Not Rowing: Mind sharpening

My life right now if very much focused on rowing.  The goal here is to qualify and fight for medals at the Olympics; focus is one of the most important elements of achieving that goal.  Though, sometimes I need to get away from it.  As an athlete, I feel you can not let the sport completely consume your life.

Some people like getting away by playing video games or watching movies.  I do watch a few movies from time to time, but challenging the mind is always something I've believed in.  I began reading a lot over the past year, attempting brain teasers and recently found a new one.

A very interesting and awesome distraction resource is itunes U.  I did not know about it until a couple of days ago, but you should check it out.  Some of the top colleges in the country have video taped courses and posted the lectures and class materials online.  You can audit a course at one of the top schools in the country (Harvard, Yale, MIT, Columbia and UC Berkley to name a few) for free!  I'm starting with an intro to computer science class at MIT.  I know I did not do well enough in H.S. or am smart enough to attend MIT, so this is the next best option.  You may not believe me, but this is WAY better than watching Netflix between practices.

Keep the mind sharp!

Have a good one,
Jimmy

Back to Leadership

It's been a while since I posted anything on leadership.  I'm trying not to be forceful with it and just let my experiences guide the posts.  I was lucky enough to go to a school that did teach leadership.  We had a bunch of phrases that mean nothing to most people and when I talk about them I feel bad because I don't want people to feel I think I'm in some kind of special club, but oh well.  Some examples:  "Message to Garcia," "Plebe card," and "Damn XO."

It's the last one I want to write about today. There have been many times in my short life that I have been told to do something that I don't necessarily agree with.  The worst is when it affects people who work for me.  The "Damn XO" phrase comes from the roll of the Executive Officer (XO) and his minions (Department Heads and Division Officers).  The XO would come to me and say, "ENS Sopko, the guys on watch in the communications shack are not allowed to listen to iPODS while working on the computers."  In my head I'm thinking, "what the hell do you care if they listen to iPODS," but I say "Yes, sir."  I then go back to my guys and I have two options: 1. I can tell them the XO is a jerk and won't let them listen to iPODS when working 2.  I can say, "No iPODS when working."  From experience, go with option two.  It is hard, but your boss told you to do something and in the military that's an order.  Unless it is unlawful, you have to obey it.

To me, the main reason you take responsibility yourself is so when it is time for you to make a hard decision your guys know it's you talking.  The XO, on a navy ship at least, is the most hated guy on the ship.  He is the lawmaker and enforcer.  However, he needs support in his role.  I'm not saying lie down and let the XO walk all over you.  If you have something to say go through the proper channels and make your voice heard, knowing that it may very well get thrown directly in your face.

The smartest wife ever and I at the
Lincoln Memorial over Christmas break

The same applies to the civilian world.  If you are in charge of people and someone above you makes a decision that affects your guys and they don't like it, DO NOT make your boss the scape-goat.  It's cowardly. Especially if your input was given and your boss either took it or changed it.  There is an order to things in any organization and that's why great organizations work that way.  I'm not referring to a dictatorship.  The head guy received recommendations, but he chose to not use them.  Now you, as his subordinate and the leader of the others need to make sure his ideas are put through the organization; support him.

That's pretty much all I have for now.  On a more personal note, Shaunnah (the Wife) was accepted in to Stanfard, Harvard and Dartmouth Business Schools.  We've got a tough decision but I figure it's a win-win.  I'm very proud of her.

Have a good one,
- Jimmy

Training Partners

First of all, Happy New Year!  I hope everyone has enjoyed the holidays with friends and family.  I was lucky enough to travel home to Annapolis and go down to Virginia to see my parents and brothers for Christmas.  It has been awesome being with Shaunnah again and definitely makes me excited for the time when I get to move home again.  Although, the longer I'm away from home the better the rowing is going so Shaunnah and I are willing to make the sacrifice.

While on my break from the team I have had a workout plan to follow.  The main goal is to get rested from the previous five and for the next couple of hard months.  At the same time we don't want to let the progress of the previous months go to waste with laziness so there was still some mileage and hard work to put in.  I am lucky enough to have some friends in Annapolis who are willing to erg with me and even do some hard work.  I could do it alone, but it is MUCH BETTER to have company.  I would like to thank Tod Nix, his Annapolis Junior Rowing Team and James Smith for enduring the 90' erg sessions and two days of pieces.  As they say, "misery loves company."

I have trained alone before and it is no fun. It is much harder to reach your max potential on any workout and much easier to tell yourself 50' is enough when you're supposed to do 60'.  Although, with the motivation to do well at the Olympics I don't think many of us are stopping pieces early.

If you are committed to working out again this new year get a partner.  It will be much easier to make your working out a habit and not a chore.  You will see better results through pushing each other.  A number of my family members have begun working out a bit more and their partners help them keep going.

As I head back to OKC for the final push toward the dream I will think about the people who have helped me get to this point and I'm sure it will help push me to the end.

- Jimmy

P.S.  The video is of one of Todd's junior rowers and I doing some steady state.

On Rowing with Pocock, Parker, Nash and Perry - row2k video

On Rowing with Pocock, Parker, Nash and Perry - row2k video

A great video with some of the legends in US Rowing history. I especially like what George Pocock says about the importance of leadership over technical knowledge with respect to coaching and the way Ted Nash describes the sport.

- Jimmy

Going Back in Time

Training has been going really well over the past few weeks.  The volume and intensity are high and the results are showing progress.  When I'm at practice or watching video on my own I try to stay focused on that, but it's nice to think about the old days as a kid when not much was on the line and enjoy some fun stuff.  Tonight, I went to go see the new Muppets movie.

Christmas season is always great for bringing back childhood memories.  I definitely have developed what I like to call an adult switch.  I realize I am an adult and feel that I can act like one when needed.  However, sometimes I like to flip the switch and watch cartoons, horse around or do stupid stuff that I could get away with as a youngster.  Shaunnah can testify, I love cartoon movies.  Shrek is awesome.  Tonight, I really wanted to see Arthur Christmas, but chose the Muppets instead.

It was great to not think about practice, upcoming erg test or selection and veg out to some old friends.  I haven't watched the Muppets in YEARS.  I'm no spring chicken and it may have been 15+ years since my last Muppet experience, but it was great.  The movie was well written and funny.  I found myself surrounded by little kids and parents and it's always interesting to hear adults laugh when kids don't.  Some of the jokes are just above them and I love that.  I remember watching Shrek for the first time with Mike Berganski and his to daughters.  They were in middle school at the time and Mike and I laughed our butt's off.  After the movie the girls said they didn't like it nearly as much as us.  Many of the jokes in that movie came from Disney movies that the girls had not seen because they were just too young.  Mike and I, on the other hand were rolling with laughter.

Christmas is always a great time to think about opening presents as a kid, or hearing your Dad drive a four wheeler across the yard on Christmas morning.  That was one of the best Christmas presents ever!  The movies that play this time of year bring me back as well.  I downloaded the entire Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack on itunes the other day.  That is my favorite Christmas movie.  I'll just turn it on and read or hang out.  I think my roomates are getting a little sick of it...

Well I hope all of you are enjoying the Holiday Season.  Take a minute from your busy lives and act like a kid again.

- Jimmy

Leading when you need to be led: Sitting bow in a pair

Bow seat of a pair is a difficult seat to row.  You have to be in perfect sync with the guy in front of you and you have to be on top of it mentally at all times.  Your responsibilities include, setting the boat, making steering calls, pulling hard and making technical calls.  The technical calls are what can get you in to a bit of trouble in the boat. 

When I’m rowing I’m constantly thinking of things to correct.  Self criticism is the best criticism in my book.  I try to hold myself to a high standard of rowing or anything else for that matter.  However, when I’m rowing in bow I’m not going to make calls to myself.  That would sound ridiculous and is a waste of energy.  “Jimmy, reach from the hips and sit up.”  My stroke seat would probably stop rowing and ask if I needed to talk to someone.  On the other hand I am responsible for making the technical calls for the entire boat and that includes stroke.

It’s a hard business making calls to someone other than you.  People can get defensive or begin to say to themselves, “why is he only making calls for me?  I know he’s not rowing perfectly.”  In order to have a solid pair relationship and create speed this needs to be avoided.

I try not to harp too much on one singular thing the stroke is doing and if I do feel something I usually try to come up with a drill that will fix it.  The drill helps him feel the difference instead of hearing me “complain.”  Another great tool is the “royal we.”  We need to hold the legs down a bit more while the bodies come over and let the boat run out.  We need to be a little more horizontal at the catch.  The thing is I see him doing it and 

I’m supposed to follow his every move so the collective is very relevant and a great tool. 

Stroke seats remember, your bow seat is not just berating your technique solely.  He is still trying to better his own stroke as well and these calls only create positive speed, so deal with it.    

On another, more defensive note, I have not had any stroke seats flip out on me.  I was discussing this point with another guy I train with who usually sits bow and stating how difficult it is to not sound like an elitist while rowing bow. 

  

Good Enough and Some Video

When I was a kid and would go over to my Dad's shop and help out there was a poem on the wall of his office.  All I ever remember were two of the lines, but they go:  "My son beware of good enough, it is not made of sterling stuff."  I don't know who the author is, but it's a great line.

Whenever I'm feeling sorry for myself during a practice and want to take a stroke off I think of this.  It helps motivate me to maximize every workout and get through the end of the day.  If you guys know my Dad then you'll know he isn't into literature.  However, he found this poem and took it to heart.  I think it helped him build a successful business.

Anyway, enough ranting.  I hope you are all enjoying the holidays.  I've actually been listening to Christmas Music which may or may not be driving my roommates crazy.  I'm looking forward to the next 2 weeks of hard training and then a break in Annapolis.

BEAT ARMY!

- Jimmy

P.S.  The video is of Ryan Fox and me doing some power work with a bungee on the boat.