Junior sailors show independence at 4th of July regatta

Would you be surprised if your kids made their bed, picked up their room and did their laundry all on their own, every day, without being asked? While the junior sailors at Shrewsbury Sailing and Yacht Club may not do THAT on a daily basis, they do show off their independence in a whole other manner. 

Hang out by the junior clubhouse on any given day and you'll find all the kids, ages 8 and up, rigging their own boats, launching them onto the river, sailing a 3-race regatta, and derigging their boats all on their own. If they need help, they ask the more experienced juniors, who are always happy to lend a hand with the younger kids.

If you were driving over the bridge into Oceanport on Sunday afternoon, you would have noticed the 30+ boats sailing on the Shrewsbury River in the annual SSYC July 4th Regatta. And if you'd looked closely, you would have seen that approximately 10 of the boats were single-handed Optimist dinghies, sailed by the junior sailors who range in age from 8-15. 

The Shrewsbury Sailing and Yacht Club junior program prepares young sailors for all aspects of the sport. For some, being comfortable on the water and learning to sail independently is their goal. For many others, sailors take their skills to the higher level of racing, both on the Shrewsbury River and down on Barnegat Bay, where regattas are held regularly throughout the summer.

The July 4th regatta is just one of many Sunday races held at SSYC during the season (May-September). Non-members are welcome to stop by and check out the programs at any time. You can be sure there will be junior sailors who will be more than happy to show off their skills and independence!