When you've been involved in an activity since before you
could walk, it's hard to imagine going to college and giving it up. But that is
exactly what Julie Smith '04 faced when she came to Hamilton. The Philadelphia
native grew up sailing with her family on the Chesapeake Bay, so you can imagine
her dilemma when deciding whether or not to come to a land-locked school on a
hill. "I chose Hamilton for its academics," Smith said, "but I couldn't live
without sailing, so I decided to start a team."
Julie Smith '04 at home by the water.
Soon after arriving at
Hamilton, Smith met Anna Guerin '01, who had tried to start a sailing team by
registering with the Middle Atlantic Intercollegiate Sailing Association.
Unfortunately, Hamilton did not have boats, a practice space or a team
recognized by the College, so Smith picked up where Guerin left off. She
obtained funding, developed liability waivers and safety protocols, found a
practice space, acquired boats and recruited a team. "During my sophomore year,
sailing was more like a full-time job than a hobby," she laughed.
Three years
and countless hours later, Hamilton has an official Sailing Club. About 30
members of all skill levels practice several times a week from
September-November and mid-April-May, and race in six to seven regattas a year.
The team's top finish came at Colgate where the sailors placed second out of
nine teams. The group has a fleet of four boats, purchased from the University
of Rochester and Penn State, and shares practice facilities with Colgate sailors
at Willow Bank Yacht Club in Cazenovia, about a half-hour from campus. The
arrangement works well for both teams since they scrimmage each other in
preparation for meets.
Although Smith graduated this spring, she isn't
worried about the club's future. "I'm really proud of how far we have come, and
I have total faith in the people who will be taking over."
