1) Heather White was an American coxswain who led her team to win gold at the 2012 and 2008 Summer Olympics. As a coxswain, she was responsible for issuing orders and leading the rowing team. 2) Coxswains undergo rigorous training of over 6 hours per day, including multiple rowing sessions and strength/cardio workouts, in order to build endurance and credibility to push the rowers. This allows them to understand the physical and mental challenges the rowers face. 3) Many rowers form relationships with other rowers because they understand the immense time commitment required for the sport when non-rowers may not. Heather met her boyfriend, also an Olympic row

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The Eyes and Ears of the Crew
One Coxswain’s story towards Olympic Fame
Magazine Piece by Lin ga-young Yoo

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A battle cry: “POWER TEN in TWO ONE TWO!” We hear a synchronization--the labored
grunts, clearly of those drawing from their last reserve of energy. The sound of thunder. The odds are
stacked against them; yet, they find the strength to drudge on with their Croker oars.
Cue in on the bodies: 8 rowers led by one coxswain. The rowers are the “muscles” of the boat;
they are responsible for one thing--using their strength to propel the boat towards the finish line, in record
time. The coxswain is considered the brain. As coach, she is the one issuing orders like a tyrant; even
Napoleon himself would appear insecure next to a female coxswain.
Enter Heather White- an American coxswain who led her team to win gold at the 2012 and 2008
Summer Olympics. Amongst the rowing circles, she is the very embodiment of what a coxswain stands
for. Five feet-three inches tall and barely weighing over 105lbs, her body is toned yet considerably leaner
than her teammates’. There is evidence that she has spent many practice sessions outdoors: her pale skin
has a certain glow, her reddish blonde hair has a sun-kissed look, and everything-from her smile to the
very freckles scattered across her face-speak of the sun’s radiance. Heather also has the look of someone
who can easily make herself at home at a Tiffany and Co., but one soon finds out that this Cheryl of
Clueless look is antithesis to how she is regarded by her teammates- a demanding, assertive leader
determined to lead her team to a gold medal win.
“The coxswain will try to
exhaust herself as much as she
can so that she can go into
that kind of tunnel.You have
to experience what goes in
their (teammates’) heads, their
psychology.Because it hurts,
and it makes you want to stop.
But I’ve been there to the
point where it hurts so I have
the right to push them.
-Heather White

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Today, as we occupy a corner café-disguised as a Victorian home in trendy Larchmont village,
Heather describes her Olympic journey into a coxswain career. “Freshman year of college, for my varsity
team in Washington, I won my first national title. It was the first taste I got of what it felt like to be on the
national team; I was hooked. Ever since then, I made sure I didn’t let anyone get in my way. I was 1st
and
2nd
in NCAA for my junior and senior year, and by then, my name was out in the rowing scene.”
The persistent, strategic effort paid off; she earned her spot on the national team as well as the attention of
Brad Seether, an Olympic talent scout who played a pivotal role in helping her reach Olympic fame.
Like a true coxswain, Heather has a tactical way of engaging with the world; a conversation with
her can easily turn into a chess match; even in an interview, she appears to lead. After swatting off an
interview question as if it was an irritating insect, Heather pauses, a pause that is between a brief moment
and eternity- a pause so ambiguous it leaves one feeling uncomfortable. Out of nowhere, a devilish smile
appears, as if on cue. Heather goes on to describe her training, reminiscing with a masochistic type of
nostalgia. “There is two and a half practices in a day. We would get up at 6 am in the morning, go out for
a row, which lasts two-and-a-half hours no matter what the weather; whether it’s sunny, raining or
hailing, we get up and go. For afternoon practice, there’s a second row, some type of cardio, it’s another
full two and a half hour session. But we still had a half-hour of yoga. A normal person would feeltired,
but I always felt accomplished.”
But wait- isn’t the job of the Coxswain mainly to issue orders? What’s with all the training? After
delivering a warning look that can make any recipient of that stare tremble, Heather goes on to correct a
common misconception. “It looks like you’re (the coxswain) just sitting there, but you have to have every
muscle tensed in order not to be thrown around, you have to be in shape and be part of the boat; not dead
weight. But the lighter you are, the better it is because it allows the boat to go faster.”
We see that the training also adds credibility to the coxswain, mainly her right to issue orders
with the confidence of an omniscient deity. According to Heather, “the coxswain is the tactics person and

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so the most important person on the team. She is the smallest of the group, but the team can’t survive
without her. She is the only one facing forward and she can see things that the teammates cannot—how
far the boat is from the finish line, the rowers’ techniques, floating objects to avoid, etc.” Another
deliberate pause from Heather; she wants the next few words to sink in faster than a titanic hit by an
iceberg. “But it’s more than that..more than just about seeing. The coxswain will try to exhaust herself as
much as she can so that she can go into that kind of tunnel. You have to experience what goes in their
(teammates’) heads, their psychology. Because it hurts, and it makes you want to stop. But I’ve been there
to the point where it hurts so I have the right to push them. I just make sure not to break them. At least not
in a way where we can’t cross the finish line.”
Training hurts. Gotcha. And if we do the math (2.5 + 2.5 + .5 hours of training), then that
amounts to nearly six hours of pain--a day. Why would anyone, be lured to, well, rowing? A clue:
“There is a lot of camaraderie, once you become part of a team you can’t just leave it , because you spend
so many hours training together, it becomes your focal point, especially growing up. It soon becomes
apparent that amongst rowing circles, this camaraderie can even take shape in the form of a romance;
Heather’s boyfriend of five years is Michael Callahan, known for winning the Olympic medal for the
Men’s rowing division.
Still, Heather remains hesitant in speaking about Callahan. She is fully aware that her personal
life cannot escape the public eye- a simple google search of her name can reveal anything from her
favorite food (Mexican) to her past flames (Mike Ruzzi). She merely affirms what is already public: “I am
dating a rower.” But Heather provides insight as to why rowers tend to date amongst themselves. “Rowers
spend so much time and commitment to the sport that it’s hard to find someone who can tolerate and
appreciate that. You really don’t have time for anything else, and not many people respect the amount of
hours that need to be dedicated to training. So there’s mutual understanding of what to expect. I met
Michael Callahan at an award ceremony. Interestingly, because I’ve always worked in a team, it must be a

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coxswain thing, but I like the idea of being guided and guiding others, and rowers get that, that’s why I’m
attracted to them.”
Camaraderie. Romance. Makes sense. But one can experience the two in any setting that
combines time commitment with frequent social interaction: a dodge ball team, a knitting club, a bible
study. More probing was obviously required.
She mentions her childhood (now we’re getting somewhere), “I have an identical twin sister. And
three siblings. So imagine that. Growing up as a kid. You have to work hard to get your share of attention.
And I was always small. Not just in the family, but at school. When I was 14, everyone was taller than me
and tried to push me around and overrule what I would say.”
Heather takes a sip of water, a sip that seems more encouraged by a need for reflection than a
need for thirst itself. She offers a bit more: “I tried different sports, but I fell in love with rowing right
away. It was the best way I could leave a mark on the world. For a coxswain, being small is
advantageous, the lighter you are the better. It was about making my mark on the world. It was the best
way I could leave a mark. For a coxswain, being small is advantageous, the lighter you are the better. I am
a tiny person but I don’t have to be tall or extraordinarily strong, I am still an athlete I am the most
important part of the team, communications-wise, and I am the most intimidating.”
These “I AM” statements sound particularly strong, especially given the fact that Heather White
has recently retired after a 14-year career on a national team. Her tone surprisingly takes a humble tone as
she goes on to explain her reason for retiring. “I am 33 now and I’ve had my share of the Olympic cycle.
There is only one spot for a coxswain and it was time for someone else to step up; it only makes sense to
hand it over to another person so that they can develop themselves. To be a coxswain is an amazing
feeling, especially if you can lead a team to winning the Olympic medal. It was time for someone else to
experience what that feels like. When asked what she will do in her spare time, she mentions her non-
profit organization: “It’s called the ninth seat, it’s about teaching coxswains how to coach effectively.”

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Up to this point, one gets the impression that a coxswain is no less a tyrant than Napoleon
himself, intent on leaving their mark on the world. Yet, we learn that there is also a humbler side to a
coxswain as we digest Heather’s reason for retiring: Once a mark has been left, the only appropriate thing
left to do is to give someone else a chance to leave theirs.