Coaches vs Pros

I've long had the same opinions you showed in today's post about the problems with the sailing industry. As someone who has worked as a Sailmaker at North, Instructor at J World, and coached independently at various levels, I can say the problem is just not as simple as going out and finding a coach or service contract. The problem is within the organizations of our sport.

What is the main difference between sailing, golf and tennis? All three sports are played mostly by smart, well educated successful people. Those who are most interested in these sports generally join clubs. What do sailing clubs miss that Golf and Tennis clubs flourish with today. Pro's.

What is the role of a Golf or Tennis pro. One is to teach. The typical golf pro will spend months in training about the finer points of instruction before a club will even consider them for the job. Once they have the job there first role is to work with NEW and old members on how to improve their game. Two is to run the clubs sporting activities. Pro's help with organizing events, keeping the juniors involved, and making the events more enjoyable for all who participate. Three is to advise the members about things they do not know or understand. Pro's help out with equipment selections and make sure their members products are up to par with their game.

Just image how useful a pro could be in sailing club. Imagine making an appointment with your pro to go out and practice with your new crew on Tuesday afternoon to work on spin sets! Having a well trained teacher and sailor being in charge of our junior sailors development, not just the best local junior sailor who is looking for a summer job. Being able to have an independent advisor looking over your sail inventory, deck hardware, bottom and rigging! Being able to take part in world class run events versus, heaven forbid, joining a club and being asked to help out with the race committee and then not being able to sail!

Why don't clubs have pro's? Money. But that is not a good enough excuse n my book, because pro's are a self fulfilling prophecy. A good pro will bring in more members. For those clubs who have a wait list already, the pro would bring in members willing to pay more and allow clubs to charge current members more because they would be becomming better sailors! Why do you join a club today? Imagine if you just bought a boat and wanted to race it, hmmmm... you could join a club and learn there, as well as race it there! There would be pro's out competing for your business as a new boat owner!

Where would these pro's come from. Easy, Salesmen. Not the ones who make the sails in most cases, not the ones who sell the sails for commissions. The people fresh out of college who want to keep racing a lot so they become Sailmakers. They make about $40,000 a year if they are lucky, pay most of there own expenses, including medical, and they spend most of there time trying to sell sails to the people who need the help the least (i.e. the large big boat customers) Here is the Sailmakers' way of teaching. "OK if you buy a sail or two pick a race and I'll show up for it". Now at that race the Sailmaker has the obligation to do better, as well as their personal reputation on the course, and that of the product. They should and will do whatever it takes for you to do well in that race; drive, yell, do it for you, whatever! It is not a learning environment and most of these guys have never been taught how to teach (adults) anyhow!

Now take a salesmen and turn him or her into a Pro. They take over as the head instructors at both the junior and adult level. They also become on the water coaches available at any time except during a local race, where they are the race committee, jury or on the water observer coaches. Most clubs have short seasons so what do these guys do after that? They SAIL. They are Pro's. They take their boats on the road show and do Key West, Midwinter's, whatever major events they can find, maybe take a few members along as crew. The better sailors they become the better jobs they can get from the larger clubs! When they are not racing they are planning for next year, recruiting new members, and training to become better coaches next season.

This is the end of my lunch sermon. I've been arguing this point for years.

Best Regards,

Brandon Flack