FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Marlieke de Lange Eaton
401-683-0800
US SAILING'S NATIONAL
SAILING PROGRAMS SYMPOSIUM CELEBRATES
25TH ANNIVERSARY WITH HEADLINERS AND LEGENDS
January 9-13, 2008, in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Portsmouth, R.I. (November 6, 2007) - In a little over two months, US
SAILING will celebrate the 25th anniversary of its successful National
Sailing Programs Symposium (NSPS) in St. Petersburg, Fla. From January 9 to
13, 2008, sailing program organizers from across the country will have the
opportunity to network with their counterparts and hear directly from such
sailing experts as renowned sailing commentator and author Gary Jobson,
America's Cup helmsman for winning team Alinghi Ed Baird, one of the
country's top female offshore sailors Dawn Riley, and many more. In addition
to sailing experts, several popular speakers from previous NSPS events are
returning, including Dr. Jayne Greenberg who will talk about education and
life skills and Meaghan Johnson who will host a seminar on managing a
multi-generational workforce. The five-day event, presented by Vanguard
Sailboats, will be held at the Hilton Bayfront Hotel in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Topics that will be addressed NSPS cover a wide range and include the
following:
• New boats for programs
• Insurance
• E-marketing and web promotion
• Public relations
• Developing a trustful program
• Thinking outside the box - experimental learning
• Hiring and evaluating instructors (panel)
• How to have a profitable program (panel)
• Taking the next step: When to hire a year-round director (panel)
• Opti: Teaching the most basic skills for success
• How to create a budget and stick to it
• Adapt your facilities and equipment for the disabled
• Effective instruction techniques
• Coaching
In addition to these topics, the NSPS will feature two new additions: a team
racing module with Scott Ikle (coach of the Hobart and William Smith
Colleges) and an advanced coaching symposium with sports physiologist Ruth
Gronde and Naval Academy Sailing Coach John Vandemoer.
On Friday, January 11, offsite product and program demonstrations, sailing
opportunities and hands-on workshops will be held at the University of South
Florida, followed by a cocktail party and barbecue hosted by Mount Gay Rum.
In addition to many seminars and workshops, US SAILING’s Training Committee
and Community Sailing Council will honor recipients of several major
national awards and numerous community sailing accolades. In addition, the
US SAILING Prosser Award for exemplary contribution toward improving the
quality and safety in the training or instruction of sailors will be
presented to Sail Newport.
For more information and to register online for US SAILING’s 2008 National
Sailing Programs Symposium presented by Vanguard Sailboats, please visit
www.ussailing.org/training/nsps/2008/index.asp.
The registration for the event is $150 for US SAILING members, $175
for non-members, who register before December 1, 2007. The fee includes
which includes lunches, coffee breaks, cocktail parties, access to all
workshops and seminars, as well as a comprehensive event binder. After
December 1, the registration fee increases by $25.00.
In addition to presenting sponsor Vanguard Sailboats, NSPS is supported by
the following executive-level sponsors: BicSport and Gowrie, Barden & Brett.
Supporting sponsors include Active.com, RIBCRAFT, APS, and Sailor Bags.
About the National Sailing Programs Symposium
First created in 1983 and held annually since, US SAILING’s National Sailing
Programs Symposium has, over the years, brought together thousands of
sailing program organizers. Presented by Vanguard Sailboats, this Symposium
is an outstanding event for any sailing program organizer, with numerous
educational seminars and workshops on the agenda. The purpose of this annual
Symposium is for participants to network with other organizers and to share
ideas on what it takes to run a successful sailing program.
About Vanguard Sailboats
Demonstrating its ongoing commitment to the development of sailing, the NSPS
is once again presented by Vanguard Sailboats. Vanguard Sailboats has been a
dedicated sponsor of numerous US SAILING events, including NSPS and U.S.
Championships, for more than a decade. Vanguard is the leading world
manufacturer, and largest US supplier, of recreational and high performance
small sailboats. Vanguard products include the Sunfish and Laser, two of the
most recognized brands in the sailing world. Vanguard was started in 1967
and is located in Portsmouth, Rhode Island. For more information about
Vanguard, please visit
www.teamvanguard.com.
About US SAILING
The United States Sailing Association (US SAILING) is the national governing
body for sailing. Founded in 1897 and headquartered in Portsmouth, Rhode
Island, the organization provides leadership for the sport of sailing in the
United States. US SAILING offers training and education programs for
instructors and race officials, supports a wide range of sailing
organizations and communities, issues offshore rating certificates, and
provides administration and oversight of competitive sailing across the
country, including National Championships and the U.S. Olympic and
Paralympic Sailing Teams. For more information, please visit
www.ussailing.org.
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