Spring break couldn’t have come at a better time for me, especially now that I am on the opposite side of the classroom. While Chicago’s unending snow and a litany of back breaking finals was more than enough to send nearly all 40+ members of the Northwestern Sailing Team south for a much needed break, my 8th grade inner city students had run me stark mad by the end of March. The prospect of Florida’s sunny skies and blue water was particularly appealing. Best of all, I would be spending my week off doing something that I love above anything else: sailing.
Baltimore City Public School’s spring break wonderfully aligned with Northwestern’s, no small providence, and the team graciously agreed to allow me to tag along. Admittedly, my motivations were largely selfish- a relatively cheap spring break trip that I wouldn’t have to plan, access to collegiate dinghies, and a chance at brushing up for my own racing season at Severn Sailing in Annapolis, MD. As it turned out, I got everything I was hoping for –and a lot more.

The weather cooperated beautifully and the sailing site, Eckerd College, was superb. In addition, the excellent coaching provided by Hunter Ratliff of Lake Forest Sailing proved invaluable to me and the entire team. Beginning with boat handling on Monday and progressing to a full day of team racing on Friday, I watched as the team grew leaps in bounds in their confidence, commitment and skill. Despite being at incredibly diverse levels of sailing, the entire team was challenged to grow and become better sailors.

Personally, I felt that my sailing improved tremendously in just a few days and I can honestly say that I have never felt more confident.
Looking back on the week, there are a couple of things I learned, applicable not only to my support as an alum but also relevant to my own sailing career.
1. On any level of sailing, there is practically no end to the kind of progress that can be made skill-wise by focused, committed practice. Members of the team whose schedules allowed for only periodic practices in the fall season improved by leaps and bounds. The more focused a boat was on the water, the more they got out of that particular coaching session. For myself, taking full advantage of my time on the water meant focusing on every tack and every jibe, pushing a little bit harder, concentrating a little bit more. As Coach Hunter reminded us, “Sailing is hard work!”
2. There is figuratively no price tag on the literal cost-benefit of having experienced and committed coaching on and off the water.
Midwest schools struggle to fund full-time quality coaching and reap the consequences. Having Coach Hunter on the water not merely running drills but motivating and instructing the team made a world of a difference. Off the water, no-nonsense debriefing on the days work reinforced what had been learned. In addition, the coach was able to offer unbiased and clear-headed perspectives on long and short term goals for the team, something that can be difficult for the student team leadership.
3. Finally, I was simply reminded of how great a sport sailing truly is. There aren’t many other sports where you can literally be at the top of your game late in your life. For most of the team, and including myself, we’ve only just set out on what will be a lifetime of sailing. And it all began at NU.

Just a year removed from college sailing at Northwestern, I’ve admittedly taken a hands on approach to being an active alum. Whether it’s been wearing NU Sailing gear at local Annapolis regattas, staying in touch with the team and its successes, or actively participating with the team, I’ve intentionally tried to remain part of a growing tradition of sailing at Northwestern. Currently, former members of Northwestern Sailing Team are sailing around the world on a non-profit educational mission, representing leading companies in the sailboat industry, coaching and instructing tomorrow’s great sailors, and cleaning up at local regattas at lakes, ponds, rivers, and seas all across the U.S. Just by staying in the sport, we support Northwestern Sailing.
There is also much left to be done, including building a stronger capital fund, providing for full-time and even year round coaching, strengthening recruitment, and developing a vision and mandate for a new boathouse on the Northwestern campus. In the next year NUST alumni and experienced sailors from the Chicago area will be coalescing to form the NUST Advisory Board, intended to plan for and eventually achieve the above mentioned goals in partnership with the existing student team leadership. If you have an interest in getting more involved as an alumnus of the team you should not hesitate to contact the team leadership to learn more.
Most of all, keep sailing, and fair winds.

Asa Church

Class of 2007