RSR Alum: "Did you ever imagine how well the team would perform in such a short amount of time?"

I LOVE that one of you asked this question. To be honest - I hadn't really imagined the regatta results. You guys know me- of course I LOVE to win, but so few people ever formally win- so you have to set goals and metrics on several different fronts in order to keep moving forward in the right direction - towards your values. 

So now you will ask me- "OK Holly, what were your goals and metrics then?" Great question. 

1. Fill 1 8+ full of girls with great attitudes who want to work hard and race hard. Check. 

2. Fill two 8+s full of girls with great attitudes who want to work hard and race hard. Check.

3. Fill THREE 8+s full of girls with great attitudes who want to work hard and race hard. Check. 

4. Create a team where every athlete free of injury is able to compete and race at USRowing Club Nationals. Check. 

5. Develop a clear, instructive and reflective curriculum to train the athletes to start mental weight-lifting in just four weeks. Check. 

6. Summarize collegiate rowing and develop a framework for the athletes to understand the commitment involved so that they don't get in over their heads and do not over commit. Check. 

7. Teach the technical skills of the sport of rowing in a new way where every athlete learns at least one way to be more technically proficient and efficient. Check (at least 100% of you surveyed say yes).

8. Push and guide the athletes on the ERG to start to change their mindset - the erg is not a test- it is a tool. Every day is a test. Check (at least 75% of you said so).

9. Create an environment and RSR culture that rewards attitude and effort. I believe we did this too. 

10. Push the athletes harder than they have ever been pushed while still enabling them and guiding them so that we don't push them over the edge. Some of you are still writing me about this- so I would say at least 60% of you would agree with this statement so far. 

11. Change the lives of 32 girls by showing them that they are stronger than they think. Braver than they think. And totally amazing. I am not sure I will ever know if we hit this metric. 80% of you that answered the survey said you are tougher than you thought and you are more capable than you thought as a result of RSR. I hope that I met this metric- it's the most important one to me.

I am assuming that you are asking about the racing results though. And the answer is no, I was so impressed by all of the RSR athletes' performance and effort. We were 26th as a team out of 41 total teams in our first year and this is a truly outstanding result. I and the other RSR Coaches could not be more proud - and excited for next year! 

I do look forward to hearing your thoughts on this- do you think that we hit these metrics?