Important information for SSA Spring HS Sailing Teams
Tom
Dear SSA High School Sailing Teams;
I am writing to remind and let you know of a few important dates coming up soon, along with the location of the Spring 2016 HS Registration site, which for the first time will employ SSA’s “Club Express” website. We are now officially, and permanently, on board and together with the Club’s standard website. Here is the HIGH SCHOOL information page. Your individual schedules for the spring have already been sent. The tryout schedule for the first week of sailing practice is listed on the SSA high school information page.
· To register for 2016 Spring HS Sailing, CLICK HERE. All sailors must register.
· Our informational high school meeting will be at 1830 on 04 March at SSA. This will be a great chance to meet the staff.
Also, I wanted to write and let you know that effective 01 March, I will resign my position as Sailing Director at the Club. I have enjoyed serving the SSA community, and I am also very excited for the future. To help transitions, I have agreed to remain in a part-time administrative-only role for the Spring, and then will return to manage the Summer Program as Director in June. I’d like to single out Mr. Henry Filter, among many, as someone I have enjoyed working with, and I am very glad that he will remain as Chair of the Junior Committee at SSA. You all are, and will be, in the best of hands under his guidance.
I am incredibly excited about our coaching staff going forward. I’d like to introduce our new Head Sailing Coach, Mr. James Rountree. James is currently en-route to Annapolis from his home in Auckland, New Zealand, and I will work very closely with him before March to allow him to hit the ground running with High School Sailing. Also, Mr. Bryan Stout returns to work with James; his local knowledge, and familiarity with our program and kids will be instrumental in helping James lead a great program. James will transition in this month as the Head HS Coach, and he is already up and running with email, and his email is: head...@severnsailing.org . His phone number is 410.263.0071. Please review their bios below.
If you are at all interested in SSA Youth Summer Sailing, you should check out our Coach list; I am beyond thrilled with the coaches assembled for summer 2016, and also very excited about the future of SSA Junior Sailing going forward.
James Rountree: Co-Head Sailing Coach head...@severnsailing.org
We are very excited to announce the hiring of James Rountree, of Auckland, New Zealand. Personal highlights include helping Kohimarama Yacht Club continue as a top youth sailing club in New Zealand. I enjoy seeing sailors that I have previously coached place highly in New Zealand and at World Championships. In 2015, I coached five green fleet sailors into the top ten at the Sir Peter Blake Regatta (New Zealand’s largest regatta). I am proud to have recently worked alongside sailors who I coached at the beginning of my coaching career. James is also an experienced High School Coach. Highlights of my teams racing coaching include the Diocesan School for Girls team placing 1st Girls Team at the New Zealand Teams Racing Nationals, and 1st at the Auckland Cup in 2013. In 2014, the team won Australasia Interdominion Championships, and the Top Sports Team Award at the Diocesan School for Girls Sports Awards.
“Coaching is my passion. Intrinsically motivating athletes to ensure sailing is an enjoyable and rewarding experience is essential. High-level coaching experience across different sports enables me to achieve this.”
Bryan Stout: High School Sailing Coach br...@stoutgear.com
From Annapolis, MD Bryan Stout is an elite sailor and coach who was born and raised in Annapolis. He is the youngest child of . snipe sailors Lorie and Alex Stout who raised him to be passionate about sailboat racing. This passion is something which he wishes to pass on to the next generation of sailors. Since his first year in the junior program, SSA has been a second home to Bryan. Starting with harbor rookies he spent every summer progressing up the ranks. At age 12, he was part of the SSA Optimist Travel Team and sailing became his sport of choice. By the time he had started sailing in high school, Bryan had competed in 30+ major regattas in optimists, snipes, and j24s, even representing the USA in Belgium at age 14. By 17, Bryan had represented SSA at many nationally sanctioned events such as: US youth championships, 420 and Snipe North Americans, 420 and Snipe National Championships, Bemis Youth Double-handed Championships, High School Nationals, Buzzards Bay Regatta, and many an Orange Bowl. He ended his SSA Jr program career with the award for Outstanding Boy Sailor and Two Golden Bowl wins. This fall Bryan is looking forward to coaching the high school and optimist teams. His next major championship comes this fall when he heads to Talamone, Italy for the Snipe Worlds.
Best regards,
Tom