Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-06-08
By Charles +. Courtney.
Famous Grand Old Man" Of Rowing
and Coach Of Successful
Cornell Crews.

Oorneil CreWs.
n Jew YORK, June 5.--The I'M
N qualified success or the com
plete failure Of a years work
for an intercollegiate crew as well
as for Its coach is decided in less
than twenty minutes.
To the old trainer, who sees crew
after crew, year after year labor
through those four gruelng miles,
the winning or losing Of a particular
race means little in comparison. He
has done his best-there are other
races and other years to come. His
an is nos lost because one crew runs
into a buoy or is nosed out in the
final quarter.
But for the oarsmen II is different
They are nerved up TO the highest
pitch. For most Of the men it is
their first or second race. They have
worked ard studied a year-some OF
them two or three years-and this is
the elimination. They have put aside
pleasures and ambitions. In the
midst Of the complex college social
world OF which they are scarce a
part. they have lived in the little
monOtonous daily cycle known only
10 men Of the crews.
II the crew wins, all this has been
worth while. But If II loses-well,
we've all been young once and we
know w1at II meant when We lost the
thing on immature mind Craved to
have more than any other thing in
the world
II seems different now when we
view in the perspective. But at the
losing Wa could see little glory in the
sympathetic counsel Of our elders eX-
tOlling the unquestionable benefits "a
the loser in a fight well fought
One Of the greatest problems Of the
rowing coach is to keep race-day
fears from getting on the nerves Of
his men And it is no easy problem
during those last days At the isolated
training camp
The men are trained to fine edge
one thought is uppermost In their
minds, ard they are susceptible to
tine slightest influence. Physical per
lection t. Of course neCe sSary, but
even more cssentia, Is the proper con
clifton o. the narsmans mind. Ner-
yous tension In a race Is a mighty
good thing. but q chaotic nervous
condition Of the mind is disastrous.
Pnsycology has won more than one
boat race. / was asked the other day
10 what particular quality ! attrtb-
med my success as n coach and III
answered. WITHOUT HfSllt llbHr sAull-
fly to read young men,
No father ever watched the mental
growth ~ his son more carefully tnan
: study the effect Of the training on
the Boys Who row for Cornell / sug-
gest and lead their thoughts as care
fully as , train their bodies for wnen |
they shove of" the shell for the final I
test. the condition of their minds Will !
win or lose the race.
What do yOU suppose the Cornell |
crew men were taking about as they |
were lyrug on their oars at the start !
ing line al Poughkeepsie a few years |
ago. An animated discussion was |
going on in the boat. and I asked !
about IL after the victorious eight |
was safe on the train bound for ltha- |
ga again
Argument About Dinner.
"Why. we had big argument about !
where we would eat tonight said |
the serious little CoXswaiu. And he |
went on TO explain the merits and |
dement's of the various possible res |
taurants in the vicinity as they had |
been brought out by the men.
That crew was in the right frame |
of mind
The rigorous training affects each |
uaTsman differently. There is a vet |
cram in the Cornell varsity now who |
viii lie down and sleep peacefully on |
the morning Of the race, then there /
are others who get so nervous even |
days beforehand that it takes an the |
ingenuity Of the coach 10 prevent |
them from going to pieces. When a |
man commences to get tired Of his |
food or when his mental condition be- |
comes slightly abnormal IL takes skill /
TO handle the situation.
A few days before the Poughkeep-
sic regatta last year the stroke sniff |
fed disdalnfully A, the sight OF break !
fast and refused to eat
Suppose YOU and / have coffee |
this morning ?" / veutured He had
rot been drinking coffee, but the idea |
of a cup with the coach appealed 10 /
him We each mad two cups and he |
ate a hearty breakfast after this lit |
tie break in the Ioutine
Many are the tricks of a rowing |
coach 20 keep the mems minds away
from rowing during the idle hours |
IN the training camp. The actual /
time consumed IN rowing is about |
two hours, and the men sleep from |
10 p m. 10 a m, with an extra I
rap I'm the afternoon. But much time |
is still left for worry
Couelrs camp AZ Poughkespsie was /
beautifully situated last season In a |
quiet retreat nestled among the trees /
on the Hillside back from the river |
Yet / am glad that we are TO be back |
again NJ The oaks" this year. where |
the men can watch the other crews |
row. take an interest i'm the shipping /
and speculate rs 60 whether the en-
CINE number Of the next passing train |
viii be odd or even
Dummy baseball" which resembles |