Jim is a professional coach with over 40 years of Olympic-level experience, for 4 National Teams, in 3 sports, in two countries, two of those as Head Coach. Most of his recent years has been spent privately coaching athletes from many countires around the world. Beginning in 2005, Jim's goal has been to "settle down" and spend more time in the USA, especially with youth.

Jim's Sailing Background

Former Team, Pan Am, and Olympic Coach

Former XC Development Coach, Coaches Education

Former Head Coach

Former Head Coach

Coaching ---> Clinics

Seminars, clinics, and training camps are effective ways to support and educate clubs and groups. Seminars are evening presentations on specific topics, such as the Rules, starting line tactics, sail trim, working with your mast, Olympic sailing, etc. Clinics are typically a combination of classroom plus on-the-water work on individual points, such as Starts or Mark Roundings. Training camps are extended clinics, wtih more intense work over a longer period, working through a progression of topics.

The advantages:

Much lower cost per person. The host club or organization can open it to the public for a fee to use it as a fundraiser.

The disadvantage:

Less attention to individuals and their boats.

In general, higher skill levels require longer periods of work to effect changes, and quite often the improvements don't show up on the water until after some time. Lower-skilled sailors will generally show the biggest gains in longer camps, where they have time to both learn and practice new skills.

Attached here is my basic outline for a Dinghy Clinic as a pdf file.

I have given a lot of these types of programs over the years, to a huge variety of skills in a lot of boats in different countries, and can easily tailor one to suit your group. Use my Information Request form to find out more.