Sarasota Youth
Sailing
Program
- Englewood, FL
The Sarasota Youth Sailing Program
was founded by Kathy Waggener in the
late 1970s with seven students in the
fi rst class.
In 1980, the school was incorporated
as a 501(c)(3) non-profi t charitable
organization that provides sailing
instruction and coaching for all youth
sailors. They are a year round program
with options for everyone.
Their mission is to encourage youth
sailors to experience the joy of sailing
in a safe and fun environment. The
program strives to impart a love of
sailing as a life sport, while providing
the fundamental skills necessary for
participants to advance in the sport as
far as their desire, skill and hard work
may take them. The sailing program
promote ethical behavior among its
sailors and teaches life-long lessons,
which build character, foster teamwork,
develop self-reliance and instill respect
for the marine environment.
Sarasota Youth Sailing (SYS) initially
started as a summer camp program.
Since its beginning days, the summer
program has grown with approximately
400 youth’s ages 5-18 attending the
summer camp each summer. The summer
camp consists of two week and
one week classes that teach beginning
and intermediate sailing.
“Their mission is to encourage youth
sailors to experience the joy of sailing in a
March/April 2020 GASPARILLA MAGAZINE 11
safe and fun environment. “
For more information about classes and
offerings, go to sarasotayouthsailing.org
/sarasotayouthsailing.org
