Registration Coming Soon
December 3-4, 2019
Coconut Grove, Florida
The National Coaching Symposium is two days of workshops and hands-on sessions with some of the leading sailing coaches in the country. The event will feature members of the US Sailing Team coaching staff and include topics such as team management, performance technology, and athlete development.
If you're a coach who's looking to hear the latest ideas, compare notes with the nation’s best, and pursue professional development, then you need to be attend this event. Registration includes coffee and lunch both days of the event.
Stay tuned for 2019 Keynotes & Presentations!
2018 KEYNOTES
James Lyne
Head Coach, American Magic
James is the Head Coach of New York Yacht Club American Magic, Challenger for the 36th America's Cup. He is a 13-time World Champion in the TP52, Maxi 72, Farr 40, Melges 24, and the Melges 20. James has served as coach for QUANTUM RACING in the TP52 Super Series and BELLA MENTE on the Maxi 72 circuit. He was also a US Sailing coach at the Beijing 2008 and Athens 2004 Olympic Games for the Finn and Yngling events.
Read a Sailing World interview with James Lyne on "Coaching the Upper Echelon."
Nadine Dubina
Coach Development Manager, United States Olympic Committee
Nadine Dubina is the Manager of Coach Development for the United States Olympic Committee. Nadine blends her passion for coaching with an experiential learning facilitation style to create coach development workshops, courses, and presentations that are unique, practical and purposeful. Nadine believes in and collaborated on creating the 6 guiding principles of the USOC’s Quality Coaching Framework and uses this as the basis for all of her coaching work. She has an ongoing role in the USOC’s National Team Coach Leadership Education Program (NTCLEP), Coach Accelerator Program (CAP) and International Coaching Enrichment Certificate Program (ICECP). Nadine earned an M.A. in Sport Psychology and is currently pursuing her Ed.D in Coaching and Teaching Studies. She was a competitive gymnast and has coached and judged gymnastics at various levels for 10 years.
2018 Speakers
Amanda Callahan
Assist. Director of Athletics &
Head Sailing Coach
Roger Williams University
Amanda Callahan
Asst. Athletic Director & Head Sailing Coach
Roger Williams University
I've been coaching the RWU team since 2007, turning out loads of sailors who caught the Team Race Bug. Prior to that I was an assistant coach at Stanford and interim Head Coach at Tufts University. In the last 11 years, the Hawks have consistently been one of the top ten teams in College Sailing. I've had the pleasure of coaching 30+ ICSA All-Americans, earned 22 berths to ICSA National Championships, and won two national championships. We also recently built the $3.3 million Bready Sailing Center on campus.
While I've mostly retired to Sunfish sailing, occasional Women's Match Racing and some keel boat team racing these days, I used to do a LOT of dinghy team racing with team Silver Panda. We are the only team to have ever won the Triple Crown of team racing: British Team Racing Championship for the Wilson Trophy, the U.S. Sailing Team Racing Championship for the Hinman Trophy, and the ISAF Team Racing World Championship in a single year.
A native of Canton, Massachusetts, Callahan currently resides in Portsmouth with Colin Merrick and our Cat.
Caleb Paine
Bronze Medalist-Finn Class
2016 Olympic Games
Caleb Paine
Bronze Medalist-Finn Class
2016 Olympic Games
Caleb Paine, 25, (San Diego, Calif.) grew up in southern California, and inherited in father’s love of sailing at an early age. Together with his younger brother Olin, Paine sailed anything he could get his hands on in San Diego as a kid, and devoted himself to mastering the one-person Sabot junior class of boat. Deciding earlier than most to pursue an Olympic dream, Paine skipped a traditional campus-based college experience in favor of a life on the high-performance sailing path.
In early March 2016, the Rio 2016 Selection Series in the Finn class (Men’s Heavyweight Dinghy) came to a memorable conclusion at the Finn European Championship (March 7-12) in Barcelona. Paine came from behind to win his first career U.S. Olympic Sailing Team berth over Beijing 2008 silver medalist Zach Railey (Clearwater, Fla.) who came out of retirement in late 2015.
Paine is a Sailing World Cup Series Champion, and has been the top-ranked American Finn sailor since 2012. He began his Finn dinghy career in the period preceding the London 2012 Olympic Games as Railey’s training partner, and the two athletes challenged each other for much of the past six years. “One of the main reasons I’m as competitive as I am now is because of Zach’s talent and abilities. He pushed me to where I am,” said Paine. “He’s one of the fiercest competitors you’ll find on any racecourse, and I have a lot of respect for what he’s accomplished. My training with Zach started me on the right path, and I’m thankful for that. I’ll always be grateful for his early mentorship.”
Sailing Achievements:
- Bronze medalist, Rio 2016 Olympic Games
- Rio 2016 U.S. Olympic Team member
- 1st overall, Finn, 2011-12 ISAF Sailing World Cup series
- 7th overall, 2014 Finn World Championship (Finn Gold Cup)
- Bronze, ISAF Sailing World Cup Final, 2015
- 2nd, World Cup Series Miami 2018
Expanded Sailing Resume:
- 5th, Finn, 2014 ISAF Sailing World Cup Hyères
- 4th, Finn, 2013 Delta Lloyd Regatta, Medemblik, NED
- 11th, Finn, ISAF Sailing World Cup Hyères (FRA)
- 11th, Finn, 2013 ISAF Sailing World Cup Palma (ESP)
- 1st, Finn, 2013 ISAF Sailing World Cup Miami (USA)
- 3rd, Finn, 2012 Kiel Week (ISAF Sailing World Cup), Kiel, GER
- 1st, Finn, 2012 Delta Llloyd Regatta (ISAF Sailing World Cup), Medemblik, Holland
- 5th, Finn, US Sailing’s Rolex Miami OCR (ISAF Sailing World Cup)
- 2nd, Finn, 2011 U.S. National Championship, Long Beach, Calif.
- 35th, Finn, 2010 Rolex Miami OCR, Miami, FL (ISAF Sailing World Cup)
- 28th, Finn, 2010 Finn Gold Cup, San Francisco, CA
Chris Bedford
Chief Meteorologist
Sailing Weather Service
Chris Bedford
Chief Meteorologist
Sailing Weather Service
Chris Bedford is respected world-wide for his experience and expertise in marine and coastal meteorology. Growing up immersed in the active weather of the Great Lakes region in North America, Chris graduated from the University of Michigan College of Engineering, receiving his degree with honors from the Atmospheric and Oceanic Science Department in 1986. He founded Sailing Weather Service in 1998 after 10 years experience as an environmental consultant and 2 years as manager at a large commercial weather forecasting operation.
Sailing Weather Service has grown with a highly focused mission to provide customized weather solutions to some of the world’s leading competitive sailing teams and events. Chris Bedford’s sailing weather experience is extensive and successful.
- A veteran of 9 America's Cup cycles (1987 through 2013), Chris has been with more winning AC efforts than any other meteorologist.
- Working with 5 Volvo Ocean Race/Whitbread teams, he provided close support to the winning teams in 2001/02 (illbruck), 2008/09 (Ericsson) and 2014/15 (Abu Dhabi).
- His advice has been valued through 5 US Sailing Team campaigns – Barcelona, Savannah, Sydney, Athens and Rio de Janerio; teams that accumulated a total of 17 medals.
- Chris has consulted on numerous adventure records, including the all time trans-Atlantic sailing speed record set by the French trimaran, Banque Populaire (3 days 15 hours 25 minutes).
- Over the years, Chris has provided thousands of hours of weather instruction to a wide range of audiences from beginning sailors to world champions. He is sought out for his straight-forward, honest, and practical approach to using weather knowledge as a competitive advantage.
Dave Perry
Member, Board of Directors
US Sailing
Dave Perry
Member, Board of Directors
US Sailing
- Chairman, US Sailing Appeals Committee
- National Judge
- Author of 3 books on rules and tactics (Available in US Sailing Store)
- Rules Advisor, 1992, 2007, 2013 and 2017 America's Cup teams
- Rules Advisor, 2008 and 2012 US Olympic Sailing Team
- 5-time National Match Racing Champion
- Intercollegiate National Dinghy Champion and 2x All American
Fred Strammer
Co-Owner & Athlete Coordinator
Sailing Performance Training
Fred Strammer
Co-Owner & Athlete Coordinator
Sailing Performance Training
Fred has dedicated the past 20 years to competitive racing in multiple classes and coaching in Olympic, Paralympic, and youth classes. His experiences in both his personal sailing and coaching led him to realize the lack of physical fitness education and a proper system to build sailors into athletes. Fred has joined his former teammate, Mike Kuschner, at Sailing Performance Training to build and enhance the sailor-coach experience by building a fitness pathway that will make sailors more healthy, competitive, and knowledgeable.
Grant Spanhake
President
GS Yachting
Grant Spanhake
President
GS Yachting
- 6 x Americas Cup sailor & coach (Winner in 1992)
- 4 x Round the world sailor
- 4 x Olympic campaigns in sail & rig development
- 4 x World championships
- Sail designer for 25 years
John Pearce
Youth Director
US Sailing
John Pearce
Youth Director
US Sailing
John Pearce has been US Sailing's Youth Director since 2016. Prior to joining US Sailing in a full time capacity, John served as the Lead Coach for six USA Junior Olympic Sailing Festival Skill Builder Clinics and coach for US Sailing at several US Sailing National Championships including the U.S. Youth Sailing Championships, Chubb U.S. Junior Sailing Championships, U.S. Junior Women’s Singlehanded and Doublehanded Championships.
Pearce was the first-ever head coach of the George Washington sailing program, which was elevated from club to varsity status beginning in 2012-13. In just his third year at the helm of the new varsity program in 2014-15, he guided the Colonials to a historic season of firsts – including the team’s first-ever appearances in the national coed and women’s rankings, as well as the team’s first-ever berth to women’s nationals, where the women’s team finished 13th in the country.
In 2015-16, George Washington surpassed those marks, capturing the first titles in program history with the MAISA Women’s Fall and MAISA Women’s Spring Championships. The Colonials went on to earn berths in both the women’s nationals, finishing 10th, and coed nationals, finishing 17th.
Prior to coming to George Washington, Pearce spent three seasons from 2007-10 as co-head coach of the Dartmouth College varsity sailing team. In his three years at Dartmouth, Pearce led the Big Green to two appearances at the Inter-Collegiate Sailing Association (ICSA) National Championships, including an eighth place finish at the 2009 Women’s National Championship.
A 2004 graduate of Hobart College, Pearce stayed on as an assistant coach for Hobart and William Smith Colleges for the 2004-05 season and helped the Statesmen and Herons claim the National Championship at both the ICSA Team Racing and ICSA Coed National Championships that year.
Pearce moved on to spend a year as assistant coach at Stanford University in 2005-06. He then spent 2006-07 as head high school and race team coach at the San Francisco Yacht Club.
A native of Ithaca, N.Y., Pearce was a two-time All-American at Hobart, earning First Team Coed Skipper accolades as a senior and Honorable Mention Coed Skipper recognition as a junior.
Pearce was also a member of the 2005 and 2006 US Sailing Teams, and placed fifth out of 33 sailors at the 2007 US Sailing Olympic Team Trials in the Laser Class.
Lillian Myers
Athlete
GCYSA
Luther Carpenter
Senior Coach
US Sailing Team
Luther Carpenter
Senior Olympic Coach
US Sailing Team
Luther Carpenter has been an Olympic coach at US Sailing for over 25 years and has attended eight Olympic Games with Team USA. He is the most successful Olympic sailing coach in U.S. history, and one of the best in the history of the sport, having guided athletes to five medals in an unprecedented four different classes.
Malcolm Page
Chief of Olympic Sailing
US Sailing Team
Malcolm Page
Chief of Olympic Sailing
US Sailing
Love sailing and racing... most importantly. Also been to 3x Olympics as an athlete, also once on the administration side. Worked with the international federation,World Sailing (WS), and Chairperson of the WS Athlete Commission. Chef de Mission at a regional games. As I said, I love sport, especially sailing.
Mike Ingham
One Design Expert
North Sails
Mike Ingham
One Design
North Sails/ Sailing World
- 2016 US Sailing Coach of the year
- 2016 Rio Paralympics Silver Medal and World Champion coach
- Currently coaching US Nacra 17 team
- North Sails -One Design
- Sailing World Magazine-Contributing Editor
Mike Kuschner
Co-Owner & Head Coach
Sailing Performance Training
Mike Kuschner
Co-Owner & Head Coach
Sailing Performance Training
Mike has dedicated the past 20 years to competitive racing in multiple classes and coaching in Olympic, Paralympic, and youth classes. His experiences in both his personal sailing and coaching led him to realize the lack of physical fitness education and a proper system to build sailors into athletes. Mike has joined his former teammate, Fred Strammer, at Sailing Performance Training to build and enhance the sailor-coach experience by building a fitness pathway that will make sailors more healthy, competitive, and knowledgeable.
Molly Vandemoer
Director & Head Coach
Peninsula Youth Sailing Foundation
Molly Vandemoer
Director, Peninsula Youth Sailing Foundation (PYSF)
- Born San Diego, CA (SDYC)
- ISAF Youth Worlds 1996, Laser II Crew
- ISSA National Champion, 1996
- Univ Hawaii Grad, 2002
- Women’s All-American 2000-2002
- ICSA National Champion, Women’s 2001
- Snipe Women’s World Champ 2011
- Match Racing World Champ 2011
- Olympian, Women’s Match Racing 2012
- Director, Peninsula Youth Sailing Foundation (PYSF), Sept 2012-present
- Asst. Coach US Naval Academy, 2004-2006
- Head Coach Severn Sailing Assoc. (2006-2008)
- US Sailing Team Member (2002-2015)
- Mother of Nicholas (2.5 years) and Nora (7 months)
- Married John Vandemoer 2007
Reed Maltbie
Chief Content Officer / Lead Presenter
Changing The Game Project
Rosie Chapman
Program Director & Head Coach
Gulf Coast Youth Sailing Association
Rosie Chapman
Program Director and Head Coach, CGYSA/ODP
Rosie Chapman is from the UK and competed as part of Skandia Team GBR. Rosie went on to coach for the Canadian Team where she saw great success developing their youth and olympic sailing teams, working with multiple classes. Successfully qualifying sailors to Youth Worlds and both the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games. Rosie has been in the US for 3 years and since her time here she has grown a highly competitive program in Texas that works closely with the ODP and has led her sailors to both International and National medals. This year Rosie was the team leader at the youth worlds, where the team made history wining the Nations trophy.
Magnus Liljedahl
Founder
Team Paradise
Magnus Liljedahl
Founder, Team Paradise
Magnus Liljedahl (pronounced LEELLCHEDAWL), is a gold medal Olympic and World Champion sailor, 6-time Bacardi Cup Champion, 4-time North American Champion, 3-time European Champion, Rolex Yachtsman of the Year, and ISAF World Sailor of the Year. As if that wasn't enough to have felt a sense of accomplishment in life, Magnus will tell you none of those medals compares to the life fulfillment he receives from being the Executive Director of Team Paradise Sailing.
The organization was created by Magnus in 2005, who decided to share his expertise with those with disabilities through coaching, sailing lessons, and equipment, to compete in national and international competition, also known as regattas. Team Paradise Sailing develops athletes for the Paralympic Summer Games. Participants of his program have achieved the podium not only at World Cup events but also at the 2008 and 2012 Paralympic Games.
In winning the Olympic gold medal in sailing at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, Magnus Liljedahl personified the against-all-odds fighting spirit that has earned him the nickname "The Viking". A dedicated athlete and sailor since childhood, he has competed at the top of his sport since he was a young man with many notable accomplishments on his sailing resume.
In 1997, he teamed up with Mark Reynolds with the hopes of making the Olympic team. Their first few victories in world-level regattas gave them a top ranking, and for the next two years they dominated the Star Boat class before capturing the US Olympic Trials in the spring of 2000 and the right to represent the United States at the Sydney Games.
Just ten months earlier, Liljedahl's wife of 22 years, Agneta, was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. He took a hiatus from training for the next four months to become her "coach" in fighting what would eventually be a losing battle. Almost exactly one year prior to the Sydney games, Magnus lost his beloved Agneta.
Magnus credits his return to Olympic training for his ability to recover from this devastating blow. Over the next six months, Reynolds and Liljedahl continued to compete successfully, but without the dominance of prior months. Many thought they had peaked too soon, and Liljedahl's personal loss was weighing heavy. After five Olympic races of 11 total, they stood 12th in the standings by a significant margin, an almost impossible deficit to overcome in such a talented field of international champions.
David Liebenberg
Sailor
USA 50 Racing
David Liebenberg
Sailor, USA 50 Racing
After growing out of prams, David was not sure where to go in sailing.
Sailing 420s was new, but not exciting. One day his friend and fellow youth sailor, David Blackett, asked if he wanted to drive a 29er for him. After the first ride David was hooked. The realization that going fast was much better than going slow shaped the rest of his sailing career. David excelled at this new high speed racing and over the next 4 years, went on to win three 29er National Championships and three North American Championships, as well as placing in the top 10 in the gold fleet in two 29er World Championships.
David recently graduated from Tufts University in Boston where he majored in Mechanical Engineering with a focus on entrepreneurial leadership. On the Tufts Sailing Team, he honed his starting skills and short course tactics. He was a captain of the Tufts team his senior year and led the team to their first Collegiate Match Racing National Championship in 2012.
In the summer of 2013 he was the tactician of the American Youth Sailing Force, which was selected to represent San Francisco in the Red Bull Youth America’s Cup.
Calling tactics on 45s helped prepare himfor 49er sailing because it was short course racing with extremely high closing speeds. This required good anticipation combined with quick decision making.
The experience he gained not only on the water, but helping to lead the team and run the youth AC campaign will be invaluable in this Olympic campaign.
David has worked extensively in sailmaking, rigging, and composites. He worked at Pineapple Sails the summers of 2010 and 2011, and at Easom Rigging and Racing the summers of 2012, 2013 and since graduation. With his in depth knowledge of boats and their mechanics he is capable of fixing any failure that may occur during racing.
Daniel Evans
Sailor
2019 TRAVEL PLANNING
The Mayfair at Coconut Grove is currently offering group rates for the National Coaching Symposium:
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$189 per night Mayfair Suite-Double
Event Archive
- 2018 Presentations (Please click on a presentation to open it.)
- The American Development Model: Practical Applications Across the Olympic Sport Family (Nadine Dubina)
- Leadership Secrets of the World's Greatest Coaches (Reed Maltbie)
- Managing Athlete & Coach Risk (John Pearce & David Liebenberg)
- Next Generation Coaching: How Athlete Data Will Enhance Your Coaching (Mike Kuschner & Fred Strammer)
- Building competitive programs in a Community Sailing Environment (Molly Vandermoer)
- Rule Situations at International Regattas (Dave Perry)
- ODP Update (Leandro Spina)
- Coaching Team Racing (Amanda Callahan)
- Sail & Rig Analysis (Grant Spanhake)
- Analyzing Sail Shape from the Coach Boat (Mike Ingham)
- Delete Your Weather Apps (Chris Bedford)