Karen Harris - Junior Sailing Program
Karen Harris, Creator/Director of the JPYC Junior Sailing Foundation
In 2016, as Commodore of JPYC, Karen re-launched the Junior Sailing Program that had been defunct for over 20 years. Beginning with the purchase of 12 Bugs from the Chicago Yacht Club in 2017, the program was entirely fee-for-service. By the Spring of 2018, Karen secured funding to purchase seven used 420s and launch the Open Horizons Scholarship Program. The JPYC Foundation awarded 64 scholarships in 2018, 65 in 2019, and over 100 in 2020.
January 13, 2020
JPYC Instructors Training at the Olympic Training Center!
As part of the three year US Sailing Siebel Sailor Program grant that JPYC Foundation was fortunate to receive, Karen Harris, President of the JPYC Foundation, and Johnny Mercer, Director of Youth Sailing Programs at the JPYC Foundation, are attending specialized coach training with Olympic coaches at the US Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
During this 4-5 day training program, the JPYC Foundation is working with other Siebel Sailor Program grantees from Chicago (Columbia Sailing School, Sheridan Shores Sailing School and Sheybogan Youth Sailing Center), the Mid-Atlantic Region (DC Sails, Downtown Sailing Center, and Baltimore County Sailing Center), and San Francisco (Treasure Island Sailing Center, Alameda Community Sailing Center, Golden Gate Yacht Club Youth Sailing Foundation, as well as staff from US Sailing and the Siebel Sailing Program, to learn coaching best practices from the best coaches in the US -- Olympic coaches!
We are looking forward to learning a lot and using our new skills, and the new RS Feva boats that we also received as part of this grant, to make the 2020 season the best season yet.
Registration for JPYC Foundation's 2020 youth sailing programs will open soon! We will sell out -- so be sure to register early to ensure your spot.
Photos: Arlis Ball