Ever since the Gophers hired a new football coach in P.J. Fleck, you may have seen the saying, “Row the Boat” floating around social media.
Row the Boat is much more than a saying to Fleck, it’s a never give up mantra. It started in February 2011, when Fleck lost his infant son to a heart condition.
“Row the boat is my second son’s life, as I continue to live his life for him.” Fleck said this past November. According to Fleck, there are three parts to Row the Boat; it involves an oar, a boat, and a compass.
The oar is energy you bring to every aspect of life whether it’s socially or professionally.
The boat represents sacrifice. As Fleck stated, “What are you willing to give up for something you haven’t had?”
The compass is the direction of where you’re traveling to and who you choose to travel with.
When Fleck was the head coach of Western Michigan, the saying was embedded into the football program. It became such a staple that the school even trademarked the saying.
You can watch an interview from November where Fleck went into great detail about what Row the Boat means to him.
