Nicki Plucinski discovered rowing as a teenager in Victoria, Australia. Though “woefully uninformed” going into her first 2k race, Nicki’s effort caught her coach’s attention and that day left a lasting impression. Nearly 30 years later, Nicki has turned that early experience into a mission. She founded Ratio Theory Rowing to give athletes the attention, direction, and information they need to succeed. In this conversation, we explore the rowing lessons that carry into everyday life, the work ethic and mindset behind her coaching, the science that drives her approach, and why self-care is a non-negotiable part of long-term success.

QUICK LOOK

01:04 - Rowing Week on a scale of 1-10: 7 (back on the water after a long hiatus!) 02:15 - The Huddle 05:11 - Hot Seat Q&A 08:46 - Nicki doesn’t remember making a decision to row as a teen, but next thing she knew she was selected for camp 13:04 - Growing up in a sport household 15:25 - Rowing lessons that have carried over into our everyday lives 24:33 - transition to coaching 27:49 - the work ethic, mentality, and science behind her coaching success 33:22 - Ratio Theory Rowing designed to support athletes in big clubs who aren’t getting the coaching or structure they want to reach their goals 36:30 - the importance of self-care: rest, nutrition, time-management, core strength, mobility, warmdowns 48:27 - Nicki’s description of the perfect stroke 49:11 - Steady State Network news and notes

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To see photos of Nicki,  and get links to her socials plus the people, clubs, and events mentioned in this episode, check out the show notes on our website.

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This episode was made possible in part by RowSource and our Supporters.

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Steady State Podcast is a production of Steady State Network. It is hosted and edited by Rachel Freedman and Tara Morgan. Tara provides additional audio engineering, books show guests, and is our sponsor and donor coordinator. Rachel writes our scripts and e-newsletter, and manages the website and social media. Our theme music is Open Mind by Soundroll.

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SHOP SSN GEAR: www.steadystatenetwork.com/shop

SIGN UP FOR THE SSN NEWSLETTER: www.steadystatenetwork.com/newsletter

MAKE A DIFFERENCE: www.steadystatenetwork.com/support

CONNECT:

FB - /SteadyStateNetwork IG - @SteadyStateNetwork

FB - /AllieswithOars IG - @AllieswithOars

Connect on FB and IG with the hosts: Rachel Freedman - @RowSource Tara Morgan - @CmonBarber

Maurice Scott has been on a personal mission to be a face of positive change in the world of rowing. From beginning with zero Instagram followers, to the 2025 launch of Rowfluencers – what he calls the "#1 Rowing Talent & NIL marketing agency in the World" – Maurice has sought to  uplift the sport as a whole. He's dedicated to expanding the reach and impact of rowing through innovative marketing approaches.

 Rowing is the ultimate team sport, but NGOs often overlook the stories of individual athletes. Taking a piece of the playbook from professional sports like Major League Baseball and Formula 1, Rowfluencers seeks to take the power of individual storytelling and amplify it.

From the first wave of Rowfluencers, Dani Hansen also joins the conversation, sharing her unique perspective as the most decorated Paralympic rower, and Hydrow on screen athlete.

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QUICK LOOK

00:00 - Season 7 kickoff! 02:33 - Considering the pro sports sponsorship playbook; recognition in the sport of rowing 06:44 - Welcome and Rowing Week scale of 1-10 10:19 - The Huddle: Maurice, then Dani 13:12 - Hot Seat Q&A 15:05 - Rowing Origin Stories 19:40 - How Maruice and Dani met 22:00 - Dani’s role at Rowfluencers 22:55 - Maurice’s community support as a police officer and as founder of Rowfluencers 27:10 - The snowball effect of sponsorship deals for Maurice 28:33 - Establishing Rowfluencers to give back to other athletes 32:20 -  What’s happening in the rowing world that makes a case for rowers deserving better visibility? 36:56 - How rowing industry influencers are shaping rowing: For Dani, free speed can be found in having fun 42:42 - Key for the first wave of Rowfluencers: proud and passionate 48:04 - Advice for young rowers 49:52 - Steady State Network news and notes

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To see photos of Maurice and Dani,  and get links to their socials plus the people, clubs, and events mentioned in this episode, check out the show notes on our website.

.

This episode was made possible in part by RowSource and our Supporters.

.

Steady State Podcast is a production of Steady State Network. It is hosted and edited by Rachel Freedman and Tara Morgan. Tara provides additional audio engineering, books show guests, and is our sponsor and donor coordinator. Rachel writes our scripts and e-newsletter, and manages the website and social media. Our theme music is Open Mind by Soundroll.

.

SHOP SSN GEAR: www.steadystatenetwork.com/shop

SIGN UP FOR THE SSN NEWSLETTER: www.steadystatenetwork.com/newsletter

MAKE A DIFFERENCE: www.steadystatenetwork.com/support

CONNECT:

FB - /SteadyStateNetwork IG - @SteadyStateNetwork

FB - /AllieswithOars IG - @AllieswithOars

Connect on FB and IG with the hosts: Rachel Freedman - @RowSource Tara Morgan - @CmonBarber

We first met physical therapist Lisa Lowe in fall 2020 when she applied for and received one of our changemaker scholarships that allowed her to attend a US rowing conference. We checked in with her a year and a half later for a season three episode to talk about Lisa's experience with rehab following a car accident.

Today, Lisa is a sought after rowing specialist physical therapist near Boston, and guest author for Science of Rowing. She recently created a course called Keys to Working with Rowers, which is designed to help athletic trainers, strength coaches, physical therapists, and other rehabilitation professionals gain a background knowledge of rowing so that they can be confident in their support of rowers.

In this chat with Lisa, we'll talk high school growing pains, collegiate over training, grumpy ribs and twingy backs, knowing when to take a break, and the importance of having a care team that understands the fundamental movement patterns of the sport you love.