The "Anti-Secret" Method: Sharing Our Way to Faster Boats with Ken Davey – Episode 29

In this episode of Mercantile Radio, Drew sits down with Ken Davey, the founder of Decent Rowing. Recorded in the heart of the Mercantile Rowing Club, this conversation explores the evolution of rowing education, the power of video analysis, and how to bridge the gap between elite coaching and club-level development.Who is Ken Davey?Ken Davey is a Tasmanian rowing coach and innovator who has spent decades demystifying the sport’s technical complexities. After representing Australia on underage teams, Ken realised a massive gap existed in grassroots coach education.Alongside his son, Lachlan, he founded Decent Rowing, an online platform that has grown into a global community. With over 1,000 instructional videos, training programs, and technical courses, Ken has moved from the riverbanks of Lake Barrington to the screens of rowers worldwide—with a staggering 83% of his audience located outside of Australia. He is a life-long advocate for "sharing the secrets" of the sport to make everyone faster.Why is this conversation important?Ken talks candidly with Drew Ginn, about his enjoyment in sharing his love of rowing, coaching through his YouTube channel Decent Rowing, and his impact on the sport, in making the sport of rowing better. Democratising Elite Knowledge: Ken discusses the shift from the "secretive coach" era to an age of radical transparency. This episode highlights why sharing technical cues benefits the entire sport, not just individual crews.Empowering the "Athlete-Coach": A central theme is athlete responsibility. Ken argues that because coaches are a scarce resource, athletes must learn to coach themselves using tools like GoPro footage and online resources to maximize their potential.The Art of "Silly" Descriptions: Ever been told to "put the blade in before the catch"? Ken explains why coaches use technically "impossible" cues to achieve the right timing and how to untangle the confusion these metaphors can cause.The Power of Video: From six-hour editing sessions for six minutes of footage to real-time feedback, Ken breaks down why seeing yourself row is the fastest way to fix technical flaws.This podcast is a great learning opportunity for rowing coaches at all levels.Hosted by Drew Ginn OAMGuest Ken Davey, Decent RowingProduced by Nicholas Finster Sponsored by 776BC