Primary and Supporting Siebel Centers for Florida Named by US Sailing
MacKenzie McGuckin Named Siebel Coach for Florida
BRISTOL, R.I. (June 4, 2020) – US Sailing’s new and growing youth development program is expanding to include the state of Florida. US Sailing is excited to announce the following Primary and Supporting Siebel Centers. These community sailing organizations play a large role in the development of youth sailing in the state of Florida and around the nation.
The US Sailing Center of Martin County (Jensen Beach) has been selected as the Primary Siebel Center for Florida. Youth Sailing Foundation of Indian River County (Vero Beach), Team Paradise (Miami) and Coconut Grove Sailing Club (Miami) have been selected to serve as Supporting Siebel Centers.
In April 2019, US Sailing announced a new nationwide community sailing program made possible by a major donation from the Thomas and Stacey Siebel Foundation. The purpose of this ground-breaking Siebel Sailors Program is to increase diversity and opportunity in the sport of sailing by providing resources and support to youth sailors at public access sailing centers across the country. This is a national US Sailing program that is executed locally by Siebel Centers with adaptations for regional needs across the country.
Most Siebel Center programs across the country are currently on hold due to COVID-19. US Sailing will be closely following state and local government guidelines to determine when to open programming safely with our Siebel Centers. The Florida Region is one of the first in the country to open and we anticipate Siebel Programs launching in July.
While the Siebel Sailors Program may be on hold, the team of national Siebel Coaches have been building new teaching standards and tools for how youth progress through the sport that will be available youth programs at large later this year. They are also leading regional conversations to discuss best practices for modified programming once Centers reopen. Youth sailing programs are facing unprecedented challenges in our current environment and it has been inspiring to watch our Siebel Regions come together, support each other, and become local leaders in how to reopen sailing safely with the highest standards in mind.
US Sailing Center of Martin County – Jensen Beach, Fla.
The US Sailing Center of Martin County has been impacting lives through sailing for 28 years through local, regional and national events and programs. In early 2020, they concluded their 25th Anniversary Capital Campaign and they anticipate breaking ground on the expansion of their facility this spring. They are expanding to increase their influence.
“We consider being named a Primary Center for the Siebel Sailing Program to be one of our greatest achievements since our inception,” said Alan Jenkinson. “We have long been introducing sailing to a diverse and underserved population. Through the Siebel program we look forward to introducing competitive sailing as a way of life. Thanks to the Siebel Grant we are going to take this to a whole new level. We are thinking big. Thank you, US Sailing and Siebel Foundation.”
Youth Sailing Foundation of Indian River County – Vero Beach, Fla.
Youth Sailing Foundation of Indian River County, Inc. provides free sailing instruction to the children of Indian River County and adaptive sailing for children and adults. They are funded primarily through the generosity of private donors living in Vero Beach and have been in business for 10 years.
11 of 23 schools in Vero Beach are Title I with 55% of the 18,000 students on free or subsidized lunch. Many of their sailors had never been in a boat before coming to Youth Sailing Foundation. By providing free sailing instruction, they are building confidence and self-esteem to those who most need the opportunity to succeed that sailing provides.
“It is an honor for the Youth Sailing Foundation to have been chosen as a center for the Siebel Program,” said George Hinman, YSF Board Member and Sailing Committee Chair. “Working with middle school children, some of which are underprivileged, fits directly into our existing programs. Having US Sailing provide the Fevas, along with an instructor trained in the values of the Siebel tradition, is a home run for the youth sailors of our community. We look forward to a new and exciting chapter that the Siebel Program provides to YSF of Indian River County.”
Team Paradise – Miami, FL
Team Paradise Sailing is located at the US Sailing Center in Coconut Grove, Florida. They provide sailing as an accessible activity for everyone, including veterans with disabilities and others with physical and/or intellectual and developmental disabilities, and for the under-resourced youth in their community. They have specifically designed programs tailored for participants with physical and/or intellectual/developmental disabilities, as well as for the under-resourced youth. Their boats are customized and adapted to match the abilities of the crew so that no one has a barrier to participation.
“The Siebel Sailors Program is a perfect fit for Team Paradise Sailing,” said Magnus Liljedahl, Executive Director and Founder of Team Paradise. “Our goal is to encourage and support a broad spectrum of youth interested in improving and taking their sailing skills to the next level. The Siebel Sailors Program provides us with the resources we need to achieve this vision.”
Coconut Grove Sailing Club – Miami, FL
Founded in 1946 with the goal of creating lifelong sailors in Biscayne Bay, the Coconut Grove Sailing Club (CGSC) was started by a group of Miami residents based on a shared love for sailing, a passion for Biscayne Bay and, a spirit of volunteerism in providing community service. The founding members formed the club to provide a safe venue to teach children to sail and to run sailboat regattas for the community. The original CGSC had no clubhouse, merely a storage shack. There were no moorings; sailors simply anchored out in the basin.
Over the years, CGSC became a leader in the international sailing community. They have hosted major sailing events, including Miami Sailing Week, multiple World Championships, and the Don Q Snipe Regatta. CGSC continues a rich tradition focused entirely on sailing with a youth program of over 1,000 sailors yearly, and a vibrant adult program with cruising and keelboat instruction.
“Over the last five years we have been in search of a way to incorporate the rest of the community into our youth program and the US Sailing Siebel Program has given us the tools to accomplish that,” said Lauren Simpson, General Manager of CGSC. “We are excited to be in this partnership with US Sailing and the Siebel program, and are looking forward to doing more sailing on Biscayne Bay.”
Meet MacKenzie McGuckin – Siebel Program Coach for the Florida Region
MacKenzie McGuckin is a can-do coach hailing from Ocean City, New Jersey. She joined US Sailing as the Siebel Coach for Southern Florida in March and brings a wealth of experience in sailing from club racing to international racing in everything from Optimists to larger one-design boats like Viper 640s and Melges 24s.
Having the privilege to grow up in a coastal environment at the Jersey Shore and growing up around boats, she started sailing at the age of six at the Ocean City Yacht Club. She has been coaching since she was old enough to reach the US Sailing age requirements for a Level 1 Certification.
MacKenzie has served in multiple roles as Sailing Program Director and Head Coach at The Waterfront Center in Oyster Bay, N.Y. (most recently), Lakewood Yacht Club, and Lauderdale Yacht Club. She also has great experience working with USODA and their Optimist Development Program, as well as being a contributor for Opti TV. One of her self-described best skills is infusing new youth with a passion for the sport of sailing. Her coaching philosophy is to meet sailors right where they are, and she encourages them to grow with the sport in a way that they get excited about.
MacKenzie will be based at the US Sailing Center of Martin County as her primary Siebel Center, and will support the Youth Sailing Foundation of Indian River, Team Paradise, and Coconut Grove Sailing Club as her supporting centers. As a coach for US Sailing’s Siebel Sailors Program, MacKenzie hopes to strengthen and grow participation across Southern Florida while focusing on both inclusion and diversity. She also knows the importance of engaging parents and sailors to foster continued participation and breed lifelong sailors. MacKenzie is very excited to be a part of US Sailing and the Siebel Sailors Program, and looks forward to motivating, inspiring, and igniting our Junior Sailors’ passions while promoting a safe and positive learning environment.
Eligibility criteria, center guidelines, and answers to Frequently Asked Questions can be found at www.siebelsailors.org.
For questions about the program please contact Blair Overman, Siebel Sailors Program Manager at blairoverman@ussailing.org.
US Sailing Communications:
Jake Fish, jakefish@ussailing.org
About US Sailing
The United States Sailing Association (US Sailing), the national governing body for sailing, provides leadership, integrity, and advancement for the sport in the United States. Founded in 1897 and headquartered in Bristol, Rhode Island, US Sailing is a 501© (3) non-profit organization. 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 US Sailing Team. For more information, please visit www.ussailing.org.