High School Sailors Begin Their Season

Sailing is a popular activity and a huge part of who we are in Broadneck. It is no wonder that this pervasiveness should trickle down and make an appearance at the high school.

During the summer months, the Severn and Magothy Rivers are littered with children sailing small boats as participants in various junior sailing programs. With such a rich interest and involvement in youth sailing, it is fitting that the Annapolis area also boasts a strong high school sailing presence.

Numerous teams from the area offer sailing as a fall and spring sport, creating a unique opportunity for young sailors to participate in the high school athletic experience. Broadneck High School offers a program, one of the largest in the area, with rosters nearing 20 kids each season who represent their school in a competitive racing environment.

High school sailors generally sail small double handed (sailed by two students) dinghies, such as FJ’s, Club 420s or JY 15’s. The Broadneck team sails Club 420’s out of the Severn Sailing Association on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday afternoons. They share boats, program facilities, and coaches with Archbishop Spalding, and Key School, and rotate practice days. This structure allows all sailors to get practice time and sharpen skills while sparing with sailors from competing schools.

Many schools throughout the area offer sailing as an activity including Annapolis, Severna Park, Severn, Indian Creek, and St Mary’s who all have teams that sail regularly in the Annapolis area. These schools compete amongst themselves and against high school sailors in scholastic based programs in Washington, D.C., Baltimore, the Eastern Shore, and Southern Maryland.

Unlike most other athletic activities, sailing is a co-ed sport, open to men and women who compete in the same events. While athleticism is important, sailing also relies on strategy and an understanding of sailing conditions, so ladies are not necessarily at a disadvantage.

Though sailing is not recognized by the NCAA, it is a prevalent activity at colleges and universities with access to the water. Many collegiate teams sail in divisions for co-ed and women’s only crews. Some colleges even offer an off-shore team, where athletes sail larger boats with more sailors on a crew together at one time.

Since sailing is a multi-season sport, there are more opportunities for kids to participate. While many sail in both the spring and fall, others choose one season while participating in other sports or clubs during the opposing semester.

For those interested in spectating, local high school sailors can be seen practicing at the mouth of the Severn River most evenings after school, and we can look forward to see many schools racing together this season in Annapolis.