|
...Cadets |
Race Training with Dobbin
One of the most
important factors in obtaining high achievement from pupils, is to
have high expectations.
“I can’t see any reason at all why some of you should not be sailing in the 2012 Olympics. IF you train hard and work at it.”
Dobbin’s weekly
race training evening had begun! This is entirely a voluntary
effort, trying to help some of the most able cadets to move on from
simply knowing how to sail, to knowing how to win races. So on
summer Thursday evenings, there are two distinct groups out at sea –
one group with
“Now, I want you
to round the top-mark to port, and then do 10 gybes before you get
the to bottom mark. Off you go. That’s it. Let your sail out.
ROLL IT! ROLL IT! STEADY… NOT TOO
MUCH… Now, do you know why you capsized then…?”
“Get you backside out of the boat! Come on – right out! That’s better. Keep it flat, keep you eyes out of the boat, look for the wind… very nice… keep it going…stay on your feet…very good, very fast…”
“That tack was good. Your timing and
co-ordination were spot-on. This time, try to do it without falling
over in the middle…”
Racing skills are hard to learn, and not easy to teach, but there is
no doubt that there is some real talent emerging amongst the cadets
at AYC.