Programs

High School Sailing

High School sailing closely parallels the collegiate sailing format. For fleet racing, teams are divided into A and B divisions comprised of different skippers and crews for each division. Team may substitute sailors as long as prescribed substitution rules are followed. Short courses are used, typically windward-leeward with a gate. Course completion times average 18 minutes. Except in rare cases, only 1 fleet is on the water at a time. Two races are completed and then divisions switch, and the boat being sailed by each team is rotated. This allows for coaching and a break. Boat rotation eliminates the possibility of any team having an advantage because of an inherently faster boat.

Teams also participate in Team Racing events where each team fields three boats to sail against three boats from another team. In team racing teammates work together to outmaneuver the other team so that their combined race scores are better than the other team's combined scores.

SSA coaches divide high school teams into Varsity and Junior Varsity teams based on observed performance and personal knowledge regarding skill levels. At SSA, JV and Varsity teams from the same school practice together. They are divided for competition purposes. Practice schedule at SSA is as follows:

These planned practice days are tentative and subject to change based on enrollment of each team.
Teams training at SSA are part of the Central League of the Mid-Atlantic Scholastic Sailing Association (MASSA) District. Teams participate in a number of regattas throughout the seasons which run from September to November and March to May. The end of each season culminates in a District Championship and in the Spring, for those teams that qualify, the National Fleet Racing Championship (Mallory Cup) and National Team Racing Championship (Baker Cup). SSA high school teams have a long record of being very competitive at the national level.

As well as daily coaching at practices, SSA provides coaching at weekend regattas. JV teams typically travel to local events lasting one day. Varsity teams attend local events and travel to venues requiring overnight stays several times a season. Organization of all local and overnight trips is the responsibility of team captains and parents. Tuition covers all coaching expenses for regattas during the regular season. Additional coaching fees apply for teams participating in the National Championships. Tuition also covers the use of the 18 club owned boats.

Archbishop Spalding, Broadneck, Key and South River train at SSA.

For more information or to see if your high school team can train at SSA, contact the SSA Jr Program Director: