When people think of sports like rowing, their mind typically darts to technique, agility and physical strength. However, very often, success in such team sports lies in the mind and heart, cultivated through Social-Emotional Learning (SEL). As Peter A Derow mentions, understanding and valuing the role of every member of the crew is crucial in rowing. Through SEL, rowers learn how to work collaboratively and communicate effectively. Moreover, rowers with strong SEL capabilities can efficiently recognize and manage their emotions, which helps them to stay calm on the boat.
Peter A Derow discusses the link between social-emotional learning and rowing
Sports like rowing are widely recognized to have a positive developmental impact on the youth. Rowing is not only a physical activity that helps improve the fitness levels of the children, but it also allows them to make new friends, learn about teamwork, as well as build their self-confidence as they achieve their goals. Due to its physically demanding and inherently team-oriented nature, rowing especially provides an ideal setting for social-emotional growth. This sport can play a vital role in enabling young individuals to build emotional intelligence, resilience, and interpersonal skills.
There are many ways rowing facilitates important social-emotional competencies
- Self-awareness: Rowing is a sport that demands a good understanding of one’s mental and physical state. To contribute effectively to the team, rowers need to recognize their own strengths and weaknesses. Young rowers develop self-confidence and self-reflection skills over time through continuous practice and feedback from coaches and the crew. The repetitive, rhythmic nature of rowing often paves the way for introspection. A number of rowers experience a heightened sense of self-awareness, as they become more attuned to their breathing and movements on the boat.
- Self-Management: The mental and physical endurance needed in rowing teaches rowers to effectively regulate their emotions and reactions. It is not uncommon for rowers to deal with exhaustion, the pressure of competition and frustration from a tough practice session. However, they learn how to stay focused and composed amidst all of that. Goal setting is another important aspect of self-management in rowing. Rowers should set both personal and team goals, and be determined to achieve them.
- Social awareness: The movement of every rower impacts the whole team when it comes to rowing a boat. This necessity for synchronization fosters a deep sense of consideration for others. As rowing teams often comprise of individuals from diverse backgrounds, skill levels, and perspectives, rowers also learn to respect diversity. Being a part of a rowing crew can help young individuals to appreciate the importance of collective effort and unity.
- Relationship skills: As rowing is a team sport, proper communication is extremely important for it. Rowers need to develop strong listening skills and respond to calls from the coxswain and instructions from their coach in an efficient manner. Cooperation and trust are quite vital to the sport. Every rower should depend on their teammates to maintain rhythm, pace, and strategy. This reliance helps build strong bonds and a sense of camaraderie over time, and reinforces the value of teamwork in both sports and life.
As Peter A Derow says, rowing can also teach responsible decision making to young people. After all, rowers often have to make swift decisions that impact the entire team, like adjusting their stroke in response to the boat’s movement.
