Thanks Skip!
I have also been convinced as well that techs or no techs, it does not matter. Only good sailing matters! Thanks to all who voiced an opinion! On another note....after signing up in the draft, I have had three teams drop from the Colony Cup this coming weekend. Any interest in sending a team down? All they have to do is get here. My sailors will put them up and take care of them for the weekend. It should be a good warm up for the south qualifiers at SMC and GTN. We have new fat head mains and jibs from Winters Sails and I have my Athletic Director and others from W&M coming to see the action. It is a shame that I will not be able to get all ten of our boats on the water. Just let me know. Anyone else interested!? John (Doc) Griffin Coach, William and Mary Sailing Director, Program in Neuroscience Associate Professor of Biology College of William and Mary Williamsburg, VA 23187 757-221-2257 [email protected] -----Original Message----- From: Skip Kovacs [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Tuesday, September 15, 2009 10:49 PM To: John D. Griffin; [email protected] Cc: [email protected] Subject: Re: [MAISA] Call for Opinion...MAISA Club Team Championships All, St. John's is in favor of OCC continuing to use the Tech at MAISA Club Champs. I have my own opinion about this question, but before I shared it, I wanted to poll my sailors as well. None of them had a strong opinion against the Tech, and many appreciated the reasons Roy Wilkins had for using them. And they much appreciated that Roy's own team was as disadvantaged as they were. One opined that "the Tech is a weird boat that took me almost all of the first day at Club Champs to understand", but still appreciated the challenge. The sense of the St. John's sailors seems to be that the reasons Roy gives for using the Tech outweigh the "penalty" of sailing a boat they're unfamiliar with, and that is very unlike both FJs and 420s. I also agree with Peter Beardsley, whose eloquence goes beyond mine in explaining why it's important not just to coach sailors to win in a particular class, but also to sail well in any class. I think it's important for our sailors to know not just that "when the wind is 12-15 knots, you put the FJ jib car in hole X on the track," but why. And how to carry that knowledge into other classes. Having a "final exam" in general sailing skills in the Tech is something Johnnies, with their unconventional "Great Books" Program that stresses critical thinking, can appreciate. (Although I guess I should note that Johnnies don't take exams. At all. Ever). Skip Kovacs Coach, St. John's College Sailing -- L.C. (Skip) Kovacs email: [email protected] home tel: 301-392-9835 mail: 9825 Hope Acres Rd SJC work: 410-263-2371 ext.2008 White Plains, MD 20695 NRL work: 202-767-3013 John D. Griffin wrote: > > All, > > > Since I received only a few opinions on this, I thought I would resend my > original email and once again ask for additional opinions, especially from > the Club Teams, who are directly affected by this issue. > > > Basically, I am asking if our teams which qualify for the Club Championship, > should have to sail the techs, which many sailors would never sails until > they show up at this event. > > > While I agree that good sailors can sail anything, why should they have to > learn on the spot...at a Championship event? > > > There are many practical reasons from the perspective of someone running > this event, but I feel it does come at a compromise. As a coach, I would > like to prepare my team. They must qualify in either 420s or FJs. Most, will > have never even seen a tech. > > > While you may say this should not matter, we (MAISA coaches and Execs) just > had an on-line discussion about where to hold our regional qualifier for > women's nationals. The discussion was specifically centered around needing a > site that had 420s....because....that is what nationals will sail. > > > So, why should we not have the same standard for the Club Team Championship? > > > Yes, it will mean fewer races and some sailors on shore at times (I do my > best coaching when my one team is sailing and the other can watch with me), > but I feel it is more representative of the skill needed to get there by > these young club level teams and sailors. Why make them work so hard to get > there, then frustrate them with a new vessel? > > > Well, I would like some additional thoughts and opinions before I bring > anything formal to the Exec Committee. > > > Please read and send me some thoughtful responses! I hope you are all off to > a great start to the semester and season...and see you all soon! > > > John (Doc) Griffin > > > Coach, William and Mary Sailing > Director, Program in Neuroscience > Associate Professor of Biology > College of William and Mary > Williamsburg, VA 23187 > > 757-221-2257 > [email protected] > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: [email protected] > [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of John D. Griffin > Sent: Sunday, August 02, 2009 3:42 AM > To: [email protected] > Cc: [email protected] > Subject: [MAISA] Call for Opinion...MAISA Club Team Championships > > > > > > > > To: MAISA Club Teams, Varsity Team Coaches, & Executive Committee > > > > > > > > From: John Griffin (Coach, William & Mary Sailing) > > > > > > > > Re: MAISA Club Team Championships > > > > > > > > I hope everyone is having a fantastic summer and is looking > > forward to a fun and competitive fall sailing season (as well as getting > > back to classes and learning!). I am actually in England teaching at > > Cambridge University for a few weeks, but cannot wait to see my team again > > and get back on the water. So, I have been thinking about all things sailing > > and need your input. > > > > > > > > With the reorganization of the MAISA schedule, there is a new > > focus to the Club Team Championship, as this is now an event to which a club > > level team must qualify. This is now a true Championship Regatta and as > > always, we are all very appreciative to Roy Wilkins, the Ocean County Team, > > and the members of the Toms River Yacht Club for putting this event on in a > > location that is central to all of MAISA. > > > > > > > > Over the past several years, I have attended this event with the > > W&M Team. It has always been a great experience, except for one peculiarity > > of this event, the use of the infamous tech dinghy. While I may agree with > > the argument that a good sailor can sail well in a bathtub (I have sailed > > the Cape Cod Mercury!), this has been a very big point of frustration for me > > and many of my sailors. Since we are a small team, with a small budget, we > > never get to any of the other central events sailed at Toms River. So, as a > > consequence, my sailors (like many other club team sailors) have never > > sailed a tech until they head out for the first race of the Club Team > > Championships. While this may seem to be a great equalizer, there are those > > who have experience in these tricky little boats before coming to this > > event, and I personally do not feel a Championship should be about who is > > the first to figure them out. If we had one sitting on the docks for > > training (like some teams actually do), or made it to Toms River a few times > > a year, then I would feel more comfortable with their use in this > > championship event. However, the reality is that I usually bring a different > > group of sailors each year, who have no experience sailing a tech. To work > > so hard to make it to this event and then feel helpless for at least the > > first few races as they sort out sailing the techs, makes this less of a > > championship in my mind. > > > > > > > > Therefore, I am seeking your opinions and advice on whether to > > forward a proposal to the MAISA Executive Board which would eliminate the > > use of the tech dinghy in this event. Since all of the club level teams sail > > 420s at some point in their seasons, this would put us all on a level > > playing field for this championship. I certainly do not want to be imposing > > my opinion on everyone if I am in the minority in this view, so please let > > me know your thought before I move this idea forward. > > > > On last and very important thing to consider are the comments of > > our host for this event (Roy Wilkins). Below are listed the reasons he gave > > me for using the techs. I certainly respect Roy and value his opinions. His > > reasons for using the techs are all very valid. In addition, this has always > > been a well done event and I truly appreciate the time he and the members of > > the Toms River Yacht Club put into the planning and running of this event. > > However, I am convinced that although only using the 420s will lower the > > number of races sailed, it will create a stronger and more competitive > > event. Please let me know your thoughts! > > > > > > > > Roy's Responses to my initial inquiry. > > > > > > > > "Good Morning Doc, > > > > > > > > In response to your e mail, I have mixed emotions about the two fleets. I > > agree with you that it is not fair for new sailors to sail in the Techs. My > > team always scores poorly when sailing the Techs so it is not an advantage > > to me. As a former soccer coach I hated when we had to play on turf coming > > off a grass field. > > > > > > > > These are the reasons I use Techs: > > > > 1. All the teams are on the water at the same time. In November it is always > > cold and once a team is warmed up they stay that way till the lunch break > > > > 2. Everyone is on the same learning curve. The top sailors figure it out > > early and have positive results. The team that has won the clubs the past > > three years, Fordham, has the top sailors. Their tech finishes were always > > at the top of the scoring. > > > > 3. Allows for a long lunch break and some quality coaching time. > > > > 4. Time, in November the days are shorter, the two fleets makes the regatta > > go quickly. > > > > 5. Travel home. I know everyone enjoys finishing the regatta by 1:00 on > > Sunday. > > > > 6. Toms River Yacht Club. They have social events Sat evening and want the > > parking lot cleared by 4:00 on Sat. > > > > 7. Having many races in a short time on both days keeps my support staff > > happy. As you have experienced I have a large support team who all have > > families. Ending early on both days keeps them coming back. > > > > > > > > I am a huge fan of fair play. I totally understand where you are coming > > from. If the majority of teams vote on not sailing in the techs then they > > will be eliminated. No problem. My students would love that. I hope you now > > understand why I choose to use Techs. > > > > > > > > Best, > > > > Roy Wilkins" > > > > > > > > > > > > So, please send me your thoughts... > > > > > > > > John (Doc) Griffin > > > > > > > > Coach, William and Mary Sailing > > > > Director, Program in Neuroscience > > > > Associate Professor of Biology > > > > College of William and Mary > > > > Williamsburg, VA 23187 > > > > 757-221-2257 > > > > [email protected] > > > > > > > > > > > > _________________________________________________ > > maisa mailing list > > [email protected] > > http://www.collegesailing.org/mailman/?listname=maisa > > _________________________________________________ > maisa mailing list > [email protected] > http://www.collegesailing.org/mailman/?listname=maisa > _________________________________________________ maisa mailing list [email protected] http://www.collegesailing.org/mailman/?listname=maisa
