This is a printer-friendly version of an article from Zip06.com.
04/30/2023 07:00 AMFor the first time since before COVID, Branford High School (BHS) is once again raising the mast and fielding a sailing team this spring. And at the helm, the Hornets have nabbed a well-versed veteran of the waters to head it up as coach.
Chris Newlan grew up along the water in Milford, getting his start in sailing by traversing the Long Island Sound with his family before moving on to tall ships and schooners in New Haven and guiding kids through sailing.
Now a Branford resident and active rower, Chris learned from an immediate family member that the Hornets had been lacking a sailing squad for quite a few years now, and so he has taken it upon himself to rebuild the program as the new head coach of the Branford sailing team.
“I learned from my daughter that there had not been a sailing team since at least before COVID, so the kids wanted the team back,” says Chris. “To have the opportunity to get Branford sailing back on the map is of course a huge honor. It is such a natural fit here, because the Branford community is connected to the water. It is all amazing, and I look forward to seeing the program start again. We are looking to recruit more kids to the team, but the ones here now are dedicated and fun to work with.”
Chris wants to be an open vessel for anybody and everyone to try their hands at the sport. He notes that while there are varying levels of time amongst the tides, his objective is to instill in every kid the tools and talent to succeed–no matter how far away he may be during action.
“Sailing is a really challenging sport on a variety of levels, but for me, I want it where anybody who wants to try it can try it,” Chris says. “Some kids have a lot of sailing experience but it is in different forms, but my goal is to make sure they get time out on the boats. For coaches during practice, we are out on a launch boat while the athletes are in their own boats. For me, it is a matter of providing the skill, time, and space needed for the kids to develop and grow. I just love that look in their eyes, though, when they nail down a skill.”
Speaking more to those rewarding moments as a mentor and coach in athletics, Chris craves the instances of individual triumph and achievement in mastering a technique they would not have otherwise attempted. He further details that the territory involves a unique blend of evening out squad and solo success.
“I really find joy in watching and seeing success in the athletes; it could be even with a small thing. My goal for every practice is seeing someone push themself further towards a goal and achieve it; it is an absolute joy,” says Chris. “It is a team sport where you have to find ways to support the other boats on the team. If your boat finishes first, but all of the other boats do not or come in last, you will not win. You have to really work as a team. It is teaching that the aspect of doing it for the good of the team is what we are looking for that is a challenge.”
Branford High School Athletic Director Tom Ermini declares that Chris carries a great heart and pride for the sport of sailing, in addition to sharing some terrific intangibles one in Tom’s position would look for when selecting a coach to bolster a program.
“Chris brings an incredible passion for sailing to BHS, along with excitement to share this unique opportunity with students who may have never had such an experience before,” says Ermini. “From my initial conversations with Chris, it was apparent that he knew what potential the program has and shared the same commitment to help it grow. I am confident that Chris’s positive attitude and eagerness to share his knowledge will help grow our program in years to come.”
While they may wade in the waters for their main courses of action, Chris and the Hornets are truly starting out on the ground floor as a newly reformed club. Trying to predict the team’s future, Chris looks to get Branford back on the big stage in racing back towards regattas.
“My short-term goal is to get Branford kids back on the water; it is the shortest-term goal for us. It is the first time in about four years we have had a team. We also want to try and find a few more athletes this year for the team so we can get into more races,” says Chris. “Long term, we want to return Branford sailing to being a prominent team on the Connecticut coast. We also want to build our racing and team acumen in order to compete with other teams in regatta races.”