Sometimes ‘coincidences’ are extraordinary. We’ve been working for a long time on digitising Harry Mahon‘s Rowing Technique – and just as it’s ready, a book comes out that perfectly complements the DVDs. Singular perfection in a trio of products.
- Ben Hunt-Davis‘ account of the Sydney Mens Eight winning Gold – moulded with management for teamwork. A great story plus some helpful life lessons. Will it Make the Boat Go Faster?
- Harry Mahon’s Rowing Technique – a legendary coach tells it in his own words. Volume 1
- Volume 2 of Harry Mahon’s Rowing Technique explained by Martin McElroy including detail about how to teach the skills used by the Sydney 8, how he uses the rowperfect and ergos for coaching and some great questions from Paul Thompson, Ian Roots, Chris George and other British Rowing luminaries who were in the crowd at the Rowperfect Seminar.
- Buy all three together and get the whole story in one hit.
Peter Mallory, author of The Sport of Rowing, writes
Harry Mahon was a special coach for unspecial reasons. He had an acute sense of watermanship, not quite unique, but Harry had the patience and persistence to somehow penetrate the brains of others and teach it.
I never knew Harry. I don’t think I even knew he existed ten years ago when he died. But spending an afternoon with Harry on DVD is filled with comfortable moments, conversations I’ve had, conversations I’ve wished I had. Here is a man who loved boats like we all do. Here is a man who said familiar things in familiar ways in a cool accent.
Communication is the most difficult challenge for a rowing coach. Describing the indescribable . . . and dealing with the frustration of not getting through the first time . . . or the tenth time or the thousandth time or the ten thousandth time. Harry had the patience to do that over and over. He is an inspiration to us all.
And his words are his own. Every coach has his own set, and every set adds a piece to the puzzle. Harry’s words are special because he had no ideology. He made it sound like he was making it up as the words came out of his mouth, like he was learning as much from the people he was working with as they were learning from him. And that’s a special talent.
