S1D Club Profiles are part of Sail1Design’s ongoing prject to profile great sailing clubs and programs throughout the country. Want your club profiled? Get in touch with our Club Profile Manager!
Sail Black Rock – Bridgeport, CT
Location: Black Rock Harbor, Bridgeport, CT
Number of Members: 40+
Fleets: FJ, Laser, Rhodes 19
Sailing Opportunities: High school and college sailing
Mission and History
Sail Black Rock is located in Black Rock Harbor in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Founded in 2011, this unique sailing center is a rapidly expanding conglomeration of high school and collegiate teams that have joined together in an effort to enhance their personal development in the sport of sailing. The organization currently has more than 40 members from the sailing teams at Sacred Heart University, Fairfield University, and the Aquaculture Science and Technology High School in Southwestern Connecticut.
The mission of Sail Black Rock is to develop a high school and college sailing conglomerate that trains highly skilled and competitive sailors. The sailing center is open to individuals of all skill levels and those who have a strong passion for the sport. “Our goal is to have a competitive sailing center that services high school and collegiate sailors here in Black Rock Harbor,” says Dave White, Founder and Program Director at Sail Black Rock.
The idea to form the organization first came about in January 2011 when Sacred Heart University announced they would be starting a club sailing team. As a former collegiate sailor and experienced coach, Dave White offered his services to help lead the team. “I spent a few weeks trying to put together a model for the team,” continues White, “I traveled up and down the East Coast visiting various clubs and marinas to help organize a plan. I believe that a team with good coaching and structure could compete against varsity NEISA teams.”
As the team began to take shape, they were offered facilities at Captain’s Cove Marina in Black Rock Harbor. From there a second college team, Fairfield University, joined the mix and the roots of Sail Black Rock had been planted.
Commitment to Sailing
Sail Black Rock began as a small union between two club sailing teams. The program now includes a high school organization and is actively working to bring in new teams. Lead by a dedicated staff, the high school and college sailors are exposed to high level, competitive training and development. Beginner sailors also receive the same level of dedicated training. “Many beginners advance rapidly at Sail Black Rock,” says White, “I can recall specifically one individual who had never sailed before arriving at college and after training with our team is consistently a starting sailor at many of our regattas.”
White is proud of the program they have begun to build. With solid infrastructure, boats, coaches and a classroom, the organization hopes to begin recruiting college sailors this coming fall. “I’m in a position to give back to the sailing community,” White says, “ I’m passionate and I’m motivated to create sailing opportunities where they otherwise wouldn’t exist.
Future of the Organization
In the short time since being founded, Sail Black Rock has exhibited tremendous growth in both athlete participation and acquisition of physical assets. “We want to keep on an upward trend,” says White, “Our goal is to continue to expand our sailing venue and eventually be able to host high school and intercollegiate regattas.”
Several more local universities, including the University of Bridgeport have already expressed interest in joining the organization. In addition, there are plans in the works to acquire a new fleet of Lasers, which would add even more competitive opportunity to program.
Within the past year, Sail Black Rock has partnered with some major players in the local sailing community including Stamford Yacht Club, The Vineyard Race and North Sails in an effort to provide their sailors with access to the latest sailing information and technology.
However, building a sailing center from the ground up has not been without its challenges. In the early stages Sail Black Rock had only a handful of boats and no facilities. Funding and the need for new boats is a common problem for organizations such as Sail Black Rock. Recently, the organization has been able to secure funding for boats and hopes to bring in even more in the coming years. In addition to acquiring boats and other assets, the sailing center must navigate the rules, regulations and philosophies of each in
Since its foundation, Sail Black Rock has provided their sailors with a highly structured and competitive atmosphere from which to learn. The possibilities appear to be endless for this unique and upcoming sailing center.
To learn more about this sailing center or to support their mission please contact Dave White.
Dave White Founder, Sail Black Rock
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S1D Club Profiles are part of Sail1Design’s ongoing prject to profile great sailing clubs and programs throughout the country. Want your club profiled? Get in touch with our Club Profile Manager!
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