Berkeley Paddling and Rowing Club

Dan Perkins sculling clinic

On Saturday and Sunday mornings, May 23 and 24, 2009, Dan Perkins conducted a sculling clinic for BPRC members. Dan is a new member of the Club, and comes to us as an elite, Olympic-level rower and coach. He is also a two-time brain cancer survivor, so the clinic provided an opportunity to inform Club members of Dan's up-coming participation in the San Jose Livestrong Challenge (07/12/2009) to raise funds for the cancer-fighting efforts of the Lance Armstrong Foundation (visit: sanjose09.livestrong.org/perkins77).

The clinics ran from 8:00 - 10:00 am each morning, and while the days were gray, cold and windy, no one seemed to notice (photos below). Fifteen Club members participated, with skill levels ranging from new rower to experienced competitor. The principal topic of the clinic was the "catch," one of the most critical, but elusive, phases of the rowing stroke. On Saturday, the emphasis was on grip, hand and wrist position, and motion of the hands, arms and upper body in the moments preceding the catch. On Sunday, the emphasis turned to timing and the relationship between blade placement and seat and body position along the track. Each session started inside with discussion and erg demonstrations, followed by launch of the shells and on-water drills and critique. During the water drills, Dan was clearly not constrained by his "catch" agenda&lowast, and each participant came away with valuable criticism and individual tips relating to all aspects of his/her rowing style.

Participant feedback from the clinics was uniformly favorable. Dan's penetrating and blunt critique of individual foibles was gently conveyed with self-effacing good humor, leaving not a trace of mangled ego carnage. One new rower, commenting at the Sunday debriefing session, expressed gratitude for the support and comfort she felt in the clinic atmosphere. The group conveyed interest in having additional clinics with Dan, and he responded favorably to the suggestion. The Club's board of directors intends to follow up.

Mike Smith

Executing the Catch - Dan Perkins&lowast

Sculling Clinic Flier&lowast

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