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This March, the Villanova Sailing Team will take to the water for the first time. The new sailing team was founded through the efforts of students Steven Froelich ’06 and Christine Brooks ’05. The team is open to all interested students, from expert sailors to novices, with practices to be held four times a week, from 3 to 7 p.m. The team will be practicing at the Cooper River Yacht Club, located in New Jersey, approximately 30 minutes from the University.

The sailing team’s mission is to afford all students the opportunity to sail, regardless of their prior experience. Founders Froelich and Brooks aim to help all team members gain a basic understanding and appreciation for the sport, and to become more competitive over time. Students can choose their own level of commitment, as members are not required to attend all the practices every week.

Villanova’s sailors join the Middle Atlantic Intercollegiate Sailing Association (MAISA), a division of the national Inter-Collegiate Sailing Association (ICSA). MAISA, which currently has 34 member universities, has earned a reputation as one of the most competitive sailing districts within the ICSA. Villanova’s team will race in regattas beginning this spring and through the fall season, competing with schools from all over the Northeast.

Thus far, Villanova students have demonstrated substantial interest in the club. Several meetings have been held this year, with about 40 attendees, approximately half of which are serious sailors. In March, as the weather warms up and the first official season gets underway, the sailing team will host a program night. There, they will raise awareness of the club and show students the various ways they can get involved, from becoming members to managers.

Both Froelich and Brooks have been sailing since childhood, and, on entering Villanova, were disappointed to learn they could not continue at the collegiate level. They decided to take action, and contacted sailing coaches Angus Robertson and Bob DiFillipo, of the University of Pennsylvania and Drexel respectively. With the help of these coaches, they undertook the process of beginning a new team. The students collaborated with Chrissy Faistl, assistant director of Student Development, their advisor Matthew McKenzie, and other members of the Office of Student Development. After several months of deliberation, their efforts were rewarded: creation of the first sailing team in University history was approved.

Obtaining substantial funding remains a source of difficulty for this nascent organization. The costs of travel, insurance, boat rental, and membership and registration fees must all be covered. As a club sport, the sailors receive a modest budget from the Office of Student Development, but are not connected with the University’s athletic budget. For this reason, fundraising is essential to the team’s survival. Froelich and Brooks have attended boat shows, where they spoke with national marine vendors about the possibility of sponsorship. However, the team still lacks a major underwriter, and seeks donations from interested students, alumni, and faculty.

Checks can be made out to “Villanova Sailing Club” and sent to the following address:

Villanova Sailing Club
800 Lancaster Ave.
214 Dougherty Hall
Villanova University
Villanova, Pa. 19085

More information on the club and how to make a tax-deductible donation can be found online at www.students.villanova.edu/sailingclub