Junior Sailing Program
Eagle Creek Sailing Club
An Outline for Program Development
Table of Contents
(3) Outline of program development
(4) Financial and 2003 budget
The development of a junior sailing program is a long term commitment. This plan outlines how the Club’s current resources can be leveraged with other known resources. In addition, this is a request for the funding required to support an ECSC commitment to a Junior Sailing Program. The initial funding request for the 2003 sailing season will be the seed funding required to establish a Junior program as to objectives outlined below. It is recognized that there are various levels that families and young sailors are interested in participating. This proposal outlines a program that would provide the resources and opportunity for our young sailors to develop the skills required to sail at local, regional, and national events.
Current status:
The club has the basic equipment that needs to be maintained and upgraded.
· Eight club lasers with full sail rigs and pre-rule change class rigging, e.g., old outhaul, vang, and cunningham systems. These boats a suitable for beginning to intermediate junior sailors.
· Beach launching for Lasers and Prams and storage barn for sails and equipment.
The club has on going learn to sail programs that would be of great value to the over all Junior Sailing Program development.
· Annual Sail Indiana and Little Eagles learn to sail program sponsored by the Safety and Education committee.
· Week long sailing camp for beginning and intermediate junior sailors.
Request to Expand and Establish a Junior Sailor Program:
· Organize adult supervised sailing and training programs for children 7-18.
· Upgrade sailing equipment to include a two-crew boat such as Flying Juniors for intermediate and advanced sailors.
· Upgrade Lasers for intermediate and advanced sailors.
· Add 1-2 additional beach storage racks for storage of Prams and crewed boats.
· Acquire a multi-boat trailer and dollies to support travel to I-LYA junior and other regional regattas.
Overview of Member Support & Contributions During Current 2002 Budget Year.
· Adult member interest and support for the organization and development of a multi-level Junior Sailing Program. The over all program would support skills development for beginning, intermediate, and advanced junior sailors.
· ECSC Members have donated cash to provide start up funding, and voiced specific support for a line item budget to directly support a junior program.
· The respondents to a mail survey show a 100% support of a Junior Sailing Program and identified 18 children ages 10-18 years that are interested in a Junior Sailing Program.
· Interviews with members estimate an additional 20-30 youngsters in the 2-9 age range that would be future candidates for the junior program.
· Six adult volunteers assisted in the week long sailing junior sail camp.
· Adult volunteers chaperoned and sponsored junior sailors that attended regattas during the 2002 sailing season. This included this years first junior sailors that attended the Junior Bay Week regatta.
Result: More ECSC kids were sailing in 2002, and there is a committed interest by the general membership in developing a Junior Sailing Program.
Funds and Support Requested from the Board.
· Set up of a separate account in the ECSC treasury to accept cash donations from ECSC general members and various sources such as the I-LYA matching funds program for the direct support of an organized Junior Sailing Program.
· Authorize a line item budget of $3,500 to provide seed funding to formalize an active Junior Sailing Program for the 2003 sailing season.
· Set up and appoint a Junior Sailing Program coordinator that will be a sub-committee of the current Safety and Education Committee.
· Authorize and support the direct contact with the I-LYA junior sailing program to request matching funds for regatta activity and the renting of up to 3 Flying Juniors for $1 per year for up to 3 years in order to build and grow a new junior fleet.
Sailing is a wonderful sport as most sailors will agree. It is clearly a physical activity, but also requires thinking skills, a knowledge base and dedication. All of these are wonderful life skills that we would like to instill in our children. It is also a sport where often young and old can compete together. This provides a terrific place for young people to learn from the adults and yet they can compete as equals. Racing is a way for them to compete, push their skills, and learn sportsmanship. Sponsoring or running a junior racing program is a good way to promote interaction of our children with the adults in a sport that we can all do together. They do however need to learn some confidence and independence. A Junior Sailing Program could provide them with a safe and fun environment in which to accomplish this.
It would be wonderful to start with a full “learn to sail” to “racing” program but this might be too much too fast. Starting with the young people who can sail and want to compete would allow us to create a group of young sailors who are already enthusiastic. If we can provide them with success and enthusiasm for the program, they will become the best recruiters for new and younger sailors in future programs. They can also become leaders and help in teaching the younger sailors in the future. By then we also would have a better idea of requirements to support a more expanded program.
Having been to several regattas over the last couple of years with some junior sailors, I have been impressed at how they have matured into young people with the confidence to compete as equals and to work together with other juniors and adults to try to improve everyone’s skills. They have come to love the sport, to respect nature and to respect other people. I know it is because of the caring and respect with which the juniors have been treated. I have been impressed as well at how working with the Junior sailors has brought out some wonderful qualities in the adults. I would like to see us provide this experience for as many young people as possible.
(3) Junior Sailing Program
Program Objectives:
1. To encourage young sailors in the sport of sailing,
2. To educate the young people regarding sailing,
3. To promote safety on the water,
4. To promote good sportsmanship,
5. To encourage positive interaction between the young sailors and the adult sailors,
6. To improve the sailing and racing skills of our Junior sailors
7. To encourage the Junior sailors to participate in the racing programs,
8. To participate in the I-LYA Junior program culminating in the Junior Bay Week Racing regatta series.
Methods:
I. Off the Water: lectures and demonstrations.
A. Basic water safety, basic sailing, basic racing, sportsmanship,
B. International Yacht Racing Rules,
C. Personal Fitness,
D. Knots, lines, terminology,
E. Setting the boat up: tuning and rigging,
F. Wind, waves, and weather,
G. Winning moves: roll tacks, heel, hiking,
H. Winning Tactics.
II. On the Water:
A. Instructional sailing.
1. Daily drills: starts, boat handling, tactics,
2. Individual critiques with practice races.
B. Racing.
1. 1-3 times per week: racing with local clubs (junior and adult),
2. Once a week racing with club races,
3. Travel to Junior regattas in the region,
4. Travel to regional regattas,
All races should be attended by one or more coaches to give the juniors feedback regarding techniques after the regattas (a debriefing)
Organization
Weekly Races:
Encourage young sailors to participate in the existing club races.
Week night races one night at Geist and one night at Eagle Creek
Weekly Club races on weekends, Saturday or Sundays.
Regattas:
Sponsor one, one day Junior regatta in Indianapolis,
Travel to Junior Regattas,
Travel to selected regional regattas,
Add Junior trophies to club regattas.
Lectures:
Start the weekly lectures or demonstrations in mid April to finish in early June.
Training:
One week of intense daily racing and training just prior to the Junior
Bay Week Competition for those interested in racing.
End of the Season: A Celebration.
Fun sailing, racing, cook out with music, dancing, games for junior sailors, staff, and families.
Program eligibility: Any junior sailor between the ages of 7 and 18 years of age with a basic knowledge of sailing and swimming ability. ( Only children over 13 could participate in Junior Bay week- their rules not ours.)
Program Cost: Would need to be determined by number of participants, numbers willing to volunteer help and potential recruitment of sponsors. See attached budget request and estimates.
Program requirements:
Boats: Use of club lasers, prams, and Flying Juniors as well as the use of the Safety boat and race committee boat for camps and junior events.
Location: Use of club grounds and facilities at times of activities.
Personnel: Coaches and supervisors.
Knowledgeable adults to critique racers,
Race Committee members,
Safety boat personnel,
Drivers and chaperones for travel regattas,
Knowledgeable lecturers,
People to host or provide snacks for lectures and races.
All personnel could be volunteer or we could consider some paid lecturers and coaches depending on funding.
Club Support:
Maintaining Junior Boats,
Maintain Liability Coverage,
Maintain I-LYA membership,
Provide seed funding of $3,500 from the 2003 budget to initialize the program.
(4) Projected Financial Plan 2003 Budget
Year 1- 2003. Projected that 10-15 young people would participate with 4-6 going to the regional regattas and Junior Bay week
Sources of Funds:
| Club support with a budget line item. | $3,500.00 |
| Donations: | |
| Private-general membership direct contributions. | 1,000.00 |
| Commercial-Marine industry contribution & donations | 500.00 |
| I-LYA- (will match funds for some regatta expenses) | 500.00 |
| US Sail has various youth sponsorship programs | 250.00 |
| Junior Sailors families cover some individual travel cost for regattas | ** |
| Off set fees for various camps and activities |
**
|
| $5,750.00 | |
| Use of Funds: | |
| Rental equipment 3 Flying Juniors (Lease from I-LYA) | $3.00 |
| Sail & equipment up grades (radial rigs, update hardware) | 1,200.00 |
| Gas/Supplies for safety boats/ committee boats | 100.00 |
| Three dingy dollies | 900.00 |
| Multiple boat trailer | 900.00 |
| Regatta and training expense | 1,300.00 |
| Activity supplies (drinks, food, etc. at local training events) | 150.00 |
| Personnel: (volunteer with perhaps an occasional paid lecturer | |
| (cover cost of visitor) | 200.00 |
| Boat purchase fund |
1,000.00
|
| Total Budget Estimate: | $5,753.00 |
Follow on and future funding and budget planning.
The goal and intent of developing future budgets for the Junior Sailing Program would be to make this activity self funding within five years. Much like the set aside funding of slip rental for the dock replacement program, the Junior Sailing Program would develop activities through camps, hosted events and similar programs to fund their program. However, like most new programs a certain level of base funding must be in place and counted on in order to meet the primary objectives of the program in the initial years. This expanded program would derive only a small part of its operating funds from the membership in future years. The detailed budget for Year 1, 2003, would remain in place as the base funding required for the following years that the program is active. The line item budget for junior sailing should remain in place for at least the next three years. Capital expenditures should be anticipated for 2004 and 2005 provided the program continues to grow and additional young people are added as expected. Estimated capital expenditures and changes for year 2 & 3 are presented below.
Year 2, 2004: The general operating budget is the same as above in year one, but perhaps the addition of a sailing camp with 1-4 week long sessions with advanced junior sailing counselors for teaching the younger sailors skills and safety . This could add about $10,000 to the operating budget, but most of the incremental expense would be offset by camp fees of approximately $250-$300/camper. With an estimate of 20-30 young sailors camp fee would provide $6,000 - $9,000 in additional funding for the program. The camp would be intended to be a revenue/expense neutral activity and would not increase the budget line item for junior sailing in the clubs operating budget. In addition, with the uncertainty of timing the camp program might be instituted in year 2 or 3.
Year 3, 2005: Same as above, but add the likely need to return the leased Flying Juniors to I-LYA in sailable contrition. ECSC would need to buy 1-3 Flying Juniors or 420s costing approximately $4,000-$5,000 per boat or $12,000 -$15,000.
As the program grows and develops additional funding to off set expenses for the Junior Sailing Program could come from camp fees, and fund raising activities by
the junior sailors.