US SAILING’s National Sailing Programs Symposium
Welcomes speakers Dawn Riley and Tom Leweck
Presented by Vanguard Sailboats

More than 220 sailing program directors, organizers, and volunteers traveled from across the country to Long Beach, Calif. January 18-22 to attend US SAILING’s National Sailing Programs Symposium, presented by Vanguard Sailboats. The Symposium featured many unique seminars and workshops, including presentations by America’s Cup sailor Dawn Riley and Scuttlebutt Curmudgeon Tom Leweck. Organized annually by US SAILING, the Symposium is designed to encourage program organizers of any level to share ideas and learn more about running effective, fun, and safe sailing programs.

“The Symposium is such a great educational event for all types of sailing program organizers, we’re happy that so many took advantage of the opportunity to expand their horizons,” said Symposium agenda coordinator Nan Walker. “We have already begun preparations for next year’s Symposium!” The 2007 Symposium will take place in New Orleans, Louisiana, January 17-21, 2007.

The five days at the Symposium, which ran from Jan. 18-22, were filled with educational seminars, hands-on sailing activities, and numerous networking opportunities for all participants. Sessions covered a wide range of topics, including curriculum development, building and managing travel teams, risk management, fleet maintenance, meteorology, college sailing, and much more. Highlights of the Symposium included a team racing workshop supplemented by the USC Sailing Team, windsurfer Nevin Sayre teaching three local adolescents how to windsurf in one hour, and marine geologist Mike Leneman describing methods for teaching basic meteorology to junior sailors.

An Advanced Coaching Symposium, held the first day of the NSPS, featured the Positive Coaching Alliance’s popular Double Goal Coaching Workshop. PCA is an organization dedicated to drive respect for competitors, sportsmanship and the rules into the cultures of sports as wide ranging as soccer and sailing, basketball and lacrosse. PCA works with parents to help them be supportive and with coaches to ensure that they stay focused on the real purpose of youth sports, and with umpires and referees to help them operate with more sensitivity to character development in youth.

Participants also toured several sailing organizations in the Long Beach area, including the US Sailing Center, Orange Coast College, the Newport Sea Base, LA Maritime Institute, Leeway Sailing Center and Alamitos Bay Yacht Club.

In addition to seminars and workshops, US SAILING presented several awards to volunteers and sailing organizations committed to sailing programs and education throughout the year. The Marty Luray Award, named for journalist Marty Luray who was a courageous promoter of public access sailing, was presented to Kim Hapgood of Sail Newport, Newport. R.I. The Captain Joe Prosser Award for excellence in sailing instruction was awarded to Club Nautique, Alameda, Calif. And the Sail Training Service and Support Award in honor of Virginia Long was presented to Rich Brew, Jacksonville, Fla. For a full list of award recipients, please visit www.ussailing.org/training/awards.

Since the inception of the National Sailing Programs Symposium 23 years ago, Vanguard Sailboats has played an integral role, becoming the official presenting sponsor in 1998. In addition to Vanguard’s continued support, several other sponsors supported the event as well, including Bic Sport, Gowrie Barden & Brett, Hobie Cat Company, Hoyt-Jolley Foundation, iSail, Knotboards Etc., McLaughlin Boatworks, Ultimate Sailboats, Gill, Performance Catamarans, Catalina Sailboats, Contender Sailcloth, The Pirate’s Lair, Mercury Marine, Mount Gay Rum, Scully-Fin, Zodiac, Landfall Navigation, FX Sails, Team One Newport, Windward Enterprises, Pixel/Nearwater Boats, and Himaya Sun Protection.

For those who were unable to attend the 2006 National Sailing Programs Symposium, US SAILING offers a binder containing all handouts distributed at the seminars. The book is available for $50 by e-mailing nsps@ussailing.org. 

For more information on the National Sailing Programs Symposium, including photos from this year's event, please visit www.ussailing.org/training/nsps/. 

About Vanguard Sailboats
Demonstrating its commitment to the sport of sailing and to developing high-quality sailing programs, Vanguard Sailboats is the presenting sponsor of the National Sailing Programs Symposium. Vanguard supports and sponsors sailing at many levels, encouraging sailors in the U.S. to participate in and enjoy the sport, and ensuring great competition among sailors. Vanguard Sailboats is the leading world manufacturer, and largest U.S. supplier, of recreational and high performance small sailboats. Vanguard's sponsorship of numerous sailing championships, regattas, and events is a testament to their ongoing mission to grow the sport. Vanguard products include the Sunfish and Laser, two of the most recognized brands in the sailing world. Visit their website at www.teamvanguard.com.

About US SAILING
The United States Sailing Association (US SAILING) is the national governing body for sailing and sailboat racing. Headquartered in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, the organization’s mission is to encourage participation and promote excellence in sailing and racing in the U.S. US SAILING offers training and education programs, supports a wide range of sailing organizations and communities, and provides administration and oversight of competitive sailing across the country, including the US Sailing Teams and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Sailing Teams. For more information, please visit www.ussailing.org.

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