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Parent's Toolbox
A Trapeze Safety Clinic, taught by performance dinghy safety expert Steve Keen, was conducted at the Coconut Grove Sailing Club (MIami, FL) in Dec., 2011. Click here to read the entire article.
Dr. Jessica Mohler, clinical and sport psycologist at the U.S. Naval Academy, writes a monthly article that provides guidance for parents as their children develop in the sport of sailing and other sports as well.
Article #1: Developing Youth Sailors: What Parents Can Do to Build a Strong Foundation
by Jessica M. Mohler, Psy.D., CC-AASP
I am a sailor. I started at age 10, competed in Lasers during high school, went on to college as a varsity athlete, taught and coached children, ands adults, crew on a J-22, and along the way became a clinical and sport psychologist. I have now taken on my most challenging role, being a parent of a child who is interested in sport, including sailing.
If you are reading this, there is a good chance you are a parent who enjoys the sport of sailing and wants the best for your child, whether that means simply learning how to sail, or competing in sailboat racing. Sailing is a skill that when taught at a young age can become a lifelong sport and hobby. While parents want their children to succeed, providing guidance can be challenging and there is never one right answer.
Read the entire article
Article #2: Knowing Your Destination: Setting the Right Goals
by Jessica M. Mohler, Psy.D., CC-AASP
I am sure you have experienced this before: two sailors de-rigging at the end of the day, one has a smile on his face and seems excited about how he did on the water, the other appears upset as you hear him saying to his friend he only finished fifth. Or maybe as a parent, you have had one of your children celebrate on a windy day because she sailed around the buoys without capsizing, while your other child is upset with his second place finish. The post sailing day reaction shows us that success to one child can mean failure to another depending on their goals.
Read the entire article.
Article #3: Reading the Tell Tales: Taking Cues From Your Child to Develop Success
by Jessica M. Mohler, Psy.D., CC-AASP
The summer sailing season has come to an end. You may be attending your end of summer banquet or barbecue, and talking with instructors and coaches about how your child did in their summer sailing program. You may have some hopes or expectations about your child’s experience based upon your own observations or conversations you had over the summer. You may also have hopes or expectations based on a comparison between your child and another or with a sibling, but how do you really know what to expect? As discussed in my previous articles, your child’s finish around the race course or end of year regatta tells you very little about your their development. So as parents, what can we expect our child to learn from the sport of sailing? Ginsburg, Durant, and Batzell (2006) suggest six areas of development for parents to consider when trying to understand and learn about their children:
Read the entire article.
Click on the following links for more information on youth sailing.
| Getting Started | Resources for Racers | Regulations / Legislation | ||
| How to get started Where to learn How to choose a boat Optimist Class: USODA Parent Manual: Part I & Part II |
US SAILING Championships Junior Olympics One-Design Class contacts High School Sailing College Sailing Clever Pig (resources for racers) Optimist Manual / Opti News |
COPPA (Child Online Privacy Protection Act) Traumatic Brain Injury Legislation US SAILING's Regulation on illegal drugs and alcohol Some states require background checks for adult volunteers working with minors (including housing hosts). More info here |
Other Great Articles
An Interview with Jay Kehoe on Trends and Tips for Growing Your Junior Sailing Program
Clever Pig: Rock Star Sailors and Parenting
by Rod Davis
by Terry Hutchinson
The Right Path for Top Youth Sailors: Is It College Sailing?
by Joe Morris & Stu McNay
by Ken Legler
by Peter Isler