US Sailing

Four PNW Youth Programs Get US Sailing Support

Kurt Hoehne Community, Youth Sailing 0 Comment

US Sailing has definitely taken note of the youth sailing resurgence in the Pacific Northwest. The Bellingham, Hood River, Kitsap and Orcas communities will receive more funding as they continue to get more young sailors on the water. If you know a kid looking for a way into the sport, there are plenty of alternatives. Release below:

BRISTOL, R.I. (June 7, 2022) – Sailing centers throughout the country have been awarded grants to grow youth sailing through STEM and environmental education with the US Sailing Reach Initiative. The grants provide non-profit sailing centers with funds and resources to further their Reach program goals and provide more opportunities for students in their community.

The Reach Initiative utilizes sailing as an educational platform, challenging youth to embrace education, establish a love of learning and explore productive Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) based careers. Combining educators, sailing instructors, engineers, and scientists with today’s youth, Reach provides them with a one-of-a-kind authentic learning experience, giving students the opportunity to apply classroom learning in a cooperative work environment.
 
The following programs were selected for 2022 US Sailing Reach Youth Engagement grants. These grants were made possible by support from Rolex and US Sailing donors. Congratulations to the 2022 recipients.
 
Community Boating Center (Bellingham, WA) – The Community Boating Center’s mission is to foster small watercraft education, access, safe recreation, and marine stewardship on Bellingham Bay. The offer a variety of learn to sail programs, boat rentals, custom experiences, and paddling. This summer will be the first time they will implement the Reach modules, partnering with local schools and integrating them into the youth camps and youth instructor program.
Learn more about the Community Boating Center.
 
Dillon Junior Sailing Club Inc. (Dillon, CO) – Based in a small Colorado mountain ski resort community, Dillon Junior Sailing has local youth sailors and many visiting sailors throughout the summer. Their mission is teaching safety on the water, creating a fun learning experience, building confidence, and developing sailing skills. Lake Dillon is a fixture in the local summer economy and protecting the shore and waterway is important for the organization. New to Reach, they are excited to incentivize parents and students who are interested in engaging their minds in the outdoor classroom, adding a much-needed depth to the learn to sail experience.
Learn more about Dillon Junior Sailing.
 
GORGE Junior Sailing (Hood River, OR) – GORGE Junior Sailing (GJS) is dedicated to promoting the lifelong sport of sailing in a safe, fun, and educational environment to the Gorge community. With a focus on teaching sailing, the program also fosters growth in life skills such as sportsmanship, teamwork, independence, and responsibility. GJS implemented their first year of Reach programming in 2021 and in 2022 will be supporting 20 students from Hood River New School in a Reach spring elective. They are looking forward to expanding their program to more local schools and home-schooled groups while training their staff in the Reach curriculum this year. 
Learn more about GORGE Junior Sailing.
 
Green Bay Sail & Paddle (Green Bay, WI) – Green Bay Sail & Paddle creates opportunities for all area youth and families, regardless of means and abilities, to safely enjoy sail and paddle sports on the waters of Green Bay. In the past few years, they have grown their Reach programming and recently partnered with the Green Bay Public Schools. This new partnership will offer an 8-week program to the youth in that district. Additionally, they have added more STEM weeks of camp and participated in several community events, doing Reach modules with attendees. 
Learn more about Green Bay Sail & Paddle.
 
Henderson Harbor Water Sports Programs (Henderson Harbor, NY) – The mission of Henderson Harbor Water Sports Program (HHWSP) is to promote learning, safety, and fun on and in the water; and, to have a positive impact on students, community, and the environment. Their primary partner for leading STEM and Reach camps is the Henderson Town Recreation Program. Together they will provide valuable STEM education and sailing experiences for a number of youth in their community who previously did not have the opportunity to sail. They will introduce students to water-based STEM, sailing, safe boating, and environmental stewardship.
Learn more about Henderson Harbor Water Sports Programs
 
Hudson River Community Sailing (New York, NY) – Hudson River Community Sailing (HRCS) develops leadership and academic success in underserved New York City youth and provides maritime education and recreation to the community at large. HRCS has been running STEM-based programming since its founding in 2008, partnering directly with public schools to offer a credit-bearing after school program (Sail Academy) built on the math and science of sailing. Recently, their City Sail summer programming has grown, and they are excited to implement Reach with more students in this program in 2022. 
Learn more about Hudson River Community Sailing.
 
Kitsap Sailing & Rowing Foundation (Silverdale, WA) – The Kitsap Sailing & Rowing Foundation believes that learning to sail and row teaches important life skills like teamwork, decision making, and appreciation of the natural environment. Competitive sailing and rowing require tactical and strategic thinking and physical ability. With each experience on the water, young people gain self-confidence, self-esteem and a sense of camaraderie and accomplishment. Kitsap Sailing Foundation has been utilizing STEM activities and the Reach curriculum during their summer learn to sail camps for years. They are adding an ROV to their camp resources this year in partnership with the Port Townsend STEM Club. They look forward to training more instructors in the Reach (STEM) Educator Course this year and offering Sailing Through STEM events for the community.
Learn more about Kitsap Sailing & Rowing Foundation. 
 
Sail Orcas (Eastsound, WA) – Sail Orcas is a volunteer-run nonprofit public charity that exists to share the joy of sailing with both youth and adults by providing high quality instruction and easy access to boats and facilities. They strive to teach this lifetime sport by promoting safe boat handling, teamwork, sportsmanship, camaraderie, and marine stewardship. They offer a Marine Science and Sailing Camp and a Recycle Regatta each year. This year they are growing their camp with additional materials and scientist tools to increase the impact for their participants and support them in developing a stronger sense of environmental stewardship. 
Learn more about Sail Orcas.
 
Sheboygan Youth Sailing Center (Sheboygan, WI) – Sheboygan Youth Sailing Center’s mission is to cultivate an appreciation of the sport of sailing within the Sheboygan community by developing the skills to safely crew and skipper a sailboat at a reasonable price. For six summers they have utilized the Reach curriculum with the Sheboygan Area School District Summer School Program and integrated it into their regular sailing classes. This year they plan to grow their Reach programming through specific summer camps and events.  
Learn more about Sheboygan Youth Sailing Center.
 
Sodus Bay Junior Sailing Association – Sodus Bay Junior Sailing Association (SBJSA) is committed to making the joys of sailing & other watersports available to everyone, building lifelong boaters & fostering responsible eco-awareness & stewardship of their beautiful Sodus Bay on Lake Ontario. In 2021 they introduced 300 participants to STEM using the Reach modules. They are working to add more fun and creativity with Reach modules in 2022 while allowing students to pursue their curiosity of sailing and the environment. 
Learn more about Sodus Bay Junior Sailing Association.
 
Click here to learn more about the US Sailing Reach Initiative and for information on you can get involved.

Report from the US Sailing Leadership Forum, Catching up with Sail Sand Point

Kurt Hoehne Community, Youth Sailing 0 Comment
Report from the US Sailing Leadership Forum, Catching up with Sail Sand Point

Mary Anne Ward, Executive Director of Sail Sand Point Community boating center in Seattle, was one of several Northwesterners who recently attend the US Sailing Leadership Forum in St. Pete Beach, Florida. Mary Anne’s a fan (but not uncritical) of the organization. To those of us who don’t attend conferences, but are fierce proponents of sailing, it’s always interesting to hear what’s being and not being done at the national level.

Mary Anne Ward

Addiction Treatment?

Ward’s biggest takeaway came from encountering an old friend from New Jersey, Russ Lucas, who’d she had not seen in a while. In the interim, Lucas had struggled and triumphed with addiction, and came out of it feeling strongly that sailing was helpful and therapeutic in his recovery. This has prompted him to develop a program in New Jersey to help break addictions, and is seeing lot of success. Then, as if on cue, Ward was introduced by West Coast Sailing’s George Yioulos, to Ken Block who’s reaching out with a similar program in Park City, Utah in cooperation with the Veterans Administration. The VA has seen the success and is backing the effort.

Ward would love to integrate such a program here in the Seattle area at Sail Sand Point. “I’m super excited about it,” Ward says, and as we’ve noted in the past when she’s super excited about something she’s not easily dissuaded.

However, she was disappointed that US Sailing didn’t take up the cause more fully. I agree this is an area US Sailing needs to step up to the plate on. The therapeutic benefits of boating, in particular sailing, have been well documented and pass the common sense test with flying colors. Sailing gets someone out into nature and fills the senses and mind with something other than a need to take a drink or pop a pill. It’s definitely a way to redefine our sport to those who think it’s “just” recreation.

The Rest of the Forum

These conferences are all about industry networking and sharing of thoughts, and Ward found that satisfying. “I found it very valuable,” she says. This was especially true in the awards ceremony, where different recipients used their moment on stage to share the stories of their successes.

There wasn’t, Ward reports, nearly enough focus on community sailing, the one area in which the sport is seeing growth. “They talked a lot about the path to the Olympics, which of course I fully support, but they didn’t spend enough time on community sailing centers where these athletes are going to get their start.” The breakout session was over lunch and without a strong agenda.

Another area where Ward sees there’s room for improvement, is discussion of using racing to promote sailing. Too often racing isn’t clearly identified as a lead-in for lifelong sailing. “Oh, that’s different, that’s racing and not everybody likes racing” is often the attitude. Ward, a racer herself, sees racing as an important way for people to get started and develop a love for sailing.

There are a number of short videos here that will give a feel for the conference. From what I can tell, the vids are glossy, short and don’t have a lot of meat. Here’s one on kiteboarding. There are many others, including on on the America’s Cup, you may want to check out.

As a sailing evangelist, and a member, I often wonder what US Sailing does. The successful community sailing centers I’ve seen accomplish things primarily on their own with relatively little support from US Sailing. And while US Sailing does manage the US Olympic team, the stories I always hear are about athletes spending an inordinate amount of time on fundraising and logistics instead of sailing. And US Sailing has abdicated its responsibility of picking and promoting a handicapping system, instead taking a neutral stance while sailors wallow in rating uncertainty.

Sail Sand Point

Sail Sand Point, in the meantime, is going strong. Ward reports that the summer’s classes for 8-11 year olds are basically full. Other classes are filling fast There are the big high school Divisional Championships this week at SSP, and that will be followed by middle school sailors the week after. Adult sailing starts in early April, and outreach starts in May.

Ward sees one of SSP’s primary roles is to bring sailing to disadvantaged kids for at least a one-day experience. SSP already works with 47 different groups, and hopes to expand that. “Our long term goal is to target some of these kids, the ones that get really excited during their visit – to become volunteers and instructors.” When additional housing is built at Magnuson Park, there may be as many as 500 kids on site.

Note: The High School Divisionals will be a big event this weekend. If you’re not out sailing yourself or doing Blakely Rock, it would be a great chance to check out the amazing high school sailing scene.