Charli Hadden 2009©
The Junior Squad at Swarkestone sailing club has grown dramatically in the last few years. It is not unusual to come down on a summer’s day and see 30 or more junior sailors on the water. New beginners start in the Optimist dinghy of which the club owns four and hires another six, sailors can then choose to progress into one of the 16 club toppers, which are rigged to suit a variety of ages, or into the club’s Pico, a beginner double handed boat. For the more experienced junior, the club has four 420 dinghies for fast and tactical double handed racing. The Junior Squad has 12 training sessions on Sundays throughout the summer months.
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Junior Week 2008
The age range for juniors is mainly between 6 and 18, with beginners joining across this range. All of the instructors who work with the Junior Squad are fully RYA qualified and trained to work with children. The club has a strong emphasis on including junior sailors within the club. This means there are lots of junior social events at the club during the seasons. The juniors also have their own start on Sunday club racing and are able to compete for a 12 race series known as the Burley Trophy which is only open to juniors. During the year the juniors work towards grades on the RYA youth scheme, and some are working towards their assistant instructor qualification.
