New Trier High School’s sailing team, unlike many clubs or sports at NT, gives students a unique opportunity: to get out on the water. Navigating large sailboats through stressful regattas and traveling together on weekend trips, the group has proved their communication is a key factor to their success. 

The sailing team will be attending the National Invitational Tournament in Norfolk, Virginia the weekend of May 16 due to their third place finish at their regional regatta in Gross Point, Michigan the weekend of April 26. The group will compete against nationally ranked teams in a series of races, attempting to prove their excellence in the program. 

A boat consists of two positions on board: the skipper and the crew. While the skipper steers the boat, making calls on the direction and controlling the mainsail, the crew sits at the front of the boat, working to keep the boat level with the jib (a smaller sail) while calling out information about the wind pressure and incoming boats. Out on the water, this communication is essential in order to keep the boat afloat. 

“You both [the skipper and crew] have really important positions, since you won’t go as fast if one person isn’t doing their job,” junior and co-captain Olivia Gingue said. “You try to talk through every single step about what you’re doing, especially when you’re racing.”

Making sure both sailors are on the same page about the navigation of the boat is a critical component of races. When other boats are attempting to pass or beat you to the mark, it is important to keep a fair distance in order to avoid a penalty.

“When you foul another boat and they protest you, you have to spin: do a 360 or sometimes two [full rotations],” junior Camila Benes said.

A penalty can be given out if a boat makes contact with the mark or runs into another group. In order to avoid losing time, the sailors must work to keep the boat balanced.

“Being coordinated is really important on the boat because you have to time up your body weight,” Benes added. “To move the boat the way you need it to, [balancing] body weight is a really important factor for steering.”

The team’s steadiness on the boat largely comes from the fact that the group is closely bonded off the water as well. The team often hangs out outside of practice, even going on trips together. 

“It’s a really connected team,” Gingue said. “We do a lot of activities outside of sailing that are just super fun. This year, we went on a ski trip [to Alpine Valley in Wisconsin] and had Thanksgiving and holiday dinners. We’re all a bunch of friends, and it’s really nice to know that you have a lot of people on your team who you can go to who support you.”

Even driving to practice is a trip within itself. Taking place at the Chicago Yacht Club twice a week, the team has to leave right after school to make the 45 minute, sometimes over an hour, trek to the harbor.

“It’s definitely the time commitment,” Gingue addressed as the most challenging aspect of the team. “You’re traveling a lot and your weekends are usually booked.”

However, even so, the team finds ways to turn the hour and a half round-trip drive into a team bonding experience, helping them gain leverage over their opponents who do not spend as much time together. 

“We play music and it’s a good way to get to know each other,” Benes said. “A lot of the other teams that sail against us don’t carpool and don’t do dinners like we do, and I think none of them are as close as [us]. The captains randomize who’s in what car and they send a new carpool list out every day.”

The group’s comfort with one another allows them to help each other out on the water, making adjustments and giving corrections that will ultimately help the team score higher. Gingue credits this constructive criticism as the most important aspect to the team’s success. 

“We’re all friends and we all communicate really well, so especially on the water when someone makes a mistake, people are definitely quick to try to teach you what went wrong or how you can improve,” Gingue said. “It’s a team that supports each other and lifts each other up. It’s a nice, respectful environment.”

On race days, it is important that the group receives feedback from their coach about potential boating strategies specific to the weather conditions that day. 

“If you’re not sailing [at a regatta], you’re normally on the coaching boat with your coach and they’re discussing with you what they think of the [other boats sailing],” Benes said. “They say, ‘They should’ve done this,’ or ‘They’re doing a good job at this.’”

Understanding how the water pressure, currents, and the wind impacts the boat is essential in keeping the boat upright and getting it to move. This means that the team often comes together to discuss and analyze the wind patterns on race day.

“You have to look online at what the wind is and what direction it’s coming from,” Gingue said. “When you get out there [on the water], you try to sail around for a little bit before a race to get a feel for things– make sure your boat is rigged correctly.”

The team competes in both team racing and fleeting with one boat from each team participating. Especially for team racing, it is essential that members put the team first and look out for one another on the water. 

“Sometimes you have to sacrifice yourself so your teammates can get ahead,” Benes said. “It’s really important to know when you need to play back, when you need to stop the other boats from coming forward, or when you need to go as fast as you can to the finish because you’re in a winning combination.” 

The team’s close-knit relationship and knowledge of the water ultimately will help them to succeed in the long run–including at their National Invitational Tournament in Norfolk, Virginia the weekend of May 16 

“I’m really confident in our team and our ability to perform well at nationals,” Gingue said. “We’ve worked hard all year and our strong communication definitely sets us apart.’