Al Ulbrickson is the coach of the Washington varsity and JV rowing teams. In the book The Boys in the Boat by Daniel J. Brown, the author, introduces the coach as both a harsh and fair coach. While some say he pushed the boys, others agree that he only wanted them to succeed. He wanted the best for the boys because he tried to keep them level-headed and gave them breaks when needed.
In chapter 13, page 87, it states, "They were good, but they were still green, not yet great. A great oarsman needed a rare balance of ego and humility." Ulbrickson didn't want the boys to get cocky and mess up before they even began, and he wanted them to move on to becoming great oarsmen. Chapter 21, page 145, says, "Following their victory, Ulbrickson gave the
