May 21, 2008
ORLANDO, Fla. (www.ucfathletics.com) - Continuing a standard of excellence in the UCF rowing program, assistant coach and leader of the Knights' lightweight squad Kris Muhl has guided the lightweight 8+ boat to a No. 3 national ranking this year. His team has posted numerous victories in 2008, including wins over ranked programs such as Radcliffe (Harvard), MIT and Virginia Tech.
Muhl is currently helping the Knights prepare for the Intercollegiate Rowing Association Championships June 6-7, as the regatta serves as the national event for lightweight boats. The coach recently discussed his thoughts on the season so far, and what lies ahead for UCF with www.UCFAthletics.com.
Q: How have you implemented your coaching style into the UCF program?
A: I guess I would say it has been an ease in for us all. For the most part, the lightweights and the openweights were doing the same workouts in the fall and a bit into the spring semester. Being that we started our racing season earlier and finish later than the opens, there had to be a divergence between the two groups at some point. Even the boats were integrated for a few weeks at the beginning of the year, but after a short period of time, we were off on our own. I think the basics of what we are doing as a program are the same, just a few variations and focus differentiations for the lightweights. Honestly, my coaching style is simply a combination of influences from the various coaches I've worked with in the past and present, so coach Crain, Frost and Derrick here at UCF when I started combined with everything I learned while working with the California men's squad. I was also able to learn from the Cal women's coaches on the occasion I could observe their practices and ride in their launches. Implementing things was simply a matter of getting the work done and trying to figure out personalities so that things can best get accomplished, and the athletes just getting used to a new coach.
Q: What were your goals when you started the season?
A: Simply, help the athletes to understand what they are truly capable of accomplishing, academically as well as athletically, and then trying to push them just a little further.
Q: Are you surprised with how fast you have climbed the national rankings?
A: It is nice that the ladies are getting some recognition for how hard they are working. Yes, though, I am surprised at how fast we climbed. Be clear, the ladies have been working very hard; I just don't think we've earned our current ranking, and by that I mean we have not raced many of the teams out there. To me, rankings are a necessary evil of sorts. Those coaches who chose to participate in the weekly ranking poll have limited facts and information about the other teams and races. We somewhat know the racing conditions and the end margins. Sometimes we know who is in the boat from race to race. But I don't know if a team had a good race or a bad race, or if someone was injured or suspended, etc. All I can base anything on is the final result and margin. Because of that, all that truly matters, in terms of ranking, is the championship race. Regardless of the ranking, the team still must go out each race. It is about the here and now. The other team isn't just going to concede the race based on the ranking. I think the ladies understand that nothing is a given and everything is earned day in and day out, but I also know they have to have some fun along the way.
Q: What are the differences between a lightweight 8+ and the openweight 8+ boat?
A: Lightweights have a weight cap of 130 and there are rowing shells specific to that weight class. If a lightweight were to get into an openweight boat, it will sit much higher off the water and they just wouldn't be as effective. Openweights don't have any weight restrictions and the boats they row are typically a bit bigger. In terms of competing, it can be related to Newton's Second Law of Motion, convention tells us that everything else being equal, an openweight rower can go faster.
Q: What lies ahead for the lightweight rowers?
A: Well, we have just over two weeks before we begin competition at the IRA Regatta in Camden, N.J. We're sticking to our training cycle so there are a tough couple of weeks ahead that will be physically and mentally demanding. It will all go quickly so I'm just keeping my eye on the ladies and making adjustments as necessary. Keeping a focus on this year is paramount. While nothing is a given, next year looks as though it will compliment this year: nobody is graduating, several good novices coming up and some outstanding people joining the team next year. As things are, there will be 2+ eights on the team next year, so hopefully that will push everyone just a little more. In the end, the team is the athletes and the athletes are the team. They make it what it is. I push them to work hard, keep them on task, and make sure they are honest with themselves about what they are doing and they manage to have a good deal of fun along the way and are a close group. What lies ahead is ultimately up to them, but on this course, with the effort they have been giving and positive changes they have been making, mentally and physically, I can only believe they will continue to gain speed, both in the next weeks and in the years to come. There is a lot of good competition out there. Our challenge is to make sure we continue to show up on race day ready to go.