FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Marni Lane
617-671-8332
401-683-0800 x671
 

US SAILING SEEKS NOMINATIONS FOR

COACHES OF THE YEAR AWARDS

Portsmouth, R.I. (December 15, 2006) – US SAILING’s Olympic Sailing Committee (OSC) seeks nominations for the 2006 Coaches of the Year Awards. The awards are a part of the United States Olympic Committee’s (USOC) Coach Recognition Program which highlights the accomplishments and contributions of coaches who train athletes at all levels of sailing.

The OSC will nominate sailing coaches in four categories: National Coach of the Year, Developmental Coach of the Year, Volunteer Coach of the Year and the “Doc” Counsilman Science Award. The OSC will accept nominations from the public until January 5, 2007, via e-mail at olympics@ussailing.org. Nominations should include coaching record, any honors or recognitions the nominee has received and a description of their service to the sport during 2006. A panel designated by the OSC will evaluate each nominee’s accomplishments and submit candidates to the USOC.

VOLUNTEER COACH – The nominee does not receive payment in any form for his/her involvement in coaching at any level. The nominee actively coaches youth athletes. Previous winners of sailing’s Volunteer Coach of the Year Award are Susan Kaseler (Bainbridge Island, Wash.) and T. Park McRitchie (Port Clinton, Ohio).

DEVELOPMENTAL COACH – The nominee coaches a youth club, high school or junior level athlete or is directly responsible for coaching athletes to the national or junior national level. They can receive payment for services. Previous winners of sailing’s Developmental Coach of the Year Award are Tom Coleman (Hixson, Tenn.), Rob Hallawell (Marblehead, Mass./Coronado, Calif.), Brian Doyle (Darien, Conn./Hanover, N.H.), Amy Gross-Kehoe (Bayville, N.Y.), Adam Werblow (St. Mary's, Md.) and Mike Zani (Bristol, R.I.).

NATIONAL COACH – The nominee coaches an elite level club, collegiate, Pan-Am, world championship or Olympic Games athlete or is the coach of an elite athlete who competes at the highest level of sailing. Previous winners of sailing’s National Coach of the Year Award are Rollin “Skip” Whyte (Wickford, R.I.), Scott Ikle (Geneva, N.Y.), Serge Jorgensen (Sarasota, Fla.), Jay Glaser (Long Beach, Calif.), Betsy Alison (Newport, R.I.) and Luther Carpenter (New Orleans, La.).

“DOC” COUNSILMAN SCIENCE AWARD – The nominee utilizes science, medicine and/or technology as an integral part of his/her coaching methods or has created innovative ways to integrate sport science into coaching. This is the first year the OSC will nominate a coach for this award.

The goals of the USOC’s Coaching Recognition Program are to recognize the accomplishments and contributions coaches make to sports at all levels of athlete development and to elevate the status of coaching as a profession.

For more information about these awards or to submit a nomination, please e-mail olympics@ussailing.org.

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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