Revitalizing Youth Sailing
Dear Inside The Laylines,
Thanks for the opportunity to follow up on the thoughtful “A Parent’s Perspective” article in last week’s newsletter. I’m sure the author’s concerns resonate with many parents of young racing sailors; it also points towards solutions and growth opportunities for US Sailing and the sport. As US Sailing’s Youth Racing Manager and a volunteer on the ILCA-North America Class Association executive committee, I am certainly someone who appreciates your points and is paying attention!
For context, over the last year, several important new staff hires have come on board at US Sailing, which makes this discussion all the more timely. Last fall, Phil Muller joined US Sailing as Youth Performance Manager to focus on the Under-19 age group sailing in the international “performance” youth classes (ILCA, i420, 29er, Nacra15, iQFOiL, Formula Kite), bringing a wealth of experience in skiffs, windsurfing, and all types of foiling. This spring, Rosie Chapman joined as ODP Manager to focus on Olympic class transitions and development for teenage and 20-something sailors after years of success coaching in the US, Canada, the UK, and New Zealand. It’s worth noting that Rosie and Marcus Lynch, US Sailing’s High-Performance Director, are both products of the RYA’s very successful and well-organized system, which has similarities to the USODA program. What I’m most excited about is that these leaders are aligned and focused on their areas of responsibility, and momentum is building.
