Al Ulbrickson and George Pocock both coach and mentor the boys in the UW crew team. One is more authoritative and the other more relational. Compare their styles of coaching and its effect.

Al Ulbrickson, coach of the University of Washington’s rowing program, is a man of few words. He is also a stickler for details and demands his rowers follow the rules. Ulbrickson forbids his rowers from swearing, smoking, and drinking, even though he does not apply those same rules to himself. His crews, nevertheless, completely respect him. Coach Ulbrickson is described as being “very tall, muscular, broad-shouldered, and distinctly Nordic in his features, with high cheekbones, a chiseled jaw line, and cold slate-gray eyes” (Page 15). Outsiders see Ulbrickson as cold and devoid of emotion, but he inarguably stirs deep emotions in his crew.

George Yeoman Pocock is a rowing expert. He builds all of the racing boats at the University of Washington. Born and raised in England, Pocock began his career building boats for Eton College with his father. When Pocock's father lost his job, Pocock moved to Canada and started his own company. Over time, he was contracted to build a racing fleet for the University of Washington, where he worked for the rest of his life. Pocock is described as wearing “horn-rimmed spectacles behind which lurked sharp, penetrating eyes” (Page 41). He was an expert ship builder, and an expert racer. As a coach, Pocock provided a wealth of personal experience, which he transferred to his crews by providing them with insight into coaching and rowing styles.

Even though Ulbrickson is the head coach and authority figure in shell house, George Pocock’s advice is most valued by the men. Unlike Ulbrickson, Pocock has the ability to read the boys’ emotions and reach them on a more personal level than their performance-driven coach. Pocock’s sympathetic words to Joe, for example, the finally get him to turn around. Jow responds to Pocock, whereas, he shuts down in the face of Ulbrickson’s threats and position jockeying.