Kids in sailing

I often think that cultivating a good social side seems to be the most important, the sailing then seems to almost take care of itself (other than serious racing). Having fun with their friends is as important to them as the actual sailing itself. Even if they really enjoy sailing, if their friends are all off together having fun doing other activities they will probably ditch it and do that instead.

At clubs I've been too there is far to much of an emphisis on pushing kids into adult club racing which comes from being taught by keen racers and often having parents who race. Concentrating on fun is far more important, organise racing and race coaching for the kids that desire it.

I was thinking about this last night and it occurred to me that there is some similarity to the thread on charges at Weymouth. In that the squad system and sailing at Weymouth are not the same as the sport we all love and enjoy. As Paul rightly said it’s taking away from the grass root clubs.

The other thought I had is the high drop out rate is not a problem unique to sailing. I think most sports lose many teenagers who then return to the sport in later life.

Almost EXACTLY the same as me...I could not have said it better myself.  But I think it's always the same...competition, competition, competition.  I see it all the time though...pushy parents re-living thier own lives through their kids, and some junior events just turn into just as much of a competition for the parents as the kids WRT specification of Volvo, length of RIB and BHP of outboard.  Young kids have enough pressures these days without perhaps the expectation of having to do well on the racecourse at the weekend.  To me it seems that we promise them that they will be the next Ben when they are too young to really understand what that means, and just at the point a few years later when they do get it, guess what, they're clearly never gonna make it so it's the Special Brew and the bus stop for them.

I'm not saying that we should not be encouraging kids into racing, but I think it's just one part of being a "boaty" person in general.  When I was a kid I wasn't really interested in racing, I'd get much more satisfaction by chucking a tent into a Bosun, sailing round the pond for a day and camping out that night. 

I guess the RYA needs to have all this Zone stuff to justify it's own existance...it needs parents to be paying thier way, and if anyone ever questions it, they can say "these kids could be our future Olympians" and of course no one would ever dare question it.  I just think that if a bit more emphasis was put on fun, cruising, maintenance, mixed in with some racing, then the sailors coming out the other end would be more grateful, rounded and multi skilled...and potentially better.  I don't remember Ellen being a zone squaddie...

What would be the best classes to put kids in?

Of the existing 'Junior classes' The Topper gets my vote. You get a lot of feedback from the boat when you're sailing it and it's enormous fun, plus it's easy to right after a capsize. Being a single hander each child ends up with enough skills to handle a boat. And you can get two kids in together while they are gaining confidence. And (some) adults can sail it too.

Then let the kids tell you what they'd like to sail - make sure they take up offers that come their way. Once mine had learned to sail they got chances to sail in: Cherub(!), Firefly, Enterprise, 29er, Scorpion, Feva, RS200, Laser Standard, even a ++

If and when they move into a double-hander watch them sort out who's helm and who's crew (it's interesting watching that bit!). The Feva would have looked great except that it was too small by the time my kids had had enough of the Topper. So something biggger - almost anything will do, but if you are thinking in terms of RYA squads then the choices are more limited. In this case, my vote goes to the 29er, with the proviso that it's well worth getting taught how to sail it properly.

Where should the money be spent?

I think clubs always need more money, but they need man power too. There's so many clubs! It may seem as though it's the squads that take people away from sailing clubs, but I do wonder whether those people would be there anyway, if the squads hadn't spirited them away.

How could the squad system be better done - after all, it does produce results at the highest level?

By regular review and tweaking for improvement. It's already a good system, don't mess with it too much.

And how can we stop them losing interest and preferring to loiter in bus stops with cans of cheap lager?

Give them fun and friends and rewards and honours whether that's in a club or in a squad. When they are soaking wet and still smiling you're most of the way there.

Hope this helps. Tessa