THE AGE OF ENLIGHTENMENT had a few coaches when I was young, and the national coach, Rusty Robertson,6594 was highly respected with some pretty good results. But he did not produce anything written. It was a question of intuition, keeping your eyes open and reading a lot.”6595 Brook: “Harry’s ‘perfect stroke’ evolved over many years of trial and experimentation. “The ‘perfect stroke’ required immaculate [upper body] preparation for the correct speed, angle and timing of all body parts and blade to arrive at the front stop, connect with the water and push off the foot stretcher in one fluid movement, exactly in tune with the speed of the boat. “Harry worked on all aspects of the stroke and stressed the importance of a firm finish followed by weight over onto your feet, relaxation forward as the boat moved under you and you prepared for the next stroke, placing the blade in the water ‘with your feet’ at the precise moment you arrived at the front stop, and pushing off the footstretcher with both legs and lower back at the same time. “‘Hanging off the handle’ was a favourite term as the legs, lower back, torso, shoulders and arms did their bit on the drive.”6596 Rob Waddell, 2000 Olympic Singles Champion: “If I remember distinct things that he used to coach technically, a phrase I’ll always remember is ‘Just hang off it,’ and ‘Use the arms as pieces of string.’ The speed and timing of the catch is another thing that springs to mind.”6597 Simon Dennis, member of the 2000 Olympic Champion British Men’s Eight: “The impression I got in 2000 was that the catch was what he felt was the hardest thing 6594 See Chapter 120. 6595 Qtd. by Stevens, op. cit. 6596 Brook, op. cit. 6597 R. Waddell, personal conversation, 2008 for rowers to get right. However, he was forever developing his thoughts on what good rowing was.”6598 The rhythm of Harry’s New Zealand crews in the 1980s seemed to be an evolution of the high-stroking “tick the boat along” pullthrough coupled with the smooth, accelerated recovery approach taught by Karl Adam at Ratzeburger Ruderclub in the 1950s and ‘60s.6599 As with Ratzeburg, the athletes were large and well-muscled, but they tended to row a smooth and relaxed technique. Coaching Style Sonia Scown Waddell, twice a finalist for New Zealand in the Olympic Single Sculls, bow of the 2001 World Silver Medal Quad and wife of 2000 Olympic Men’s Singles Champion Rob Waddell: “The way Harry coached was rhythmical. He coached in almost a sing-song voice sometimes, trance-like, as if he was in the boat with you. You could feel in his voice what he was trying to get you to do.”6600 Greg Searle, British World Bronze Medalist Single Sculler in 1997: “When I think of Harry, I struggle not to see him as a ‘Star Wars’ character. He was Yoda, the wise one, and strong in him the Force was. I’m certainly very privileged to have worked closely with him for the year that I did.”6601 Cross: “With a balding head and grayish beard, lines on his weather-beaten face suggested wisdom born from years of intent study of the movement of rowers and their craft. “Off the water, he is a man of few words, but in a way, that adds to the 6598 Dennis, personal correspondence, 2008 6599 See Chapter 92 ff. 6600 S. Waddell, personal conversation, 2008 6601 G. Searle, personal correspondence, 2008 1829
