COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (December 3, 2018) – The United States Olympic Committee today announced its annual award recipients for three supporting coaches of the year in 2018. US Sailing’s Olympic Development Director, Leandro Spina, was named Developmental Coach of the Year. This award is presented to a coach at the youth club, high school or junior level, or a coach who is directly responsible for training athletes to reach the junior and/or elite level.
“It’s a privilege to honor these coaches for their tireless efforts serving athletes around the country,” said Alan Ashley, USOC chief of sport performance. “Their dedication to helping athletes strive for excellence is an inspiration to us all.”
National Governing Bodies nominated their 2018 coaches of the year as part of the USOC Coach of the Year Recognition Program. Winners were then determined by a USOC selection panel.
After joining US Sailing in 2008 as a national team coach, Spina led the creation of the Olympic Development Program, an initiative designed to identify and support the next generation of U.S. Olympic sailors. The program has flourished under Spina’s leadership, culminating in its unprecedented success during the 2018 sailing season. For the first time in its history, US Sailing won the Nations Trophy at the Youth Sailing World Championships, one of the sport’s most prestigious awards. U.S. sailors took home five medals – four golds and one silver – the most won by a nation at a single youth world championship event. Spina currently serves as US Sailing’s Olympic development director and is focused on transitioning the Olympic Development Program into its second phase: preparing youth sailors for Olympic competition in 2024 and beyond. He also served as the US Sailing team leader at the Youth Olympic Games Buenos Aires 2018. To learn more about Spina’s role in the Olympic Development Program, read the Q&A with Scuttlebutt Sailing News.
Learn more about the Olympic Development Program and the US Sailing Team.
US Sailing Team Communications: Brittney Manning, 401-342-7926, olympiccommunications@ussailing.com
About the US Sailing Team
The US Sailing Team is managed by the United States Sailing Association (US Sailing), the national governing body for the sport of sailing and sailboat racing. US Sailing names the top Olympic class athletes to the team annually, through both event qualification and at the discretion of team leadership. US Sailing helps these elite athletes with financial, logistical, coaching, technical, fitness, marketing and communications support. US Sailing Team sponsors include partners Helly Hansen, Harken, McLube, and Groupe Beneteau, and Marlow Ropes. For more information, please visit www.ussailing.org/olympics.
About US Sailing
The United States Sailing Association (US Sailing), the national governing body for sailing, provides leadership, integrity, and advancement for the sport in the United States. Founded in 1897 and headquartered in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, US Sailing is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization. US Sailing offers training and education programs for instructors and race officials, supports a wide range of sailing organizations and communities, issues offshore rating certificates, and provides administration and oversight of competitive sailing across the country, including National Championships and the US Sailing Team. For more information, please visit www.ussailing.org.