US Sailing -Award for Sail Training to Ralf Steitz

by Marlieke Eaton on 31 Oct 2007 Ralf Steitz of Port Washington, N.Y., has received US Sailings' Timothea Larr Award for his lifelong commitment to quality sailing education. The award is the US Sailing Training Committee's highest honour, presented annually to an individual whose vision and guidance has made an outstanding contribution to the advancement of sailor education and training in the United States. Steitz was presented with the award by Rich Jepsen, US Sailing Training Committee chair, last Friday at US Sailing's Annual Meeting in Phoenix, Ariz.

Steitz is currently the Offshore Sailing Director at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, N.Y. He is also a member of Safety at Sea Committee at Storm Trysail Club headquartered in Larchmont, N.Y. Steitz has been a driving force behind the growth of Safety at Sea training for youth and adults. He has been the lead presenter at the Junior Safety at Sea Seminar held the past 11 years at the Larchmont Yacht Club in New York. With 20-25 borrowed big boats (35-50 feet) and many volunteer coaches, each summer, under his leadership, the program trains about 225 juniors and their instructors in big boat team organisation, sail handling, and man overboard drills.

Based on the success of this program in New York, Steitz has continued to develop the curriculum for this program to include hands-on training and more. Similar seminars have now been held in other places, such as Annapolis, Md., Newport, R.I., and Marblehead, Mass. More than 2,000 young sailors have attended these programs.

Steitz has also been instrumental in creating programs to keep juniors and college age students in the sport of sailing by introducing them to big boat and offshore sailing. By offering the resources of Kings Point, Steitz has helped re-build an annual intercollegiate big boat regatta, which last year attracted a record 33 intercollegiate teams.

Steitz has also been instrumental in creating programs for instructors and race officials, supports a wide range of sailing organizations and communities, issues offshore rating certificates, and provides administration and oversight of competitive sailing across the country, including National Championships and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Sailing Teams.

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