(Photo Courtesy of Yale Athletics)
With the sound of a megaphone and clearance to begin training with the Bulldogs from Yale Head Coach, Will Porter, the journey to new heights set forth in Derby, Connecticut, begins to take shape.
It is safe to say that the rowing world knows that the athletes who carry the weight both figuratively and verbatim within the rowing shell tend to get overlooked by most observers solely due to their ratio of 8:1 or 4:1 depending on which boat class is in the topic of discussion.
When you look at the BIG THREE — Baseball, Basketball, and Football, the following terms remain an icebreaker hooking the conversationalists to immediate dialogue and an array of highly-passionate perspectives and utter takes on if teams across the nation are putting out their very best and elite gamechangers to seal the deal come gameday.
FSN’s recent installment, coined as “First String” is set in stone for what we as a Staff believe is one of the most critical positions in College Rowing combining an array of leadership impacts and value far beyond the waterway. We give this series to the “9th Seats” of the sport that drastically make or break the results on race day, to not only set the tone of the crew’s mentality and work-ethic stemmed in practice, but the forward-thinking, strategic, and highly-disciplined individual behind piecing the puzzle together for max-efficiency backed by a proficiency for accuracy, utmost teamwork, and support — the Coxswain.
In August of 2025, the FSN Staff circled the roundtable to spark the conversation amongst the College Rowing landscape and the tiers of elite drivers who in all reality earned a spotlight and their fair share of publicity backed by College Rowing’s leading analysts, For Stars Network’s Founder/CEO, Hudson Forster. Sharing his Top-10 Coxswains in both Men’s and Women’s Rowing, respectively, the crew received his highly-researched and data-driven list of Drivers who have big shoes to fill in 2026, and a team that will be corralled by their innate leadership stills and overall influence.
(Photo Courtesy of David Schamis/Yale Athletics)
With the athlete “on deck” being a front-runner for FSN’s “First String” Coxswain Series, we bring you Southern California’s very own, Yale University Senior, Hope Galusha, who got her start coxing for Marina Aquatic Center located in Los Angeles under Head Coach, Zohar Abramovitz, a coach with over 25 years of experience pushing athletes to reach their fullest potential during their junior years up and down the banks of sunny, Marina del Rey.
Ranked as the No. 4 Coxswain in Women’s Rowing during the Pre-Season by FSN, Galusha, entering her Senior Season with the Bulldogs, was listed as one of only two coxswains listed in the Ivy League, being the highest-ranked at her position in the Class of 2026 as Senior nominees within the first-ever installment of Top-10 Coxswain Rankings at the collegiate level in history.
We had an opportunity to sit down with the catalyst from Yale Women’s Crew, a four-time NCAA Rowing Championships competitor, coxing at the highest stage throughout her collegiate years, a remarkable feat in the rowing industry, answering to inspire the next generation of elite playmakers in the United States and beyond. Ready to launch, and dressed in Yale Blue, let’s get dialed with Hope Galusha:
FSN: What is one token of advice for Coxswains embarking on their Freshmen Year in College?
Hope Galusha: I think the hardest part about being a coxswain is striking the balance between projecting confidence while remaining eager to learn and improve. Regardless of your internal conviction, your job is to exude confidence so that the rowers can trust you completely and focus their attention on their stroke and output. However, especially when you're new to a team, you also need to demonstrate genuine openness to feedback. Experience level aside, every team and coaching staff operates differently, so as the bridge between coach and rower, it's imperative that coxswains stay attuned to these nuances. Seeking feedback can be difficult because coxing is both a subjective skill and one that doesn't prompt natural or regular evaluation. Additionally, seeking feedback can—mistakenly—be perceived as insecurity or need for reassurance, which may seem counterintuitive when you're trying to project confidence. My advice is to cultivate confidence that's adaptive rather than arrogant. When you make decisions, commit to them fully, but also actively seek feedback and absorb as much as you can from those around you.
FSN: How do you work on your craft outside of the Coxswain Seat rather than just listening to Coxswain Recordings?
Hope Galusha: Beyond listening to coxswain recordings, I work on my craft in three main ways. First, as I mentioned earlier, I'm proactive about seeking feedback—both from coaches and rowers—since coxing doesn't naturally prompt regular evaluation. I'm someone who works better when I have concrete goals for myself for each session or race, whether that's varying my tone or sharpening my technical calls. Asking for feedback helps me set these goals and guarantees they're aligned with what my coach wants for me and the boat, rather than just guessing what might be most impactful.
Second, I use visualization extensively. I'll mentally rehearse races or practice pieces, imagining different scenarios and how I'd respond in the moment—whether we're walking on a crew, getting walked on, or sitting in a tight race at the thousand-meter mark. My boat will often sit together the night before we compete and visualize the race as a crew, which helps us get on the same page about our race plan. This mental rehearsal helps me stay composed and make better real-time decisions when I'm actually in the seat.
Finally, I do race preparation sessions with Kristen [Wilhelm], our Assistant Coach who was a Former Coxswain on Yale Women's Crew. These conversations are similar to my visualization work, but instead of just imagining scenarios alone, we talk through them together. We discuss where I might find myself at different points in a race and strategize the most effective calls or moves for each situation. Having her experience and perspective makes my race planning much more strategic and adaptable.
FSN: What are your top three songs to listen to before Practice and then for Race Day? Are they the same or do they vary?
Hope Galusha: I'm notorious for not making playlists, so I don't have specific songs I listen to before practice. However, there is one song that I listen to before every race: 'Lose Yourself' by Eminem. Growing up, when I was on the swim team, my mom would always play this song in the car on our way to swim meets. Since then, it's become my go-to for getting into the proper headspace for competition.
Beyond the nostalgic connection, the song itself is perfect for race prep. The entire message is about seizing a singular moment when everything you've worked for comes down to one opportunity—you can't let it slip away. That resonates deeply with racing, where months of training culminate in just a few minutes on the water. The intensity and urgency in the lyrics remind me to stay present, trust my preparation, and commit fully to the race plan. It's about channeling nerves into focus and making sure that when the moment arrives, I'm ready to give everything I have.
(Photo Courtesy of Yale Athletics)
FSN: Throughout your career, have you noticed certain elements that high school or college coxswains lack in terms of skill level or situational awareness on land or water? What exactly are those elements?
Hope Galusha: I think the most common pitfall in coxing—especially on more junior teams—is overemphasizing the motivational aspect of the role. Many coxswains misinterpret their job as primarily being cheerful and motivational, when in reality, elite coxswains recognize the power of data and technical commands to motivate a crew far more effectively than cheerleading alone. Rowing is purely an offensive sport, so keeping the crew internally locked in and giving them tangible focuses—whether that's splits, positioning relative to competitors, or specific technical adjustments—is the best way to unlock untapped speed.
My advice is to shift your mindset from 'motivator' to 'strategist.' Study your coach's race plans, understand what technical changes actually create boat speed, and learn to communicate those adjustments clearly and confidently during pieces. Instead of just saying 'let's go!' or 'you've got this!', give your crew something concrete to execute: 'Let's take five strokes for quicker hands away,' or 'We're even on Princeton—next ten to move through.' That's what will elevate your coxing from good to elite.
Another common issue is coxswains trying too hard to imitate recordings they've heard instead of embracing their own natural style. It's absolutely valuable to listen to other coxswains for inspiration—particularly to learn how to vary your tone and keep your calls dynamic—but the biggest lesson I've learned in my collegiate career is to stay true to who you are in the coxswain seat. Coxing requires you to be adaptive, in-the-moment, and decisive. If you're too focused on executing a specific script or making calls exactly like someone else, you'll be too rigid and you'll miss what your crew actually needs in that instance. My advice is to be flexible, natural, and responsive. Let your personality come through, trust your instincts, and adjust your approach based on what you're seeing and feeling in real time.
Finally—and this isn't as exciting of an answer, but it's critical—your number one priority as a coxswain is managing the safety of the crew and running practice efficiently. To do these things effectively, you have to be situationally aware and constantly alert. As a junior coxswain, before focusing too much energy on perfecting your calls, boat feel, or tone, make sure you've nailed these foundational awareness skills first.
My advice is to observe coaches and older coxswains closely. Pay attention to how they manage and execute practice and race prep, and take mental notes on the usual order of operations so you can anticipate what needs to happen next and make your coach's job easier. On the water, your eyes should constantly be scanning—checking your spacing from other boats, monitoring traffic patterns, and ensuring your crew is safe. On land, make sure equipment is accounted for and rowers aren't left waiting or confused about what's happening next. You never want to come across as oblivious or caught off-guard. Developing that awareness early will set you apart and build trust with both your coaches and your crew.
(Photo Courtesy of AllMarkOne Media)
FSN: What is one call or move that you made in a Race that you’ll never forget?
Hope Galusha: One call I'll never forget happened at Head of the Charles my sophomore year in the Club 8+. We were riding the stern of the boat in front of us and they wouldn't yield. I had memorized the name of their coxswain and stroke seat in anticipation of exactly this situation. We were coming down the powerhouse stretch, and I was pushing my crew to get through them before the Weeks footbridge turn—one of the most technically demanding and highly-anticipated turns for coxswains on the entire course. My rowers were getting really fired up, and as our bow and stern decks started overlapping, I refused to come off my line. Finally, I shouted, '[Name], yield to starboard or I WILL hit you!'
While that was probably a bit over-aggressive, it got her attention immediately and my rowers absolutely erupted with energy. They were so fired up about how quickly we were walking through that crew and how badly we wanted to set ourselves up for the inside of the next bridge. To this day, the rowers from that boat still talk about that moment—how much they loved that sudden burst of ferocity, like I would do anything for them and fight for the tightest line possible. It showed them I was completely committed to racing for them, no matter what it took.
FSN: How important to you is 1:1 Coxswain Coaching during high school and what was the best tip you received from a Coach, Mentor or even Teammate?
Hope Galusha: I think one-on-one coxswain coaching during high school can be incredibly valuable, but it's not imperative to developing your skillset—and I don't want to undervalue its importance for those who have access to it. That said, I also believe that if you don't have access to individual coaching, you can still become a high-level coxswain through other means.
At its core, coxing is about responding to the needs of your crew and communicating technique and strategy in the language of your coach. So much of what distinguishes a great coxswain involves skills that can't necessarily be taught in a formal coaching setting—things like clear communication, emotional intelligence, boat feel, situational awareness, stress management, and real-time decision-making. These skills can be acknowledged as critical, but the ability to demonstrate them really comes with practice and experience on the water.
While individual coaching can be extremely helpful—especially for recording analysis and receiving tailored feedback—I think the most important factors are maintaining an open line of communication with your rowers and coaches and having a strong understanding of the skills that differentiate elite coxswains, combined with a genuine desire to develop them. If you're intentional about seeking feedback, studying the sport, and learning from every seat race and practice piece, you can absolutely reach a high level without formal one-on-one coaching. Become a student of the sport!
FSN: Where does Motivation rank out of the most important characteristics about being an Elite Coxswain for you on a scale of 1-10, ten being the least important?
Hope Galusha: I would rank motivation around eight—meaning it's less important than people might think. Despite coxing having a reputation for being a cheerleading role, elite coxing is much more technical than that. I think elite coxswains understand two key things: first, that motivation alone can only take a crew so far without sufficient technique and power behind it, and second, that data-driven and strategic calls can actually motivate high-level athletes even more effectively than traditional cheerleading. When you're racing at an elite level, rowers respond to information—splits, positioning, race strategy—because that's what helps them execute under pressure. Pure motivation has its place, but it's not what separates good coxswains from great ones.
FSN: How often are you coaching your rowers while on land? Did anyone teach you when to back off giving Critiques or Extrinsic Motivation and when to step in while the athletes are on the ergs or did it just come naturally?
Hope Galusha: I think this is something that both comes naturally and is heavily coach- and team-dependent. In high school, I was much more involved in coaching rowers on land and during erg sessions, which I credit to working with less-experienced athletes who were younger and genuinely sought out—and relied on—more motivation and technical critique. At the collegiate level, however, the average rower is significantly more skilled and requires less direct 'coaching' on the erg.
As a freshman coxswain at Yale, I observed how frequently the older coxswains offered verbal encouragement or feedback during ergs and took my cues from them. Over time, as you get to know your rowers more closely, you learn who appreciates feedback and motivation—and at what points during a piece—and who needs silence to focus. It's about reading the room and understanding that what works for one athlete might be completely counterproductive for another. That awareness comes from experience and paying close attention to how individuals respond.
FSN: What are three words that you believe best illustrate your character as a leader within your program?
Hope Galusha: Steady, Proactive, and Perceptive.
(Photo Courtesy of Yale Athletics)
FSN: What do you want to be remembered for during your time in the saddle as a Yale Bulldog?
Hope Galusha: While the physical accomplishments—winning races, medaling at championships, beating our rivals—are huge and make the commitment so rewarding, what I want to be remembered for goes beyond results. I want to be remembered for my leadership through actions, for the strength of the relationships I built with my teammates, and for bringing a positive and uplifting attitude even in the hardest moments.
I hope my teammates remember me as someone who showed up for them every single day—whether that was fighting for the tightest line in a race, being there for them on and off the water, or showing emotional intelligence to anticipate their needs and help them manage the pressures of being a student-athlete. I want them to remember that I genuinely cared about them, not just as athletes but as people, and that I proactively thought ahead to make their jobs easier and set them up for success.
More than anything, though, what I've taken most from my time on this team isn't the medals or the personal records: it's the power of being part of such a driven, resilient, tough, and united group of friends and badass women. That's what has shaped me the most as a person and as a leader. So if I'm remembered for helping foster that culture, for contributing to a team environment where people felt supported and believed in, and for being someone my teammates could trust and rely on, that would mean more to me than any individual accolade ever could.