WELCOME TO OUR COMMUNITY!
You are officially community sailing. Simply put, sailing is a community. Thank you for loving this sport.
We’ve just caught our collective breath, following another whirlwind symposium with US Sailing friends and family. We hope you can join us for professional development, brainstorming, and scheming next year at NSPS. The annual symposia have not only become our annual celebration of success, but a powerful reminder of what remains to do. My biggest takeaway from this year’s conference is simply that we are responsible to move forward under our own power. While doors are opened for us, we are responsible to step through. Community sailors and their organization leaders continue to add stability to a sport through conscientious and clear action. We saw tremendous support from attendees and staff during SLF, with folks staying well past regular sessions to attend our meeting, boisterously participating in our breakout sessions, and truthfully I was hard pressed to see a committee member lacking for conversation. We were able to once again feature the incredible work of many organizations, accredited and on the path, through the annual presentation of our Community Sailing Awards. I’ll fully admit I cried this year, sharing the joy with the dedicated humans making this year’s award winning work possible. It was absolutely incredible. Our sport has grown a lot from my first forays as a youth sailor. More and more folks have a pathway to continuing participation and success. And simply put, fun. A giant thank you to all those who have lent a hand, continue to do so, and may do so in the future! This action is of course iterative, and while we celebrate, we always look forward to the next step.
2024 SUCCESSES
I am incredibly excited that we continue to grow the number of accredited centers alongside those interested in growing access and broadening their community’s background. This year we heard from our US Sailing President, Henry Brauer, that Community Sailing is an essential pathway towards not only our sport’s growth, but also Olympic success. Community access broadens the base of available talent. Included below is our first ever Community Sailing Committee Annual Report.
HOW TO HELP
First, take the time to get those incredible programs featured nationally! We’re free advertising. Everyone has a success worth sharing. Send us a recommendation through the Community Sailing Spotlight interest form, share or tag @communitysailing on facebook, send us an email, and absolutely do not forget to make a nomination for community sailing awards! Second, we are always welcoming new members to our committee. Review the work list, and come ready to join or create a project group, until full onboarding occurs annually at national symposia.
2025 WORKLIST
In addition, this year’s Annual Report features a worklist assembled by our committee’s direct collection of your needs. What are we missing? Recommend future action, or simply share how we can help by emailing [communitysailing@ussailing.org]. Of course, that always comes with my standing challenge that you follow up requests with supporting action!
We are here for you, let us know however we can assist!
Matthew Thompson
US Sailing Community Sailing Committee, Chair
Wayzata Sailing, Executive Director