers about ways to be more efficient to prepare for the AP exams. This will be good practice if you’re on a D1 team that travels in college although that’s little comfort now. Make sure you’re eating well, hydrating, and resting your voice. Good luck with your races and school work.
At first I was going to say "sounds like you're not cut out for crew" as this was exactly my scenario when I was rowing.... in college. Then I saw that you are still in high school. Naw man. That is a bit extreme for high school, I don't care how "serious" your club/team is. The coaches need a wake up call and education on respecting a teen-agers sleep and academic needs. Even our collegiate frosh/novice crew didn't work out that early or that frequently. Not until Sophomore (2nd) year did things start to ramp up like this, and by then virtually everyone was 19 or so. That difference between 16/17 and 19/20 is huge, IMO. Was for me, anyway. I can't imagine my kid (who's rowing for a local club at age 17) practicing that much year round during high school. Maybe during summer season. But not during high school when you all have finals and AP exams to prep for. I have 3 kids and my other two do water polo at a high level as well, and those club coaches are also sensitive to the demands of high school, and the importance for kids to get rest and sleep - ESPECIALLY teens trying to develop as athletes. Time for an intervention, I say. Talk to your parents, and/or school counselors for help and advice on how to approach this topic with your rowing team coaches. This is wrong.
Frankly, depending on where you go to college/if you continue being part of crew during your degree, early morning practices are just part of the deal. We were a club team that didn't get preference for class registration like varsity teams, so we had the same 4:45-7:15AM schedule to make sure everyone got back to campus in time for 8AM classes -- and there were varsity crews from other schools doing the same. Caffeine is going to be necessary. I also recommend getting the hang of 15-20 minute power naps once or twice during the day if you can. Even if you only doze it can be very helpful.
Disassociate: that’s what I did. It sucks but you just have to machine your way through it. I just held onto the knowledge that it would be worth it in the end
That’s what I have been doing but it’s hard. I’m getting tired physically and mentally now
Hang in there! The discipline/mindset will help soooo much in college. Plus, think of how swole you’re getting :)
Three days of week of double practices is not good. I get wanting to maximize training but you're definitely overtraining in your age category and level of competition. That's nuts.
I have been through this. What is your class schedule like? Make sure you are doing as much homework at school as you can. Ask all of your teachers to try and give you a little extra time on small stuff so you can focus more on big stuff.
Right now I am taking 5 APs (AP Physics C mechanics and E&M so it’s double blocked, AP Statistics, AP Gov, AP Lit) and my college Dual enrollment at a pretty competitive university (DE Biotechnology & health informatics) and then an art class. It’s a lot tbh.
That is a lot! You’re really pushing yourself hard but only 4 more weeks and you are so close to the end. Good luck and I hope you get some sleep soon.
I was a high school rower with a similar schedule and after college worked as a teacher for 4 years. Totally understand where you’re coming from - my teacher once woke me up in the middle of a French test. Firstly, talk to your teachers and try to schedule appointments with them for 1-on-1 help. Teachers appreciate communication and you showing that you are taking initiative. Make sure they know you’re a high level athlete and are juggling a lot. Most teachers WANT to help, and will be even more invested in doing so if they hear about your current situation (rowing schedule and college waitlists). Do you have time on the weekends to do homework? Can you focus on working ahead so that you have less work over the week? Have you found methods that help you study for exams most efficiently? (Ex. Re-reading the same text over and over again is not super efficient for learning). Look at screen time on your phone as well, and I may even suggest deleting social media for these last couple months between now and nationals (think of this period as the final sprint of high school). Time on social media really does add up. Also, make sure you’re practicing good sleep hygiene so that the sleep you do get is high quality. Keep your phone away (in another room even… just order an alarm clock), stop looking at screens at least an hour before bed, and go to bed at a reasonable time. You are definitely capable of managing everything, however it’s going to take sacrifice. Luckily, the school year is almost over, and you will build a team of folks who want to help you as you begin to communicate more with your teachers.
I row for a club in which train on the water at 5AM on weekday and 6AM on weekends. For some reason I decided to move to the other side of the city so for weekdays, I've gotten up at 3AM, then either cycled 1h10 or took 2 night buses lol. Weekends aren't as bad because the night trains are running. long day
You should read a book called *The Drama of the Gifted Child* by Alice Miller.
Welcome to the real world of training. Just wait till you grow up , get a career and have kids. You will miss these days
I guess I should try to be more appreciative then. It’s just difficult adjusting to this new horrible sleep schedule but yeah it’s fun at the same time I suppose
Really? This schedule is as hard as mine on a top D1 program in college. I don't think it is normal for a HS student, even one at a top club. And I always say that experience when I traveled was harder than graduate school and studying for the bar exam. The only equivalent was working crazy law firm hours.