University of San Diego
NCAA DI • WCC
Date: November 27, 2025
Would Recommend
Tags
As a parent, I just want to share my perspective. I’ve rowed myself, I’ve coached, I’ve served in the military, taught kids for years, and I’ve raised a rower — so I’ve seen a lot of different leadership styles. Here’s what I believe: a coach is supposed to run the team. Not every athlete is going to like every decision or every style, and that’s normal in sports and honestly in life. If a coach’s expectations or structure don’t work for someone, they can always step away from the team. That’s part of learning how to adjust to different personalities and leaders, because that’s exactly what happens later in college, work, and life. And as parents, we really shouldn’t be involved in the daily team dynamic at this age. The kids need space to figure things out on their own — how to communicate, how to handle challenges, and how to work through tough days. That’s what helps them grow up and build resilience. A team is never going to run in a way that makes everyone happy, and that’s okay. Coaches make the decisions they feel are best for the whole group. If an athlete doesn’t agree with the approach or doesn’t feel comfortable, it’s always their choice to walk away. But attacking a coach because their style is demanding or different doesn’t help the athletes or the program. This is just my honest take as a parent who’s been around teams for a long time. Last, unless there is clear, concrete evidence of genuine abuse, At some point, we have to recognize the difference between actual misconduct and the normal complaints that come up whenever a coach pushes athletes or holds them to a higher standard.