Learn to Windsurf Day

Windsurf Fleet of HLCC

The Highland Lakes Windsurfing Instructional Program began as a dream in the summer of 1997. After bobbing around in the water after our Saturday races, our core group of windsurfing enthusiasts agreed that a Learn to Windsurf Day was needed to get more people into the sport. On that first event in 1998, we were swamped with juniors trying to up haul our 5.0 sq. meter adult rigs out of the water. At about the same time, the United States Windsurfing Association was offering grants to promote windsurfing instruction. In the next few years, I applied for, and received $2000.00 for our proposed junior instructional program. This allowed us to introduce junior size windsurfing sails, and stable teaching boards, to the community. It also helped us get 2 of our volunteers, Dr. Richard Witt and Kevin Gaston, to become Certified Level 1 Instructors. In our efforts to boost enthusiasm for the sport, we have requested retailers & manufacturers to contribute to our program. The windsurfing community really stepped up through the years and provided tons of giveaways to both our kids and volunteers. Now, with Kevin Gaston in charge of soliciting sponsors, we continually keep getting loads of junior teaching equipment, along with racing raffles, and other prizes. We are now a fully stocked windsurfing school, able to meet the needs of every windsurfer wannabee in Highland Lakes. We have 4 complete beginner boards, and even more sails, to match every age, and wind condition, that we encounter. Not bad, considering the nearest windsurfing shop is 3 hours away.

On that note, there are still a few windsurfers available for sale in Highland Lakes. Some of these have become available from students upgrading to more race-oriented boards, and others have been snatched up from the online classifieds. Check out the bulletin board, and classifieds, and contact us for more assistance, or lessons. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to get into a healthy sport on our beautiful lake.

This years Learn to Windsurf Day brought out 5 adults, 1 man, and 4 woman, ages 20 - 50. We also had 16 juniors, 5 girls and 11 boys, ages 8 - 15. Everybody had a great time at both the board balancing, and the tethered board stations. The lessons on the 2 land simulators showed them all what to do when they finally got out on the water. The only thing that we now lack are volunteers who are competent windsurfers , who can windsurf alongside beginners, and demonstrate the basics. If you can windsurf, please step up and volunteer. Yes, you can earn volunteers hour by windsurfing! Imagine that.

Our Wednesday Junior Windsurfing Clinics have had good turnouts as well. We had 14 kids comprised of 5 girls, and 9 boys, ages ranging from 8- 15. We also have had up to 6 adult, and 2 junior volunteers participating, but can always use more. If you can monitor the weather on the clubhouse’s computer, or motor kids upwind with your trolling motor, we need you!

Overall, our 2007 windsurfing instructional program utilized 13 volunteers who cumulatively logged over 250 hours. Much of this is behind the scenes, and includes: researching teaching methods, writing Newsette articles, planning, rigging, instructing, and more. Please join us!

Learn to Windsurf Day 2007