Level 1 Sailing Instructor Course

SAIL is sponsoring a US SAILING Level 1 Instructor Training course in conjunction with Community Sailing of Colorado, to be held at Cherry Creek Reservoir, May 29 – June 1, 2008.

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About the Course
Scholarship

About the Level 1 Sailing Instructor Course

This is an intensive, four-day, forty-hour course consisting of classroom, dry-land drills, and on-the water exercises. (This is not a course to teach sailing; candidates are expected to be proficient sailors before the course begins.) The course concentrates on the teaching of sailing in small single-handed or double-handed boats. More information can be found at US SAILING's course description.

Location: The course will be based at the Cherry Creek Marina & Yacht Club on the west side of Cherry Creek Reservoir. Enter Cherry Creek State Park from the West Gate on Dayton Street, south of Union Avenue. Proceed east to the first left turn, then north to the building with the green roof. The class will be at the west side of that building.

Materials, supplies, & equipment: Instructor candidates will receive textbooks, manuals and other materials in advance of the course, which they are expected to have reviewed and bring to class. (These materials are covered within the course fee.) Candidates should bring necessary clothing and equipment for sailing, including personal flotation devices, lunch, water, sunscreen, notepaper & pencils. You may need a wet suit for the swim test, depending on water temperature. Bring a whistle.

Tip: Be prepared with layers of clothing for variable weather. Wear shirts with collars; tee-shirts are considered "unprofessional attire" by our Instructor Trainer.

Curriculum: Candidates will receive instruction in theory & techniques of learning as applied to teaching sailing, dry-land drills to teach specific skills & knowledge, and on-the-water drills. The official US SAILING statement includes these topics:

Teaching from and using a Safety Boat.

Use of land and on-the-water drills.

Sports psychology and physiology

Lesson Planning

Classroom teaching techniques for eye-hand coordination skills

Risk management and other legal issues

Safety considerations

Rainy day activities

Prerequisites: US SAILING lists the following prerequisites for taking the course:

Experience and expertise in sailing small boats.

Experience in operating a safety boat. This skill will not be taught, but will be tested. See http://www.ussailing.org/training/Instructors/SBLevel1/sbskillstest/index.asp for an animated review of tested skills.

Safe Boating certification. Colorado candidates over age 15 can take the online course & test at http://www.boat-ed.com/co/index.htm.

Meet the requirements to operate a powerboat where the course is being held, either by holding a Colorado Safe Boating Certificate or by reciprocity. (See above.)

Current USCG approved CPR and First aid certification (e.g., Red Cross).

Successful completion of a swim check. (During course.)

Current US SAILING individual or family membership.

Completed application form accompanied by appropriate course fee (and any late charges).

Completed Medical Form (provided with course materials; bring to course).

Minor candidates must bring the waiver form to the course (provided with course materials).

Completed Safety Boat Skills Self Assessment Form (provided with course materials; bring to course).

Ability to exhibit appropriate personal and interpersonal skills.

Tests & Evaluations: There will be written tests and practical evaluations of skills & knowledge. Candidates will present lesson plans, lead dry-land and on-the-water drills and be tested on swimming and safety-boat operation.

Certification: Successful candidates can receive certification to teach sailing in small boats.

Scholarship Available

To promote the sport of sailing, SAIL will offer up to $315 (tuition for one candidate) to qualified applicants for the US SAILING Level 1 Sailing Instructor Course in 2008. A committee appointed by the SAIL Commodore will award the scholarship based on submitted applications.

These criteria to determine the most qualified applicant(s) were approved on 7 Feb 2008.

Eligibility: Scholarships will only be awarded to applicants who meet all course prerequisites, qualify to take the course and are members of S.A.I.L. Applicants who do not meet all course prerequisites or are not members of SAIL* are not eligible for further scholarship consideration.
* Note: Membership in SAIL is free to those under age 19 as of January 1, 2008. Adult membership dues are $15 per year.

For information about the course prerequisites, see http://www.ussailing.org/training/Instructors/SBLevel1/sb_instructor.asp.
Disallowed Criteria: The committee shall not consider race, ethnicity, religion, or gender in its determinations of who may receive a scholarship.
Merit: Applicants will be ranked according to the scholarship committee’s judgment of the quality of instructor the applicants will make. The committee will consider the applicants’ stated goals and past history, plus evaluations of others who know the applicant. The committee may consider personality suitability & motivation as an instructor.
Knowledge & Skill: Applicants will be ranked according to the scholarship committee’s judgment of the applicants’ knowledge of sailing and sailing skills.
Character: Applicants will be ranked according to the scholarship committee’s judgment of the applicants’ character and fitness to serve as a role model.
Need: The committee may consider whether receipt or non-receipt of a scholarship will determine whether a worthy applicant will be financially able to afford the course. Applicants’ statements as to need shall be considered.
Service: Applicants will be ranked according to the committee’s judgment of the applicants’ likelihood to serve the sport of sailing within the SAIL region without respect to remuneration. Past service and applicant’s statements may be used as guides to future service. The committee may consider service to under-served or under-represented groups in its evaluations.
Weighting of Criteria: The committee shall assign weights to the above criteria as it deems appropriate to arrive at a decision, except that “Eligibility” shall be a requirement .
Publication & Disclosure: The committee will announce & publish its recommendation and may cite the positive aspects of the recommended applicant. It shall not disclose the rank order of applicants, nor negative aspects of any. Excepted from this general prohibition is disclosure to an individual applicant of his or her “areas for improvement”.

Application: To be considered for the scholarship, complete an application and submit it to the course coordinator, Ralph Taylor by May 1, 2008. A copy of the scholarship application form can be viewed & printed by clicking here.

The scholarship awardee will be reimbursed for the course fee upon successful completion of the program.

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