Here come the Qualifiers!

This week the New Trier squad prepares for the Midwest Double Handed Championship (the Mallory Qualifying regatta) and next week for the Midwest Team Racing Championship (the Baker Qualifying regatta). That's a busy few weeks. But it will be exciting.


This is going to be one of the most competitive qualifying seasons in several years. Schools such as Grosse Pointe South and the International School of MN are coming on strong. Lake Forest looks pretty good and, Loyola and Grosse Pointe North, as always, are very strong and deep teams with experienced seniors. Last weekend the NT squad got its first chance to see how these other schools team race. Our squad did okay; not great. Frank Ustach has identified a number of areas the team needs to focus on in the next 20 days and is pushing them hard.

New Trier Sailing has been to several National Championships. In fact, New Trier has attended a national regatta in each of the last four years; and, in 2004 and 2005, the school represented the Midwest at both the Mallory and Baker Nationals. That's the strongest performance of any Midwest school this decade. This squad is capable of continuing that tradition. Matt Kopecki, Colleen Cozzens, the captains, Steph Hudson and Gardner Yost, Mac Sparks and Kelly Foreman have all been to the Nationals. They know what those competitions are like and how tough the sailing can be.

Wish our sailors well in the upcoming qualifying regattas. And check back here for more updates as the week progresses. Frank will announce the squad for the Mallory Tuesday.

DS