The Coxtitude is similar to the Baditude (Bad Attitude). When arriving at a regatta, you can tell who the coxswains are right away. Okay, so maybe the physiological differences are a little easier to spot. Yeah, and then the second thing you notice is the bad-ass pair of sunglasses that they're wearing. Or maybe it's that they're being thrown into the river. But you can really tell who's a coxswain and who's not by how they carry themselves at a regatta. Because they have it; they have the Coxtitude.

Some people may call it cockiness (coxiness?) or arrogance, but as a coxswain it's incredibly valuable to have the right attitude. For me, I had it from the get-go. My coxswain coach was telling me stories about when she used to cox, and I fell right into it and soaked all of them up. "There's nothing more intimidating than someone who can bark orders in that drill sergeant voice...while taking the boat out of the water." She told me about how she used to play the bow-ball game. How she's had other coxswains tear into her crew, then she spoke the right words to her crew and walked right back through the opposition. I ate it up and started applying it on water. Every day I was out there I gained confidence. Every day I gained their respect, and I don't think I could have done that without my confidence.

You see, you're the focal point of the 8+. You have to have the confidence, nay, the fortitude to control it. Some days you'll be a friend, some days you'll be a parent, but most days you'll be that driving force that made a shell better through tough-love. Coxie love, in a sense. If another crew sees a coxswain barking out orders and getting things done crisply, they think "Daaaamn...". Actually, your crew could probably care less. It's us, the coxswains, that get psyched out.

Which is the whole point of attitude. It's all about psyching each other out. Other than the odd comment like, "He's got his stuff together" the rowers won't notice the other coxswains thta much. During a race the rowers might here something that the other coxswain says, but how do you respond? Do you come right back? Or do you not stand up for your boys and girls. Ah, but mainly it's a head-game between us. We try to rattle each other. We try to get a leg-up on the competition by doing a lot of things. Including wearing sunglasses.