The season sets sail

THE RIVALRY CONTINUES| Although they practice together, there is still some tension between the North and South sailing teams, according to junior co-captain Kate Bania. “We also practice with the Liggett team and they have like four people,” Bania said. “ The South team is also there and they have like 20 [sailors]. There is definitely some rivalry.”

Photo credit: Lauren Veitengruber

THE RIVALRY CONTINUES| Although they practice together, there is still some tension between the North and South sailing teams, according to junior co-captain Kate Bania. “We also practice with the Liggett team and they have like four people,” Bania said. “ The South team is also there and they have like 20 [sailors]. There is definitely some rivalry.”

By Sofia Gualdoni and Lauren Veitengruber
May 10, 2023

Before the season began, the sailing team posted flyers around the halls in an effort to spread the word about their team and increase their numbers. With nine sailors on the team, they are trying to recruit as many new sailors as possible, and have gained four new members this season. In order to better simulate real race situations, they practice with Liggett and South’s sailing team, and attend regattas together in order to share a coach boat.

The increase in membership means only about half the team has previously sailed. Despite this learning curve, the newcomers have proved to be a beneficial addition to the team, according to junior Nick Williams. 

“This year our goal was mainly to bring up our team size and get more people on the water and at races,” Williams said. “Coming with the large amount of newer sailors we had to teach people who have never touched the boats, but it has been a fun experience.”

Although most of the team members are new, Coach Dan Klassen notes that it has given the knowledgeable sailors an opportunity to share what they have learned. He emphasizes that many of the older members are both teachers and teammates on and off of the water.

“It is awesome to have these new additions,” Klassen said. “Having such a diverse group is challenging, but I feel it empowers the sailors who do have prior knowledge to share it with the new sailors.”

Having a smaller team compared to other schools means every member, including junior co-captain Kate Bania, plays a

ALL TOGETHER| During races sailors face constant challenges like high winds, capsizing, wind shifts and many other things that come along with the sport, but junior sailor Nick Williams is used to these challenges and loves overcoming them with his teammates. “I love competing and how fun it is to make friends and compete with them throughout the year,” Williams said. (Photo credit: Sofia Gualdoni)

crucial role in assisting the team. According to Bania, communication is essential for success, as well as being able to have fun with teammates. 

“My favorite part about sailing is getting to know everyone on the team and learning how to sail,” Bania said. “I did not know how [to sail] when I first started and it has been really fun learning every part of it, [as] there are a lot of different aspects.”

Each sailor is dependent on each other. A skipper and a crew must be constantly communicating and making decisions on the water together to be successful. 

“I feel every sailor brings something to the team,” Klassen said. “There is no individual component, there is a skipper and a crew, and their success is a combination of their efforts.”