Photo courtesy of Hoover Sailing Club
The Hoover Sailing Club has been racing across the reservoir and into the hearts of the community for almost 55 years.
“It started in 1962 as just a group of members that wanted a sailing club,” says Sarah Hoctor, the club’s publicity chair. “But now, it’s clearly the leading program in all of central Ohio.”
Hoctor and her husband, John, learned to sail on Chesapeake Bay while living in Washington, D.C., but when they were transferred to Colorado for three years, they found the area had far fewer sailing opportunities. After the couple moved to Ohio, though, they made a decision, Hoctor says: “We’ve got to get sailing back in our lives.”
Their personal experience with sailing may have been the catalyst for their membership, but they didn’t have to drag the rest of the family into the water to get them to sail. In fact, it was probably their children’s enthusiasm for the sport that got them so involved, which seems to be a common trend within the community.
“It’s become a family thing,” Hoctor says.
Photo courtesy of Hoover Sailing Club
Hoctor sent her two daughters, Zoe and Lilly, to one of the club’s summer sailing classes a few years ago. They were reluctant to go at first, but have enjoyed the summer camp every year since. Zoe, the older of the two, even decided to join the club’s high school racing team.
“As parents do, we got hooked,” says Hoctor. “And now we’re doing everything for the club.”
Her family is coming up on its fifth summer of membership in the club, and both parents are now on the board. Hoctor became the publicity chair just this year, while her husband is co-chair for the junior racing team.
“There are some paid staff, like our camp counselors and things like that, but most of the board is all volunteer,” Hoctor says.
The club’s membership numbers speak to its popularity. Members number nearly 200 now, up from 184 in January 2016.
Like most other sailing clubs in the area, the Hoover club holds adult races for its many different fleets every week of the summer months. Their youth teams, though, are exceptional in central Ohio.
The junior race team accepts those between 7 and 18 years old, while the high school sailing program goes by grade, starting as early as grade seven. The high school program differentiates itself from the junior race team because it allows students to compete for their specific schools. Thus far, 13 different central Ohio schools have started sailing teams, and all are hosted through the club. But even students whose schools don’t have a sailing team are welcome to participate as individuals.
Photo courtesy of Hoover Sailing Club
“The other sailing clubs haven’t jumped on board with the high school sailing teams,” says Hoctor. “So we’re the only one.”
The program doesn’t just give students a recreational credit.
“Some of these kids that are in our program are nationally ranked because of the sailing they do,” says Hoctor.
A few of the regattas hosted by the club are qualifiers for national competitions, and the program can even help students get the experience they need to earn college scholarships.
While the club’s adult and youth racing teams help to showcase its many competitive opportunities, the sailors host a few more relaxed events as well. Some of the adults get together for moonlight cruises, and the whole family is often invited to have a meal at the clubhouse after races.
“They might be fierce competitors on the water, but then they’re handing you a beer at the end of the night,” says Hoctor, “It’s a nice balance of competing and enjoying each other’s company and time.”
Most of these events are just for members, but the club invites anyone who is interested in sailing to take one of its many classes, or attend its annual open house, this year scheduled for 1-4 p.m. May 27. Highlights include free sailboat rides, information on summer camps, STEM activities and a play area.
Valerie Mauger is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at gbishop@cityscenemediagroup.com.
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