Rowing Canada better off without Spracklen
After the announcement that Rowing Canada is parting ways
with controversial coach Mike Spracklen, I applaud the organization for
finally making the decision to move forward. I'm sure some Spracklen
supporters will question the decision, but there are many athletes that
see this as something that has been a long time coming. There are those that loved him, but their experience was markedly different
than those on the outside of his inner circle. My goal here is to shed
light on the other side of this story and show why this is a great
decision for the team.
Olympics2012
Lessons learned from a disappointing Olympics
Since the London Olympics came to a close, I've had a lingering feeling of an opportunity lost.I
find myself going through waves of overwhelming disappointment mixed
with an appreciation for the uniqueness of the overall experience. We
didn't get the result that we knew we were capable of (we finished sixth
in the men's pair event), but the journey has been incredibly rewarding
and another reminder of how much I love training for and competing in
the Olympics.
Olympics2012
The final countdown to the Olympics
It's almost here.
These last few months have flown by and we're now less than 10 days away
from the opening ceremony for the London Olympics. Wow. I can feel the
excitement and apprehension building, and every once in a while I have
to tell myself to calm down and take it all in stride. We've done this
before. And done it well.
Olympics2012
Olympic experience will be key in London
Lately, I've been asked a lot about how my previous experience will
affect our performance in London. With this being my third Olympics,
will anything be different? Will I be better prepared to race?The truth is that each Olympics is completely different, but knowing what challenges to expect can only help.
Olympics2012
New training, mental approach paying off
As we move into our last seven weeks in the lead-up to London, I've been
thinking a lot about what goes into building and solidifying this
mental aspect of competition, and I think it comes down to three things:
confidence in the training that you've been doing, confidence in the
rest of your crew, and confidence in yourself.
Olympics2012
One race to get it right before the Olympics
With our competition season finally getting underway last week, I'm
reminded of the fact that the training-to-racing ratio in rowing is
incredibly skewed.
We train five to six hours a day, six days a week, year-round, and only
race internationally twice each season. That's crazy! Unlike other
sports, we don't have regatta after regatta to develop and hone our
racing ability. We have one chance to get it right before the London
Olympics.
Olympics2012
Olympic rowing is hard to quit
I retired from rowing after the Beijing Olympics, believing that it was
time to work towards finding success in another area of my life, i.e. a
career. It was time to get on with "real life."That post-Olympic transition is a tough one for many athletes who either
underestimate how difficult it will be or ignore it completely. The challenge is to go from having a distinct plan and purpose to
everything that you do and having this all-encompassing goal on the
horizon, to trying to find that purpose and passion in something else.
It isn't easy.
Olympics2012
Olympic silver can be good as gold
We all have those unforgettable Olympic memories of Sidney Crosby's overtime
goal or Alexandre Bilodeau's final run to win the first gold medal on
Canadian soil, so winning a gold medal goes a long way in finding an
appropriate definition.
That said, I think there can be more to it than just the gold medal.
There's something to be respected about the athlete that can truly grasp
the opportunity in front of them and rise up to the challenge. Not sit
back and be safe and focus on what could go wrong, but risk it all and
go for the win.
Olympics2012
Time to rethink Olympic selection process
As the summer approaches, many of our national teams will be making
final cuts and announcing their Olympic rosters. It's incredibly
exciting for a select number of Canadian athletes, and devastating for
others. That is the reality of elite-level sport: some win, most lose.
It's harsh and can be difficult to deal with. But, win or lose, if you
can walk away saying "I got a fair shot," that's all you can ask for.As basic as that sounds, I think it's actually somewhat rare in amateur sport.
Olympics2012
The life of an Olympic rower
Lots of people don't fully understand what the lifestyle of an Olympic rower demands of us. It's a privilege to be able to push myself every day and to pursue my Olympic dream, and I never forget that, but this isn't a 9-to-5 job. Or even a 7-to-6 job. It's a 24/7 lifestyle.We train six hours a day, six days a week, and when I'm not training, I'm eating, sleeping, or getting treatment for an injury. There are no long weekends or spring breaks. I've missed more weddings and parties then I can count. But I don't feel torn or guilty. It's my choice to do this and I love it.
Scott Frandsen
Scott is one of Canada's top rowers. The Kelowna, B.C., native captured a silver medal at the Beijing Olympics in the coxless pair event with teammate Dave Calder. A three-time U.S. collegiate champion as a member of the eight-man boat at Cal-Berkeley, Frandsen went on to help Oxford upset Cambridge in the 2003 edition of the schools' storied Boat Race.
Follow Scott on Twitter @scott_frandsen and visit his website at www.scottfrandsen.com
