Honing the Edge: Matt Chao’s Story

May is Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month. To celebrate, US Sailing is profiling some of the awesome Asian American & Pacific Islander sailors in our community. Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month celebrates all people with connections to Chinese, Indian, Japanese, Filipino, Vietnamese, Korean, Hawaiian, and other Asian and Pacific Islander ancestries and their valuable contributions…Read More

See the Individual, Not the Diagnosis: Lessons from Bonnie Monroe of Freedom Sailing Camp of Florida

Mikayla Pantano  In honor of Autism Awareness Month, US Sailing sat down with Bonnie Monroe of Clearwater, FL, founder of Freedom Sailing Camp of Florida, Inc. The camp provides a safe, enriching, and affordable sailing program for high-functioning individuals with autism spectrum disorder. Monroe meets students where they are without asking for any diagnosis information,…Read More

Meet Your Match: A One on One with Janel Zarkowsky

In celebration of Women’s History Month, US Sailing chatted with our colleague and friend Janel Zarkowsky about her experience and success in sailing. Zarkowsky works as a Siebel Sailors Program Coach for US Sailing, as well as being a certified instructor, an assistant sailing coach at Georgetown University, and a professional sailor, having most recently…Read More

Quemuel Arroyo: Championing Accessibility in Sailing and Beyond

By Breanne Boatwright & Lexi Pline As we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month at US Sailing this September and October, we were fortunate to sit down with Quemuel Arroyo, Chief Accessibility Officer for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), to discuss his Hispanic heritage and his experiences as a disabled sailor.  Spending summers in the Dominican Republic,…Read More

A Conversation With Lou Sandoval

US Sailing is celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month, from September 15 to October 15. The observation started in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson and was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 to cover a 30-day period starting on September 15 and ending on October 15. It was enacted into law on…Read More

Diego Escobar: From Summer Camp to College Sailing Success

  US Sailing is celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month, from September 15 to October 15. The observation started in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson and was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 to cover a 30-day period starting on September 15 and ending on October 15. It was enacted into law…Read More

Sailing is a Lifelong Sport

There are not many sports that one can enter and continue to stay active in throughout their entire life.  Sailing, however, is one sport that can grow and evolve with us from a very young age and well into the retirement years. Whether you are on the racing team, the coaching team or the race…Read More

Celebrating Disability Independence Day

July 26, 2022 marks the 32nd anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a civil rights law that promotes the inclusion of people with disabilities in every aspect of life. The ADA prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability just as other civil rights laws prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex,…Read More

Finding Pride: A Conversation with Caroline Young

In celebration of Pride Month, US Sailing connected with Caroline Young to discuss her experience coming out while in college in the early 2000s and how she has found a purpose supporting LGBTQ+ youth in sailing as a coach at Eckerd College. Caroline has a highly decorated sailing career. Most recently, she won the 2021…Read More

Finding Community in Sailing

Patrick Burks is a sailor, race official, umpire, and coach – and a member of the LGBTQ+ community. Burks first came out as gay in high school “because that was the best I could describe myself at the time,” said Burks. “Since then I’ve found out just how intricate sexuality and gender is, and have…Read More