Shoreline Lake launches dedicated Counselor-In-Training Sailing Instructor Program

Counselor-In-Training Sailing Instructor Program © Shoreline Lake

Shoreline Lake announced today the launch of its one-of-a-kind comprehensive sailing instructor training course, given the lack of such instructor programs in Northern California, including the "sailing-crazy" Bay Area. Based out of a popular lake (in a nature preserve within the heart of Silicon Valley), and designed for sailors ages 15+, this new year-long program takes the headache and uncertainty out of gaining the real-world teaching experience that forms part of US Sailing Level 1 Instructor Certification.

An apprenticeship-based "teacher training" curriculum located within a rare environment for the South Bay, the program combines skills development classes, plus experiential learning, under the supervision of experienced certified instructors - a combination needed to satisfy the increasing need for qualified sailing instructors throughout the Bay Area. More advanced than a regular "Camp Counselor-In-Training" program, students not only learn about sailing and sailing instruction from the ground up, they can be confident their efforts are in-line with US Sailing's requirements and those that will aid in obtaining future employment as sailing instructors with reputable schools.

"I know first-hand the frustration of trying to figure out how all the requirements fit together, and then not being able to do this, even in the Bay Area," says William Gardner, Shoreline Lake's Boathouse Supervisor. "To develop a complete sailing instructor course, besides a great spot to do this, we needed to bring all these disparate puzzle pieces together and help lay them out in a coherent fashion useful to the accomplished, as well as new, sailors here."

Gardner, who first started sailing in Shoreline Lake's Summer Camps programs at age 12, created the CIT Sailing Instructor Program, based on the traditional outdoor youth camp counselor training standard. To suit a diverse group of applicants, this hybrid learning model allows sailors of varying levels of expertise to advance at their own pace and apply lessons in a real-world environment - by shadowing certified instructors in both the sailing classes and summer camps. In addition this setup also provides another alternative for Shoreline Lake campers wanting to further perfect their skills, but are completing the last stages of camps.

"Self-motivation and willingness to learn are key to becoming an instructor, regardless of know-how, experience and age," says Christina Ferrari, President of Silicon Shores Corporation (which operates the Shoreline Lake facilities). "And, we have the right package for students, as being able to impart knowledge well takes guidance and practice, which makes a cohesive resource like this vital for developing good teachers, especially in a demanding sport."

The first session for 2022 begins on April 30th. To take part, potential candidates must submit an application, and complete an assessment by Boathouse sailing staff, prior to the first session. For more information about Shoreline Lake's Counselor-In-Training Sailing Instructor Program, please visit their site's CIT Program page, or contact the Boathouse sailing staff ( or 650.965.7474).