Draycote elects its first Youth & Junior Commodore & Committee
by Jeremy Atkins 22 May 2021 17:34 BST
Draycote Water SC's Youth and Junior Committee © Paula Irish
52-year-old Draycote Water Sailing Club has introduced a new post of Youth & Junior Commodore. In recognition of the amazing success of their Youth & Junior division, the Club decided to have a second Commodore to lead the youth & juniors alongside the Club Commodore.
Elections took place recently with a Zoom meeting for the candidates to present their candidacy to their fellow Youth & Junior members. Top of the poll came Millie Irish, aged 16, whose grandparents were founding members of the Club. Millie has sailed Optimists, Fevas and now 420s, both on the circuit and regularly at the Club. She came 6th at the Feva World Championship in Italy in 2019 and has also been the Draycote's Club Champion (all ages).
While the Club has had 19 Club Commodores in its first 50 years, they have all been male, so Millie has also become the first female with the title of Commodore!
Millie said of her election: "I am so pleased to have been elected as Draycote Water Sailing Club's first ever Youth & Junior Commodore and also to be the Club's first ever female Commodore! The Club and its amazing staff and volunteers have inspired and helped me with my sailing over many years and it's a real honour to have the chance to give something back. The Club is already a fantastic place for youth and junior sailors and we're all really looking forward to making the most of this new opportunity for us to have our own Y&J committee!"
Three other Y&J committee members were elected at the same time as Millie - Laser sailors Sam Byrd and Topper sailors Clemmie Middle and Jessica Powel. They are all looking forward to contributing to the Club.
Draycote Water Sailing Club's Youth & Junior fleet is extremely active with junior learn-to-sail courses every school holiday and half term, improver fun sessions on Friday nights and Saturday mornings, racing on Friday evenings and the Draycote Academy which offers high level race training for Optimists, Toppers, Laser 4.7s (ILCA 4s), Laser Radials (ILCA 6s) and 420s.
On top of this there is the regular Sunday and Wednesday evening racing as well as the Bank Holiday pursuit race series, the latter being open to visitors as well as members. All have significant adult and youth participation.
For more information, look at the Club's website, draycotewater.co.uk.