Siebel Sailors at ACSC: A fun, inclusive, Thoughtful, CHALLENGING New adventure

ACSC-ers attend the Siebel Launch Party at TISC

Back in September, US Sailing and The Siebel Sailors Program announced its first round of recipients. Alameda Community Sailing Center was honored to be selected as a Siebel Sailing Center. Along with Treasure Island Sailing Center and Golden Gate Yacht Club Foundation, we make up the San Francisco Bay Region of Seibel Centers. 

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So what is this Siebel Sailing Program all about?
Here are the quick facts:

MISSION: To increase opportunity and promote diversity in the sport of sailing.

VISION: The Siebel Sailors program aims to bridge the participation gap among 10-14 year olds, a group that tends to leave sailing, and to encourage participation among populations and demographics that are under-represented in the sport generally.  The program will do this by emphasizing positive, 21st-century coaching techniques, providing a diverse and dynamic youth sports experience, and developing the skills needed to continue lifelong participation in the sport.

VALUES:

• Fun: We are free to find our own enjoyment and play within a supportive community.
• Respect: We grow appreciation and responsibility for ourselves, our team, and the sailing environment.
• Effort: We do our best every day.
• Voice: We speak up and collaborate with each other to shape our own learning and sailing experiences. 
• Inclusiveness: We support an inclusive community with diverse activities that encourages everyone to participate.  

​What makes Siebel different?  If it can be for any skill level and its offered at a variety of Centers, what is the common thread across the program?

• The Siebel Sailors Program is a program that Centers participate in.  Its designed to shift the discipline and culture of both youth sailing and coaching at partner centers
• US Sailing provides tools, support and resources to Centers to assist the culture shift (fleet of Feva’s, regionally allocated powerboat, national level coach, standardized curricula, skill tracking tools)
• Target demographic is 10-14 year olds and communities under-represented in the sport
• Regional coaches work within a single program offering at centers for Year 1 and steadily expand the “culture” to additional program offerings in Year 2.  By Year 3, Centers have adopted the “culture” across all program offerings.
• Centers’ can have the Regional Coach work within any skill level or program offering initially; Centers decide what is best for them.
• The shift in culture is focused around a de-emphasis on specialization (i.e. dinghy racing) and a re-emphasizing of the skills needed to “play for life,” including social skills and life skills as well as sailing skills

Siebel Coaching Camp
ACSC Program Director, Emily Zugnoni, joined coaches and directors from Siebel Centers all over the country to learn, collaborate, and discuss how to begin implementation of this innovative new program. The Siebel Coaching Camp was held in Colorado Springs at the Olympic and Paralympic Training Center. Presentations focused on The American Development Model, Coaching Styles, Positive Discipline, Safesport, High Performance Cueing, Siebel Curriculum/Culture/Values, Diversity & Inclusion, and Feva Boat Care. The camp challenged the participants to think about interacting with young athletes in new ways, the social and emotional development of our sailors, and about how we can change the face of sailing for future generations. 

What's next?
This spring, beginning March 30th, ACSC will host its first official Siebel program, Siebel Spring Break Camp. The curriculum has been developed by US Sailing and will be coached by national Siebel Coach, Chris Childers. We cannot wait for this fun, challenging, inclusive new adventure to begin!