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Coaching sailing is one of the most rewarding ways to spend your summer: being outside, on the water, getting a killer tan, but most of all passing on the knowledge and skills of a sport that we are all passionate about! The RYC Youth Sailing Program has had a laundry list of great coaches throughout its history, and this year is no different, in fact it may be the best group ever!
Jon Faudree leads the program as its director and head coach. This is his 18th year coaching sailing and the 6th year as a fulltime program director. He has coached at the Youth, High School, College and professional levels, in 2007 he was nominated for USSailing’s Developmental Coach of the Year. This is his 3rd summer running the RYC Program.
Liz Bower is the program coordinator. She started here at RYC as a Dinghy Demon and has been involved ever since. With over 10 years of coaching experience, no one has more time or expertise with the RYC Youth Sailing Program. Liz is a two time All-American at ODU, as well as, a former coach there. To try and list here sailing accomplishments we’d need to write a book! She has won several National and International championships in both Fleet and Match Racing and is the alternate for Olympic Gold Medalist, Anna Tunnicliffe’s campaign for the 2012 Olympics.
Graham Gardner is going into his Senior year at Fordham University where he is the leader of their sailing team. He grew up sailing and racing at the Rochester Yacht Club and raced on the Honeoye Falls-Lima High School Team. This will be his third year as the Head Optimist Racing Coach. Graham brings a wealth of knowledge and experience, as well as a sense of fun that has led to one of the largest Opti Race Teams in the country!
Andrew Zuber returns as RYC’s 420/Laser coach after a season of coaching at the famed Severn Sailing Association in Annapolis, MD. Andrew (or as he is known here… Zuber) helped lead the very successful Brighton High Sailing team before he became a member of the Two Time National Champion College of Charleston Sailing Team. He is a Senior majoring in Business Administration.
Merritt Moran is in her 3rd year as a coach at RYC. In the fall she will attend Georgetown University where she is sure to have an immediate impact on the #4 ranked sailing team. Merritt is one of the most successful and talented sailors ever to come out of the RYC Youth Sailing Program. A leader on the Pittsford team and outgoing commodore of the RJYC.
Olivia Graham will be teaching Dinghy Demons this summer. It is her first year as a coach but she has spent the past three years as a volunteer. In the fall she will be attending Bentley College in Boston, where she will add a lot to their up and coming sailing team. Olivia is one of the best crews to ever come out of the RYC program; few people have ever had her enthusiasm for the sport of sailing!
Julia Wiesner was a volunteer coach for the past 2 years and is beginning her first year as the Opti Learn To Sail (LTS) coach. Although she has only been sailing for 2 ½ years, she has taken to the sport as few others. She has become one of the nation’s best crews, highly recruited at many of the top colleges. It came down to a bidding war between Roger Williams University (ranked #6) and Old Dominion University (rank #13). This past spring Julia also has become a very talented skipper, leading to her choice to attend ODU, which has the #8 ranked women’s team.
Mike Day grew up in Fair Haven where he was one of Jon Faudree’s top sailors. He has a wealth of knowledge in water sports, spending the past 10 years as a professional diver, dive instructor, as well as teaching Jet Skiing, Para sailing, and Sailing. This is his first year as the 420 instructor at RYC.
Chaselynn Collins is a senior at American University, Washington, DC where she is majoring in Business Administration with a minor in Political Science. She is an avid sailor who is on the AU sailing team. She started sailing at 1 week of age when her parents introduced her to the wonderful life of sailing. As a sailor, Chaselynn brings a great deal of passion and enthusiasm for this sport, which she will share as both a Dinghy Demon and Opti LTS coach.
Monica Adams is a senior at Southern Vermont University, she has been sailing since the age of six and has an extensive amount of sailing experience. She was involved in the sailing program at YMCA Camp Cory for five summer's. She also raced 420's throughout High School at the Rochester Yacht Club and has also sailed Lasers, JY-15's, K boats, and J-24's. Monica has taught sailing to children of all ages at YMCA Camp Cory and begins her first at RYC as the newly formed dock coordinator and extended hours care giver. She spends her day teaching the Dinghy Demons from the dock and assisting sailors in the launching and docking process, as well as, administering first aid when things go “bump” on the water.
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