Next up In The Driver's Seat--where we hear from the folks who add that extra something to the teamwork of a crew—-is coxswain Bella Hsia.

Bella, who did her high school coxing at Notre Dame Academy in Toledo, just started her college career at Northeastern this fall.

Let's hop In The Driver's Seat with Bella:

row2k - What do you see as the three most important things for being a successful coxswain?
Bella Hsia - Communication, humility, and passion.

Communication - A coxswain's role in the boat is to keep the crew in sync and informed during a practice, race, etc. It is also vital to be clear and concise in what you expect from the rowers, and communication is key to achieving this harmony. I believe communication is an important aspect to being a coxswain because it's one of the main essences of the role. Communicating on the water to other coxswains, with your rowers about solving issues, and with coaches to maintain a productive practice is extremely important.

Coxing the Youth Eight at HOCR 2023

Humility - I think humility is very important because it's necessary to improve as a coxswain. I learned that asking questions of other coxswains, coaches, or rowers can be an exceptional way to progress as a coxswain. Realizing that asking for advice and criticism, because someone is always able to improve no matter their experience, has become one of the greatest life lessons I've learned from coxing.

Passion - Being a coxswain does not end at practice. I have learned from coxing for a smaller team that it is really valuable to study other coxes' recordings, to research common issues and their solutions, and to know the actual physics behind rowing because it expands your knowledge of the stroke. Being able to understand the technicalities of the rowing stroke and help others is a great tool to have as a coxswain. However, this sometimes can be a pretty hefty workload on top of school, work, and normal practice. Having passion for the sport motivates coxswains to want to be better and strive for improvement.

row2k - What is your favorite drill to run with your crews? Any tips on how to do the drill well, for maximum effectiveness?
Bella Hsia - My favorite drill to run with my crews is the closed eyes drill. I think many people overlook the importance of boat feel as a rower, but I believe it can create great change when done properly. Before the rowers close their eyes, the boat needs to be a good place both technically and power wise. This helps rowers understand the boat when there is actual run underneath the hull, and allows them to really use their other senses while rowing.

With her Notre Dame crew (photo credit: Jessica Kennedy)

One of my favorite things to say during this drill is reminding rowers to use their other senses: feel the seat move under you and the oar click when you feather; hear the water rushing under the boat and the sound of the blades placing at the catch. I usually do this drill during steady state to remind rowers to focus on certain aspects of the boat, or pre-race rowing up to the start. This drill is a great way to create a calm, yet focused rowing stroke which I believe helps set a good mentality going into a race or long steady state.

row2k - What's some of the best coaching advice you've received about your coxing?
Bella Hsia - I think the best piece of coaching advice I've received is to "talk less to mean more." It seems a bit contradictory considering the role of a coxswain, however, remembering that rowers need time to process to commit to an objective is important. If you're just drilling a boat with a hundred corrections and motivational calls, then they're going to end up tuning some of it out.

To me, making calls only when needed can mean a lot more to rowers. They will be able to actually put the correction or motivation into practice and be able to achieve what you're aiming for. This advice is also important for coxswains too. By talking less and really focusing on calling out only the needed info or corrections, I was able to focus more on my steering and what I was feeling at that moment. Taking time to think about what I am experiencing helps me make more direct and accurate calls.

Racing at SRAAs in 2023

row2k - What is a mid-race call or move that you've made that you'll remember for the rest of your life?
Bella Hsia - A move I called that I'll remember for the rest of my life happened at the Orchard Lake Laddie's Cup in 2023. It was the finals for the Junior 8, and we were in third, down by half a boat length. There were only about 450 meters left, and I could tell my crew was getting frustrated.

I called out how we were going to take an early sprint to make connection with the other boat's stern, and I was met immediately with a response. I called the rate up about 2 beats and we started hammering it in. I could just tell that something clicked with the crew and we wouldn't end that race in third. I told them something simple: we had to beat them by inches. I wasn't concerned with getting boat lengths in front or even going for first. At that moment, I just wanted them to realize that we could do it, even if it was extremely close. I remember how exciting it was to call out that we were even with that other boat, and feeling the last 70 meters go by while we were pushing our bow ball in front. We ended up beating them by 0.3 seconds.

row2k - Can you tell us anything about what you've learned about how to call a good sprint?
Bella Hsia - I think the sprint is one of the most important parts of the race, as it can truly change everything in a few seconds. To call a good sprint, I like to remember how the rowers are feeling at that exact moment. I've been in the position myself after rowing a few seasons, so I can understand that pain. In reality, the rowers won't remember a thing you say, but I believe that finding something that makes them push just a bit farther than what they think they are capable of is what you call in a good sprint. My coach always tells rowers to tune out their own mind and just listen to a cox during a race, and I think that can definitely be valuable.

With her Notre Dame crew (photo credit: Jessica Kennedy)

I love calling out each person in the boat during the sprint, making sure to tell the whole boat to push them so they can really tune in and finish strong. Coming from a smaller team, everyone is pretty close, so calls like these made the race feel personal. I like making calls that relate to each rower at these last moments because it really fires them up. The difference between calling something general like 'legs' and specifically calling out a seat is tremendous in my opinion.

row2k - Tell us about the worst race/practice you've ever had?
Bella Hsia - The worst race I've ever had was during my sophomore year spring season. It was extremely cold and windy, and you could see rain clouds rolling in. In fact, it got so windy in the marshaling area that many boats had to have a rower get out to move them away from the rocks to avoid skegging themselves--my boat included. Finally to add onto the chaos, my cox box stopped working as they were polling crews. I coxed that race with basically none of my calls being heard. It was probably the worst race of my life, but I am so glad that I am able to laugh about it now.

row2k - How about the best race/practice you remember?
Bella Hsia - The best race in my career so far was at SRAAs 2022 in the J4+ semi-finals. It was an incredible race, going back and forth with Mount Saint Joseph Academy down the whole 1500m stretch. I remember it being one of the core memories I made during my first season as a coxswain. We weren't able to get third, missing by 0.6 seconds, but I was happy that we gave it our all out there and had a good race.

Coxing that SRAA semi in 2022 against Mount St Joe's

Thanks for riding along with Bella...and, remember, this column is open to all "drivers" out there, so if you are an experienced coxswain at any level--from juniors to masters--and would be willing to invite row2k to join you in your ride, just contact us here. We’d love to hear from you about what you see from the Driver's Seat.