MEET THE COACHES: NILES GARRATT

Alben Family Assistant Men’s Rowing Coach

The Rowing Association would like to give our Community the opportunity to get to know our coaches a bit better. Coaches play a central role in defining define the essence of Stanford Rowing and leave their signature on different eras as much, if not more than the athletes. We are watching an exciting era of Men’s Rowing emerge, and the Assistant Coaches play a large role in that. For this edition of Boathouse of Champions, we got the chance to connect with Niles Garratt, the Alben Family Assistant Men’s Rowing Coach.

TRA: Tell us about your journey as a rower.

NG: My parents signed me up for a learn–to–row at Green Lake Crew, a city parks program in Seattle, the summer after 7th grade, partly because I had a grandfather who rowed at MIT and an uncle who rowed at Harvard. I wasn’t very good at first (I have a clear memory of breaking 8:00 for the first time on a 2k and only made the novice “B” boat my first year), but I improved as I continued to work at it and, with that improvement, became more and more engrossed in the sport and grew to love it. I rowed at the University of Washington in college (my time there was actually part of a twelve–year span during which at least one person in my extended family was rowing at UW), and while I saw some success, I was never in the varsity or second varsity eights. I found the sport deeply challenging, allowing me to learn a lot about personal accountability and commitment. After Washington, I spent two years rowing at Cambridge University and had the privilege of competing in two of the Cambridge–Oxford Boat Races, which was very different than Washington but was equally rewarding. Following my time at Cambridge, I briefly pursued national team rowing but quickly realized that it wasn’t a realistic option for me. I don’t row much anymore but I jump into boats occasionally for practice with the team if it helps a boat practice. I was really fortunate to be part of some good crews to be coached by some incredible coaches (Nat Hopper and Ed Maxwell at Green Lake, Luke McGee and Michael Callahan at UW, and Steve Trapmore at Cambridge) and, cumulatively, they provided a set of experiences that drew me so deeply into the sport.

TRA: Tell us about your coaching journey.

NG: My first coaching role was at Cambridge where I worked with one of the college teams that was preparing for the May Bumps racing, but it was a relatively informal role. I quickly learned that there was a big difference in the seriousness of the Boat Races squad and the teams preparing for Bumps! In the summer after I finished at Cambridge, Michael Callahan, the UW head coach, reached out to me about becoming a volunteer coach. At the time, I declined because I was pursuing national team rowing, but a few months later, when I stopped rowing, Mike reached out again, and I accepted.

I didn’t know if coaching would be my career, but I knew that I wanted to try it. At the end of the year, Mike offered the opportunity for me to become a graduate assistant, where I would enroll in a master’s program and be given a scholarship and stipend. I joined a new program at UW through the department of education focused on coaching. The program was exceptional, and that year as a coach, I worked with the varsity men. Over the next two years, I became a full–time coach and had a great experience. In the summer of 2017, I moved down to Stanford to work with Craig Amerkhanian. My first two years were with Craig, and I briefly became the interim head coach when he retired in April 2019. When Ted was hired, I stayed on as his assistant.

As everyone reading this probably knows, those first few years with Ted were incredibly difficult and tumultuous due to the men’s rowing team nearly being discontinued. We felt as though we were building a lot of momentum in that 2019–2020 season with the development of the current squad and with recruiting the next generation of Stanford oarsmen, but the near discontinuation totally interrupted that and had me seriously questioning whether coaching was a viable long–term career path. With three recruiting classes heavily impacted, it has felt as though we have had a hole in our team that is gradually moving through. The graduating classes over the past few years have done an incredible job of leading the team through those difficult years, and it’s not an understatement to say that we wouldn’t be here as positioned for success as we are without their leadership and hard work.

In the last few years, momentum has started building again with the hiring of John Pojednic and Gabby Medeiros, along with the addition of several strong classes of recruits. So now it feels as though the momentum is building again and that we are on the edge of something incredible. The boathouse is really exciting, with the lightweight women’s squad seeming to be in a similar place to us, while the openweight women’s squad is a juggernaut that seems to keep getting better and better.

TRA: What’s your perspective on the state of the program?

NG: Across the three rowing teams, we’re building something special here. I 100% believe that Stanford will be the most successful boathouse in the country over the next decade–plus and, more importantly, that it will be both an incredible experience for the student–athletes involved and an incredible community to be part of.

TRA: How would you characterize your coaching style?

NG: At the core of everything is my belief that this is about the athletes, not about me. If something is happening that I don’t like or something isn’t happening that I want to happen, I need to make changes to what I’m doing. I don’t blame the athlete. If I want the athletes to take ownership of their development, it needs to start with me taking ownership of my part. I try to be clear about what will happen in each session and what the goals of the session are. To me, clarity and simplicity are paramount. With the actual on–water coaching, while I certainly believe there is a lot of value in providing effective technical cues, I think the most effective coaching is when you can help athletes figure things out for themselves rather than force–feeding it to them. As part of this, I am a big believer that the best coaches are exceptional at structuring training so that guys will naturally make the changes that will help them make the boat go faster. Building a system that makes sense and is both clear and simple allows the athletes to take more ownership of their own development.

TRA: What roles do you play within the team?

NG: I spearhead our recruiting efforts but also function a bit as a sports scientist, focusing on our training, biomechanics, and data analysis more generally. I consider myself to be a bit of a “rowing nerd” (I love to learn about all aspects of the sport and coaching more generally), so this role fits me well! With recruiting, Ted has been an incredible mentor, and while I consider myself to be an introvert, I really enjoy meeting people.

TRA: Tell us about the recruiting side of being a coach.

NG: Recruiting is hugely important. To be candid, most of the difference in results between teams at the end of the year is due to differences in recruiting. You first must identify who the right athletes are for your team, which means having preliminary conversations with hundreds of prospective student–athletes (PSAs) each year. From there we go through a thorough process of vetting the PSAs and narrowing down our pool to a smaller group that are serious candidates for Stanford based on their athletic ability and potential, grades and test scores, and personality/character. All through this, we are also helping them to understand the opportunity at Stanford and whether it is a good fit for them. The process is demanding and never–ending, but it is essential that we bring in the best group of PSAs for us, and it is a place where we can separate ourselves from our competition.

TRA: One theme we hear a lot about is the strength of Stanford’s boathouse culture. How would you describe it? How does the team of coaches build it? How can you tell when you have it?

NG: There is definitely a boathouse culture, and I believe it’s centered around the common goal of developing young men and women and the importance of that development and growth. While each of the three rowing teams’ coaching staffs operate a bit differently, there is a lot of mutual respect and sharing of ideas. It’s a really collaborative atmosphere in which everyone is rooting for everyone else. We all support each other and help each other, and I think it’s a real advantage. Amongst the student–athletes, they cheer each other on at races and during practice. If someone is erg testing, it’s common that members of other teams will be in the crowd behind them cheering them on. It requires open, respectful, and honest communication between everyone involved and a genuine interest in seeing others succeed.

TRA: What’s your approach to race day?

NG: I’m generally of the belief that the upper limit of what you’re capable of doing on race day has been determined long before the race starts. The challenge, then, is to reliably put out performances that are close to your best. For me, routine and practice are keys to that. You practice every element of the race day experience many times before race day, and that builds the confidence that you can reliably create strong performances. I’m not one for big speeches or “hype” — that never resonated with me as an athlete and doesn’t as a coach. In the days leading up to a race, I make sure there isn’t any ambiguity around the plan or the details of race day, and in the pre–race meeting, I try to ensure that the guys are confident they can put out a good race.

TRA: Former rowers know the feeling of backing into the start line before a big race. The dead time before crews are polled . . . the combination of adrenaline and butterflies. What does it feel like watching a boat you’ve coached back into the starting platform?

NG: It’s honestly similar to getting ready to race as an athlete, except you don’t get the physical release that comes with being in the boat. Your job as a coach is different in that you have very little direct control on race day and need to get your crew ready to race. I certainly still feel the adrenaline and butterflies.

TRA: We come to races and see a crowd of parents, friends, and athletes from other sports lining the shore. They’re all armed with cowbells and decked out in Stanford gear. What does that mean to the athletes and coaching staff?

NG: It means a ton to us. Earlier this year, we talked as a team about the idea that, while every student–athlete here is incredibly hard–working and talented, no one got here alone. There are family, friends, coaches, etc., who helped each of us get to where we are. The current student–athletes are very cognizant of this. In–person support from alumni, friends, and parents is evidence of that. Personally, I am incredibly grateful for it. I know that it is a huge privilege and responsibility to coach here because it means so much to so many people.

TRA: TRA: What do you like to do in your free time?

NG: I like being active, and I like the outdoors — running, hiking, camping, and generally things that are challenging/hard! Molly and I have two dogs and they often join us in our outdoor adventures. That said, I also enjoy cooking (I wouldn’t say I’m highly skilled, but I’m enthusiastic) and watching a good movie/TV show. I’m curious and love to learn, so I like reading as well.

TRA: Which do you prefer: 2k or 6k erg test? Head Race or side–by–side?

NG: 2k and side–by–side. While I always did well in time trials, I preferred to race with someone next to me because I felt that my composure in pressurized situations was a strength. I prefer 2ks because I like the blend of speed and endurance.

TRA: What’s your favorite place to row outside of Redwood City?

NG: I’ve enjoyed almost everywhere I have rowed. To me, the location doesn’t really matter, it’s more about the people you’re with and how you’re doing things. To give a straightforward answer, though, I would say Green Lake. It’s where I learned to row, and while it has its challenges, being only 1300m across, I wouldn’t be where I am now without it.