Subject: The waste of Irish sailing talent continues.
From OBSERVER
03 July 2007 at 01:21:43
The following was RECENTLY posted on the ISA dISCUSSION gROUP wEBSITE. iT IS REORODUCED HERE AS IT IS VERY RELEVANT TO WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR FLEET : " The waste of Irish sailing talent continues. We have an Olympic training squad/group/whatever it is called which records abysmal results at a major regatta and is excused by their "Coach" because they were tired!!! We have a Youth "Academy" which squanders a small fortune and manages to produce ONE sailor in ONE class deemed to be worthy of representing Ireland at the World Youth Championships...the pinnacle of Youth Sailing. Either the systems currently in place or the personnel entrusted with overseeing these systems are complete failures and should be re-thought and/or replaced immediately. There is so much natural talent available, especially in Youth sailing that it is heartbreaking to see it being squandered year after year. Either the systems currently in place or the personnel entrusted with overseeing these systems are complete failures and should be re-thought and/or replaced immediately. There is so much natural talent available, especially in Youth sailing that it is heartbreaking to see it being squandered year after year.
From observer
03 July 2007 at 01:24:19
(contd:) The reply posted by James O'Callaghan is as follows :- Dear Evonrovi Thank you for your post. It is clear you are passionate about Irish sailing and its success. The systems and structures we are putting in place are designed to help achieve long term success. They are well thought out and stem from over 14yrs personal experience of the Olympic circuit and what it takes to succeed. This is not to mention the knowledge base we have available to us through our staff and OSG members. We have been working very closely with the class associations in the junior programme to help get things right from an early age. We have been communicating the plan to these classes, to our members (specifically at the ISA National conference) and to the sailors concerned through events (such as the Pathway Nationals) training clinics (such as the Pathway clinics in September). At all stages we have welcomed feedback from the various stakeholders.
From observer
03 July 2007 at 01:25:00
( reply contd ) Since the next conference is not until next year, I would like to invite you into the ISA for a meeting regarding the HP set up. Perhaps we can implement some of your ideas and explain in more detail (than is possible on a website) what it is we are doing. If there are a number of people that think the same way as you I would be more than happy to organise a short meeting for everyone. Hopefully, you will take the opportunity to meet us and we can address some of the issues you have mentioned in your post. kind regards James O'Callaghan +353863368239 ------------- James OCallaghan ISA Performance Director
From observer
03 July 2007 at 01:26:16
The question I HAVE IS WHERE DOES THE FUTURE OF COMPETITIVE LASER SAILING LIE IN THE SHORT TO MEDIUM TERM PARTICULARLY FOR THOSE WHO are now in the fleet and are NOT AT JUNIOR LEVEL ? ?
From hopeful
03 July 2007 at 01:36:15
James, delighted that this meeting will hopefully take place. (will !!)please dont delete this message, like a similar one which was wiped. this is so long overdue. please put date of meeting on this website.
From X
03 July 2007 at 02:48:07
U CANT KEEP TALKING ABOUT THE FUTURE OF SAILING. WE ARE IN THE PRESENT NOW. THE TALENT WE HAVE NOW IS BEING WASTED. NO MALE YOUTH IS BEING SENT TO CANADA THIS YEAR. AN UTTER DISGRACE. THERE IS SUCH GOOD TALENT HERE AND NOW IN THE YOUTH SAILING, AND IT IS NOT ALLOWED TO GO TO ISAFS. LOOK AT THE FACTS ONLY. YOUTHFUL TALENT WAS WASTED THIS YEAR.
From y
03 July 2007 at 03:08:50
Youth sailors have put a lot of time and money into their chosen sport and I dont mean a few hundred for a sail - I mean 10,000 to 20,000 to run a training programme abroad and compete abroad. Not ISA money by the way but hard earned money by parents/kids to try and improve their chances of getting up the international ladder. I think the ISA have treated their customers ie the people who have invested these sums - very badly indeed by not putting enough time and effort into thinking about how best to structure the criteria to enable as many as possible to attend. Funding has never been an issue for this sport it is not the gaa.
From Z
03 July 2007 at 03:18:26
YES, Y, U ARE RIGHT. I HAVE BEEN TOLD, THE WINNING YOUTH SAILOR WAS WILLING TO PAY HIS OWN FARE TO CANADA, JUST TO GET A CHANCE TO REPRESENT IRELAND. SO IT WOULD HAVE COST THE ISA "NOT A SINGLE PENNY". THE ISA STILL BLOCKED THE WAY.
From keith
03 July 2007 at 04:55:21
The reason somebody isn't going to Canada is because it's being sailed in 29ers and Ireland decided to judge sailors based on their 420 sailing abilities...where's the logic in that?
From sailor
03 July 2007 at 19:55:26
This is the reply posted by evonrovi in the ISA website To James O'Callaghan, What a civilised and courteous reply...thank you.A meeting would be rather difficult for me for a while but I will put some of my thoughts on paper and post them to you at the ISA offices. As you can see from the above no meeting has been scheduled. The D.I.Y. approach will not work here. It now up to the ILA REPS to make representations on behalf of the youth sailors in the fleet and arrange a meeting with James to ensure going forward that the fleet will not be DISENFRANCHISED for other initiatives or policies. See the ISA discussion group posting @ www.sailing.ie/bulletin_board/forum_posts.asp?TID=842&PN=1
From @
03 July 2007 at 23:11:12
Keith see entry list by country at www.youthworlds2007.org/country_list.shtml Ireland is participating in just one class - UK sending 7 sailors
From radial sailor
07 July 2007 at 02:36:36
also keith fair enough that happened with the 420's but the standard rig aswell!!
From young irish talent
19 July 2007 at 14:22:04
all the young sailors hav a beter chance in yacht racing be it skippering or crew they can sail with the pros not agenst them,
From anon
28 August 2007 at 23:38:01
and why is it only selective classes that get all the funding??oppies lasers 420s get lots of funding and substidised reginal squad training ect,but theres talent else where...the mirror class senda huge team to the world chamionships evry two years and ahve won it 5 years in a row,and evry time each sailior has paid there own way and there own training and never recived a penny from the ISA,is this not wrong?