Hobe Sound, Fla. - In just its fifth year as a high school, The Pine School's Athletics Department is expanding to include a co-ed sailing team. The team currently boasts eight sailors, including sophomore co-captains J.P. Silvestri and Bo Herlin, juniors Myrthe Doedens and Alexia Heathcock, sophomores Austin Blumenthal and Karolina Poderski, freshman Peg Parnevik, and eighth grader Avery Camp.
"My experience on the sailing team has been fantastic," said J.P. Silvestri, who founded the team at the beginning of the 2009-2010 school year. Silvestri, who has been sailing for four years, said he wanted to bring a sailing team to The Pine School since he entered the school's upper division (grades 9-12). Sailing team coach Campbell Woods came to campus in September - with a boat in tow - to get students excited about the sport.
Team members sail in 420s, which are two-person boats. The boat has two sails: main and jib. The U.S. Sailing Center of Martin County (USSCMC), located in Jensen Beach, provides the sailing team with its boats and sails.
Regular practice begins this Saturday, October 24, at the USSCMC. Stacy Silvestri, mother of J.P. and one of the team's key organizers, said many students have expressed interest in joining the team, since no sailing experience is required. The team participated in a regatta in St. Petersburg two weeks ago and will attend other regattas in Tampa, Lake Eustis, Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Jensen Beach, and Sarasota throughout the season, which runs through April. The top seven teams in Florida will advance to nationals, to be held in Connecticut this year.
"Sailing is a life sport," Stacy Silvestri said, "especially if you live in Florida."
For more information, contact Shawna Gallagher Vega, The Pine School's press liaison, at (772) 675-7005 ext. 2060 or sgallaghervega@thepineschool.org. To learn more about our school, visit www.thepineschool.org.
About The Pine School
The Pine School is a college preparatory nonsectarian day school that offers an academically rigorous program to students from age three through 12th grade. In keeping with independent school philosophy, The Pine School provides a strong traditional curriculum while integrating arts and athletics into the program of all students. An average enrollment of more than 500 students includes students of all faiths, while faculty members are recruited nationally and internationally to carry out a curriculum designed to meet the needs of students in the 21st century. For more information, visit www.thepineschool.org.