Jr. Sailing Program Expansion

How has this idea enhanced your club's operation, etc.?

It’s quite common in the sailing world to see a decline in the participation of teenage and college-aged sailors all around the country. Once these sailors age out of their junior sailing programs, they often have to find their own ways to continue sailing at a competitive level. To encourage a continuation of sailing participation, Bay Head Yacht Club’s Junior Sailing program amended the curriculum for the current ICLA (Laser) program, set up to target sailors that enjoy sailing competitively but were not engaged in collegiate or high school team sailing during the summer. As part of the program, sailors were scheduled to compete in the local, more adult-centric association, the Barnegat Bay Yacht Racing Association (BBYRA) Championship Series. The sailors would continue their Monday-Friday sailing lessons through the traditional programming but would now also compete in the series on Saturdays. Allowing young sailors to sail with other established, similar-aged and older sailors helped keep the interest of those still looking to race.

How was this idea implemented, and what have been the club members' reactions?

The idea behind increasing participation through local organizations helps both the Club sailing program by keeping teenagers and college-aged sailors actively involved (which could potentially lead to an adult sailing membership down the line) and also helps to keep participation high on a local level. If local sailing communities remain thriving, it’s more attractive for kids who age out of the program to stay involved in the sport in general. Our members took to the program in earnest fashion with several of our juniors competing weekly. Proving the program a success, a BHYC junior sailor placed first in the Laser 4.7 class, an incredible showing emanating from this new Junior Sailing offering.