Programs & Development

Sailing, like many sports, offers programs and development options for new and experienced participants. As you grow, sailing grows with you and the following offers a guide on opportunities to get involved and stay involved as skills, confidence, experiences in sailing grow. 

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Discover Sailing - Learn and play 

Days and Experiences: 

Discover Sailing Days and Experiences provide the perfect introduction to sailing if never sailed before, offering participants the opportunity to get out on the water to try sailing and visit a club.

Programs:

Australian Sailing Discover Sailing programs are learn to sail options available for all ages, adults, teenagers and children in dinghies, keelboats, on boards, and in powerboats. Programs offer progressive courses and involve a syllabus that is delivered by Australian Sailing Qualified Instructors. Programs are offered at accredited Discover Sailing Centres and equipment is provided.

• Tackers: Sailing for Kids
• OutThere: Sailing for Teens
• Dinghy Program: Small Boat Sailing
• Keelboat Program: Big Boat Sailing
• Windsurfing Program
• Wing Program
• Powerboat Program
  
  

Develop: Independence and confidence

Green fleet: 

Green fleet program develops confidence and independence in sailing. The Green Fleet coaching program delivered by Australian Sailing accredited Foundation Coaches promotes practicing fundamental skills and introduces foundation race skills. Competition at this stage, if offered will be in modified introductory formats with clear outcomes of enjoyment. 

The program can provide opportunity to try a variety of boats and boards and other sailing club related activity that is age-appropriate in design. Sailors may investigate buying a boat or board or continue to access club or class owned equipment. 

Participate: Train and progress

Intermediate fleet:  

Within an Intermediate fleet coaching program most people will now own their boat or board or have become part of a regular crew. Intermediate program is about embedding independent skills, practicing the fundamentals of racing, and improving technical knowledge. Intermediate programs bring scheduled training through clubs and class associations, delivered by accredited Sailing Coaches. Sailors will join club and regional racing, State and National Championships, Youth-Sail events, coaching clinics, and may look to becoming accredited as instructors, coaches, or officials themselves.

Sailors are encouraged to participate in varied race formats such as match racing, team racing, free sailing and to continue to try and develop skills in different classes of boats and boards. 

Advance: Practice and perform

Advanced fleet:

Advanced program is about regular training and practice and for sailors who have performance aspirations in state, national and international competition or events. Coaching is regular and planned, with commitment to club and class association racing and/or events.

Sailors will travel and compete in large regattas away from their club and include state and national class championships as well as some choose to compete internationally in events such as World Championships. In addition to the coaching and practice sailors may also take part in squad based camps and clinics, usually scheduled around key regattas or holiday periods.

Through Advanced fleet there are a variety of options to continue to perform and develop experience and skills in the sport, including international competition, offshore sailing and racing, instructing, coaching, officiating or vocational training and employment and more.

Sailors with performance potential, which is appropriate to age, stage and chosen class may be identified through initial demonstration of skills and attributes to Performance Pathways programs. 

For Youth (secondary school age) and adults, the Performance Pathways and High-Performance programs include:

• Youth Squad
  • The Youth Squad program supports the learning and development of youth sailors considering attending significant domestic regatta and international regattas with the national class association.
  • This program is designed to support youth sailors who achieved strong results at the Class National Championships meeting the Youth Squad selection criteria guidelines and offers resources to aid youth sailors in their preparation for upcoming significant domestic and international regattas, tailored to their respective class.
  • The Australian Sailing designed program is delivered by the Support & Grow teams and certified coaches.
  • For more information on the Youth Squad please visit the Youth Squad page
    
    
• Pre-Emerging
  • The Australian Sailing National Pre-Emerging program is designed to identify, support and enhance the development of Pre-Emerging sailors aspiring to be part of the Australian Sailing Performance Pathway.
  • Delivered via the State Performance Pathways programs, this program is designed to support identified sailors that have transitioned to Olympic classes or have demonstrated commitment and have a clear plan to transition from the Youth classes.
  • The program is focused on those one year from achieving Australian Sailing’s High Performance Athlete Categorisation (or two years by exception) as agreed with the Performance Pathway Manager as part of the entry process.
  • The Pre-Emerging is a supplementary to the sailors own training and involvement in club, class association or support via other avenue. It is designed to give these sailors exposure to the Daily Training Environment (DTE) with categorised athletes and the opportunity to gain access to Performance Support services at the right stage of the sailors development including education session.
  • It also enables coaches and the HP program to observe how sailors train and behave in the environment.
  • For more information on the Pre-Emerging please visit our Australian Sailing Team website
    
    
• State Sailing Performance Programs
  • Athletes identified in Olympic classes assessed according to the Australian Sailing Athlete Assessment and Categorisation Guidelines aligned with the Australian Sailing’s Athlete Development Framework. Categorised athletes receive a 12 month scholarship in partnership with Australian Sailing and the applicable State Institute of Sport or State Academy of Sport.
  • Scholarship athletes in Emerging, AS Pathways Team (ASPT) and Australian Sailing Team (AST), will have access to the Daily Training Environment (DTE) consisting of on-water training within a squad-based program, along with access to Performance Support. This includes support in areas such as individual development/campaign plans, strength and conditioning, physiotherapy, psychology, athlete well-being and engagement, nutrition, and medical assistance, in addition to coaching.
  • Opportunities for integration may include attending interstate collaboration camps, including High Performance integrated camps, at the discretion of coaches and the applicable State Institutes of Sport or State Academies of Sport Sailing program Lead/Head Coach.
  • At all times athletes are encouraged to remain connected to their club while holding a scholarship.

* Athletes may be offered an individual athlete scholarship through their applicable State Institute of Sport or State Academy of Sport if a partnership is available and Performance Support may vary from state to state.

• • More information is available via the Australian Sailing Team website
    
    
• Australian Sailing Futures (ASF)
  • The ASF is an Australian Sailing initiative supporting selected athletes based on the Australian Sailing Athlete Development Framework who are categorised athletes at either the Emerging and Developing levels within the Australian Sailing performance pathway. ASF is targeting athletes in preparation for the transition to the integrated High Performance program (ASPT and AST).
  • ASF provides class specific, technical coaching that supplements the athletes DTE with domestic camps and some domestic and international regatta support that is agreed with coaches and program leads best meets the needs of the athletes in the ASF program.
  • Athletes will also gain access to a psychology framework with this group, which is delivered in partnership with the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) focused on ‘Mental Performance in Competition’.
  • The primary DTE for ASF athletes remains the State Sailing Performance Program including Performance Support.
  • Pre-Emerging sailors and athletes may be invited to attend ASF camps, while ASF athletes may receive invitations to integrated High Performance program or camps, as determined by the program coaches.
    
    
• Australian Sailing Pathway Team (ASPT) Bronze - Gold 
  • Athletes in ASPT form part of the integrated High Performance program. It provides a class specific including advanced technical coach within a high performance training environment, and performance support, along with coordinated campaign support for athletes meeting international benchmark performance standards and demonstrating the skills, behaviours and characteristics aligned to Olympic medal success.
    
    
• Australian Sailing Team (AST)
  • Athletes in AST form part of the integrated High Performance program. The AST represents the highest stage of the Australian Sailing Performance Pathway, offering Olympic level athletes advanced technical coaching, integrated performance support, and coordinated campaign support to ensure they perform their best at the Olympic Games.

Note: Both ASPT Bronze – Gold and AST form the integrated HP program.

More information - 2024 Youth Sail Parent Info Session Presentation