Oakcliff Awarded Joe Prosser Award at US Sailing NSPS 2015

by Pam Elden on 25 Jan 2015 Mardi Gras may not be for another month but US Sailing’s National Sailing Programs Symposium (NSPS) kicked it off early for Oakcliff Sailing this year. This evening, Oakcliff received The Captain Joe Prosser Award, given to an organization that has made an exemplary contribution toward improving the quality and safety in the training or instruction of sailors. This is the top award a training facility can receive from US sailing and embodies everything that Oakcliff stands for.

Elizabeth Shaw, Oakcliff’s Training Program Director, got her beads, dancing shoes and taste buds packed and flew down to accept the award on behalf of Oakcliff Sailing. Liz said of the evening 'It was truly an honor to be recognized by so many inspirational peers in the sailing community. The knowledge that we are filling a void in American sailing is an integral part of what keeps us moving ahead with our goals and ambitions at Oakcliff.'

This award is also a celebration of the award coming full circle. In 1994 Dave Perry, who is a board member at Oakcliff, was the first recipient of the award. He congratulated Oakcliff on its award stating, 'Education is the cornerstone of growing and advancing the sport. Oakcliff Sailing is at the forefront of doing just that through its many educational programs and opportunities.' In 2015, Oakcliff expands its Acorn program with five options designed to introduce sailors to the fundamentals of different aspects of competitive yacht racing. The Tune Up is a two-day intensive program on 40’-50’ keel boats with on-board coaching.

The Offshore program, designed by Dawn Riley, focuses on logging miles, safety at sea and career training. The Skiff and Cat program utilizes 24 Olympic Class skiffs (49er and 49erFX) and multihulls (Nacra 17) with a focus on problem solving and campaign management. The Inshore immersive program boasts private coaching, instruction on various common repairs, racing rules and tactics, and intense match racing. Finally, the Intensive is an all-around program focusing on the foundations of a successful program (maintenance, provisioning, scheduling and logistics). More information can be seen in Oakcliff’s 2015 brochure.

The Sapling program is a summer-long dive into professional sailing through a structured apprenticeship at Oakcliff’s America’s Cup style campus. The sailor leaves this program a leader with comprehensive skills ranging from marine electronics to successful campaign management. The program boasts an 87% industry job placement.

Applications for Oakcliff’s 2015 programs are now being accepted here.

Oakcliff Sailing is a 501(c)(Three) non-profit organization which graciously accepts donations monetarily or in-kind. All donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law and Oakcliff supporters benefit from regularly scheduled training on our extensive fleet.