Spring 2013 Plank Owners Society Newsletter

My first academic year and the college sailing season are officially over; it has been a great experience for me. I want to thank you for your support and assistance. Without all of you, there would not be varsity sailing at JU. Our great student-sailors and I are deeply appreciative.

This newsletter outlines some of the recent news about our program and the University we represent. President Tim Cost has been wonderfully supportive; all of us in varsity sailing are eager to help him fulfill his vision for JU, and, like me, you will probably be astonished by his transformative plans. Although the season is over, the efforts to grow JU Sailing never stops. Here’s what I have been up to and have planned this summer.

I spent a week in St. Petersburg at the College Nationals as well as at the High School National Championships in Tampa. It was a great week for networking and recruiting. I had an interview with Gary Jobson of ESPN discussing the team and future plans; this aired as part of their coverage of the National Championships July 12 on ESPNU. There will be other airings, as well; I will provide this information as it becomes available. One of the greatest benefits of this interview is that a DVD is made of the broadcast and sent to every high school sailing team in the country.

On June 5, I headed north with recruiting/coaching stops in Beaufort, S.C., Wilmington, N.C., Norfolk/Hampton, Va., and Washington, D.C., before getting to Rochester, N.Y., on the 12th. The weekend of June 14-16, I went to Cleveland for Race Week, where we finished second; it was a great opportunity for recruiting and networking. From June 18-24, I headed to Minnetonka, Minn. (a Midwest hotbed of sailors); there, I finished second at the J24 National Championship, and it was once again a huge recruiting and networking opportunity. The following week, I did some individual coaching of students who are already targeted as future recruits in Rochester.

On July 9, I went to Newport, R.I., for meetings with 11th Hour Racing and Sailors for the Sea on potential funding for a green sailing/watersports center. I checked on the production of our fleet of boats at Laser Performance’s U.S. headquarters; I am meeting with Sailing World magazine which will be spotlighting JU Sailing in the soon (stay tuned for more details) and I have a meeting with Musto (the sailing’s best sailing gear provider) for them to become the official provider of sailing gear at JU, ensuring that we will be the best dressed/ coolest team in the country. I will also be doing a lot of recruiting and coaching there, and I will be sailing the Newport Regatta (one of the country’s biggest summer regattas).

On July 15, I headed to Massachusetts and the Cape for more recruiting. This is the hotbed of youth sailing in the country for the summer; teams from Florida to Chicago to Bermuda will be there for several big regattas. I’ll be back in upstate New York by July 25 to sail at the Level Regatta in Youngstown, N.Y. -- another one of the largest regattas. Depending on how comfortable I am feeling about the start of the fall, I may stay in the Rochester area for the US Sailing Junior Olympics on Aug. 3-4 before returning to Jacksonville. It is a busy summer.

As always, my biggest challenge is getting the word out and I’m hopeful that this big push will put us on the sailing radar. I am very excited to get back on the water next fall with our incoming team. It will be a fun year and I can’t wait to start turning heads with this group of great young men and women that we have coming in. They are terrific sailors and they will be great ambassadors of Jacksonville University.

I look forward to visiting with you upon my return. As always, thank you for your support and please feel free to call anytime or drop me an e-mail.

See you on the water ~~_/)~_/)~~

Jon Faudree Head Sailing Coach

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VisionWe believe the First Coast area is an exceptional sailing destination and that Jacksonville University — in partnership with all of the local sailing communities — can raise and enhance Jacksonville’s profile within the national sailing community. We intend to make JU Varsity Sailing an integral part of the comprehensive master plan for the JU campus waterfront, while fielding a nationally competitive sailing team.

MissionDevelop a support network of friends who value competitive and recreational sailing in Jacksonville to help take sailing to the next level. This includes fund raising, moral support, off-campus sailing developmental opportunities and personal involvement. We will leverage the JU waterfront location and sailing community advantages prevalent here in Jacksonville, while following the example of the best collegiate sailing programs in the nation. JU Sailing can provide a natural bridge between

area youth programs and adult fleets, while serving as a powerful attraction to non-local sailing talent, some of whom will choose to settle in our beautiful city. This outstanding opportunity for JU varsity sailors will provide positive and lasting impact on their lives and careers.

Jacksonville University Varsity Sailing

Inside Issue 3Plank Owners Vision 1

Plank Owners Society Reception 2

The Dolphins Go to Regionals 2

JU Sailor of the Year 2012-13 2

Recruiting 3

Sailing Fleet and Support Boat 3

JU Dock 3

Plank Owners Updates 4

Contact Us 4

Dear Friends of JU Sailing,

Plank Owners Newsletter

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JU Sailor of the Year 2012-13 Jenna Spangler JU Varsity Sailing is proud to recognize Jenna Spangler, team captain and junior from Charleston, S.C., as the 2012-13 Steve Nichols JU Sailor of the Year. The award was presented by Steve Nichols’ widow, Nancy, and Coach Faudree at the March fleet meeting at Epping Forest Yacht Club. The guest speaker was President Cost, who spoke with great enthusiasm about the varsity sailing efforts and how they align with his vision for changes happening on the JU campus. Most notably, President Cost recognized the value of varsity varsity sailing for bringing high-caliber students to JU.

Sailing Events at JU in 2013Part of the long-term plan for the JU Sailing program is hosting collegiate and high school sailing events to broaden program visibility and make Jacksonville a regular destination for regional and national regattas. JU has hosted six regattas in two years, most recently a high school championship on March 9 and a collegiate points race on March 23. The events were highly successful and well-attended. Competing in the South Points Series has led the team to the post-season, which the coach and team hope to continue for years to come. Thanks to the support of Brunswick High School, JU was able to use their old fleet of 420s one last time to showcase the campus and prove that JU can be a viable option for hosting regattas. A special thanks to Hal Gilreath for serving as the PRO during the SAISA points. Without Hal and other local volunteers, JU Varsity Sailing would not have been able to host either of these events. Please contact Coach Faudree to get involved in future event; bigger and more significant regattas are on the horizon!

The Dolphins Go to Regionals!JU Sailing has come far in the past year and has set the stage for becoming a future powerhouse in the South Atlantic Sailing Association (SAISA) and nationally. The team went from being ranked 20th of 27 teams in SAISA to 8th by the end of the spring. Led by senior Dan Moore and by freshmen Alex Steo and sophomore Roy Ingham, JU posted its best regatta finishes in its history, winning its first regatta at Rollins College’s Southern Series #2 and finishing second an inter-conference regatta at the University of Florida.

The team qualified for the SAISA championships through the five Southern Series Points Regattas, earning the right to square off against the 12 other top teams in the conference championships and have a shot at qualifying for the National Semifinals. Although the team’s eight-place finish at the championship was its best yet, it came up short of qualifying.

On April 18, the team enjoyed a fun sailing day, inviting friends and interested students to check out the sport and to celebrate the end of the academic year. The team also took time to honor Moore as the team’s MVP for the year.

Latest News From the Team

2013 Plank Owners Society ReceptionThere was a great crowd on campus May 16 to express appreciation to the people who have supported Varsity Sailing at JU. Coach Faudree provided an update on recent sailing results and his efforts to expand the recruiting pipeline and President Cost spoke about his plans to develop the JU waterfront. Also, Plank Owners leadership outlined a new funding initiative and discussed the importance of working together to continue to grow the sailing team and JU.

JU Waterfront CenterThe JU Varsity sailing program has exceeded most expectations and set amazing precedents. Thanks to Plank Owners and members of the JU Board of Trustees, the program has strong community support. Within a few short months, President Cost has set initiatives in motion that will have lasting and long-term positive effects on the University. In particular, President Cost and the JU Board of Trustees are examining possibilities for upgrades to the waterfront areas on campus. This initiative is gaining momentum quickly; the Plank Owners want to make sure the Varsity Sailing program remains at the forefront of this conversation.

Headlines

Dan Moore

Jenna Spangler, Roy Ingham, Dan Moore, Matt Martin and Ben Tino

Alex Steo

Plank Owners Newsletter

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RecruitingCoach Faudree has been working non-stop on building a strong and substantial recruiting class for 2013 and beyond. Already, Coach Faudree has signed six freshmen recruits, three who have qualified for full academic scholarships and one who received one of two full Honors Program scholarships. Collegiate sailing is known for attracting high-achieving students and this first class of freshmen is certainly proof of that!

The recruiting class for the fall is led by Ian Ikeda of Duxbury, Mass. Ikeda was the top junior at the 2011 Laser North American Championships and was third at the 2012 High School Singlehanded (Laser) and 12th at the Co-ed Dinghy National Championships. Danny Lawless and Anna Palmer from Rochester, N.Y., helped their team to wins at the White Trophy, a national invitational high school regatta at the USCGA, and the 2012 Fall Mid Atlantic Scholastic Sailing Association (MASSA) Championship. Joining them will be Peter Hidley, also of Rochester; Mara Stroble-Lanka of Spring Lake, Mich.; and Bobby Jacobs of Richmond Hill, Ga., each of whom comes with a significant amount of high school and youth sailing experience.

For the spring 2014 semester, JU hopes to have Nicole Van der Velden from Aruba join the team. She finished 18th at the 2010 Youth Olympic Games in Singapore and 20th and 21st at the past two ISAF Gold Cup Regattas. She is also a professional windsurfer and top kiteboarder.

JU Sailing Program Updates

Dan Lawless

Nicole Van Dee Velden

Ian Ikeda

Sailing Fleet and Support BoatWith all the progress and upgrades to the Varsity Sailing program, it would not be possible to continue this steady improvement without suitable boats and equipment for the team and coaching. Plank Owners donations were pivotal in obtaining matching financial support from JU and to purchase a new fleet of state-of-the-art Collegiate 420s. The new 420, produced by LaserPerformance, is the official boat for college sailing for hosting semifinals and the national championships – two benchmarks for all teams with high aspirations.

Having this fleet will enable the sailing program to expand and improve the ability to host events, and provide JU with a prominent national status as the first program of any sort to have the new boats. Even better, when LaserPerformance produces promotional materials for publicizing this amazing new boat, it will feature JU Sailing in its marketing materials. JU Sailing will be front-and-center in a marketing campaign that may be used internationally – and certainly to promote sales of the boat in the U.S. JU is tremendously proud to have this opportunity; thanks all of you for helping make it happen. The plan is to expand the fleet to 18 boats, which is required to host major collegiate events, and support the growing JU team.

Plank Owners funds also were used to purchase a Zodiac Rigid Inflatable coach boat, complete with a motor, providing Coach Faudree with a safe and solid platform from which to work with the sailors on the water. This boat is one more indicator that JU Sailing is for real! Thanks to Plank Owner and Advisory Board member Madison Shelly, who donated a trailer for the boat. Coach Faudree invites you to visit at practice and, especially, when the new 420s arrive. Contact Coach Faudree directly; he is eager to thank you in person!

With Coach Faudree’s dynamic recruiting, the expectation is to bring in more students, hopefully like Jenna, who will become candidates for Sailor of the Year. Jenna has proven herself to be an exemplary team member plus a highly valuable addition to the student body at JU. Most importantly, though, and as noted by Nancy Nichols, Jenna exemplifies the spirit for which the Steve Nichols award is intended because of her leadership, character and service. Many thanks to Nancy and JU’s supporters from Epping Forest Yacht Club for making this award possible and for allowing JU to recognize Jenna’s ongoing commitment to JU Varsity Sailing. Jenna’s name will be added to the Steve Nichols JU Sailor of the Year perennial trophy displayed at Epping Forest.

JU DockAmong the news on campus at JU that directly affects the sailing team is that there will be a solution to our launch problems, especially during low tides. Funding has been secured and a contract signed for upgrading the

Jenna Spangler

Plank Owners Newsletter

Plank OwnersPlans for Upgrading JU Waterfront Programming. Coach Faudree, members of the Board of Trustees, JU administrators and representatives from University Advancement met to discuss ideas for improving waterfront programming at JU. During the winter break, Coach Faudree and Dr. Derek Hall, Vice President for University Relations and Interim Vice President for Student Life, visited St. Mary’s College in Maryland. Dr. Hall was quite impressed with St. Mary’s’ waterfront facility and programming, so he recommended that we bring head coach Adam Werblow to JU to visit, view our facilities, and provide recommendations for our prospective waterfront program. Trustees Matt Kane (a Plank Owner) and Chuck Wodehouse have agreed to work with Coach Faudree to prepare proposals for waterfront facilities and programming, all intended to fulfill the President’s goal to focus more attention on JU’s waterfront. Giving all students more options for waterfront activity will enhance the experience of attending JU and the Varsity Sailing program will be at the forefront of these efforts.

New Fundraising Campaign for JU Sailing. The Board of Advisors for JU Sailing has met regularly to work directly with Coach Faudree to ensure that the program is operating at full potential given its budget and resources. To grow and develop JU Varsity Sailing into a nationally competitive program, an ongoing campaign will be necessary to generate funds for acquiring more boats, improving support equipment and campus facilities that house the sailing team, and, eventually, establishing a building purposely designed to be the home of JU Sailing. Advisory Board member Jim Callahan has agreed to take on the challenge of leading the initial effort to get this fundraising underway. Advisory Board members and Coach Faudree are available to discuss fundraising ideas, suggestions for sources of additional funding, and overlapping efforts with other programs to share resources. Student-sailors become successful college graduates, so it is a great investment to donate to JU Sailing. Coach Faudree and all involved with JU Varsity Sailing know they can count on the sailing community to help with upcoming fundraising efforts.

docking facilities at JU. The dock upgrades will facilitate marine science research activities on the St. Johns River, and also help the sailing team avoid losing practice days due to low tides. Frequently, we cannot launch at all, especially during full moons or spring (low) tides. Coach Faudree, Madison Shelly and Steven Davis have participated in numerous meetings over the past few years to ensure the upgrades will accommodate the sailing team. Once the new dock additions are in place, JU Sailing will be low tide-proof, improving our hosting efforts for regattas. The plan is for the new dock to be installed for fall semester 2013. Our agreement with Dr. Quinton White, the Marine Science Research Institute executive director, is that we will be able to keep some of our boats on the dock and dolly others onto the dock for launching. Be sure to make plans to stop by in the fall to see the new dock and boats!

JU Varsity Sailing Advisory Board

Contact Us:Capt. Dick Allsopp – dallsopp@ussailing.net Jim Callahan – call2gro@aol.com

Steven Davis – sdavis@ju.edu Robert Gibbs – rgibbs@dixietugs.com

Hal Gilreath – hgilreat@cisco.com Nancy Noe Nichols – noenich@bellsouth.net

Madison B. Shelly – mshelly@ju.edu

Current Plank Owners: Captain & Mrs. Richard E. Allsopp Mr. & Mrs. Ronald A. Autrey Mrs. Dorothy C. BarnetteMr. & Mrs. Thomas A. BryanDr. & Mrs. Steven C. Davis Epping Forest Yacht ClubFlorida Yacht Club Mrs. Victoria I. Ford Mr. & George W. Gibbs IIIMr. & Mrs. Robert K. Gibbs Mr. & Mrs. Harold L. Gilreath Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Matias D. Heinrich Mr. & Mrs. Charles A. Johns Mr. & Mrs. Allen B. Jones Mr. & Mrs. Matthew R. KaneMr. & Mrs. Bronson E. Lamb IIIMr. & Mrs. L. Craig MerrittMr. & Mrs. Timothy V. MonahanMrs. Nancy Noe NicholsDr. & Mrs. Michael D. PentaleriMr. & Mrs. J. Harold Runnfeldt Ms. Cynthia J. SegravesMr. & Mrs. Mike ShadMr. & Mrs. Madison B. ShellyMr. & Mrs. Stephen M. Suddath Mr. & Mrs. Terrance L. Wilcox