The national sailing academy is pleased to announce that six of its students, all Antiguan, aged 16 – 18 years, have now achieved their royal yachting association qualifications as certified dinghy and keel-boat sailing instructor. They’ll have to look into getting a Sabot for sale now to get kick started in their new career!
The course, which took place this month over a period of 10 days, was delivered by two RYA Coach/Assessors from the U.K. The first day of sailing assessment required the students to demonstrate that they had sufficient sailing skills to enable them to teach others and the remainder of the time was ‘teaching them to teach’
The RYA Sailing Instructor Certificate gives them the credentials to gain employment anywhere in the world that teaches dinghy/keelboat sailing. As this course was previously help at the Academy in 2014, when three candidates qualified as Instructors, we have now had a total of nine graduating from the course.
Of the programme President of the National Sailing Academy Elizabeth Jordan says , ‘’The Academy regards this as the first rung on the ladder of qualifications that we would like them to obtain in their chosen fields of sailing/yachting – thus underlining the fact that sailing is the only sport in Antigua that can lead to well paid employment for significant numbers of our young people.’’ She went on to say ‘’I am delighted that so many young Antiguan youths who learnt to sail on the Academy programme are now being able to use it as a major stepping stone for their future careers. It is very satisfying to see that the vision we had for the programme is now bearing fruit’’.
The Academy and the students would like to Thank our sponsors for this opportunity, i.e. Mr. Lloyd Thornburg of ‘Phaedo3’ and The Cappa Cup event.
The candidates were:
Jules Mitchell – Age 17 – graduated St Joseph’s Academy 2015. Having completed his STCW10 and now his RYA Sailing Instructor course, he will be working at the National Sailing Academy in English Harbour where he will teach young sailors how to race dinghies and also work with disabled children and adults on the Sailability programme. His ambition is to be a racing sailor and to represent Antigua & Barbuda at the Olympics.
Tyrese Loctar – Age 16 – graduated from St. Mary’s High School 2016. He is already working as an apprentice Marine Engineer and wishes to pursue this as a career with the aim of becoming an engineer on a megayacht. His excellent proven sailing skills will add to his credentials when he starts to apply for employment in this field. He will continue sailing as a hobby and enjoys sailing both dinghies and yachts.
Joshua Daniels – Age 17 – graduated from All Saints Secondary School in 2015 and is now attending the Institute of Technology for further studies. He started sailing in 2014 at the Academy and intends to gain further qualifications with the ambition of eventually becoming a yacht captain. He will be spending time at the Sailing Academy, weekends and holidays, helping to teach young sailors.
Maliek Patterson – Age 18 – graduated from All Saints Secondary School in 2015 and is now entering his second year at State College. He also started sailing in 2014 and enjoys both recreational and competitive sailing. He would like to further his sailing career in dinghies by becoming a Senior Dinghy Sailing Instructor, but would additionally like to pursue the opportunity of Marine Engineering. He will also be helping part-time at the Academy teaching young sailors.
Kamar James – Age 18 – graduated All Saints Secondary School 2015 and also now entering his second year at State College. He started sailing with Joshua and Maliek and also wishes to train further with the ambition of becoming a Senior Instructor. He is also interested in training on Yachts and eventually becoming a yacht captain.
Jahdean Jeffers – Age 17 – graduated All Saints Secondary School 2016. He started sailing at the Academy in 2014 and now plans to enter further education in the field of culinary arts whilst also pursuing his sailing career to gain additional sailing/yachting qualifications.