by Owen Stelzer, co-Sports Editor

The St. John Bosco High School sailing team has been improving and gaining recognition this season, earning top finishes in their last two races.

Currently operating out of the Long Beach Yacht Club, the team recently claimed victory in their latest regatta, with Kaya Marley and Elizabeth Nash finishing first, and team captain Jack Snow and Tanner Swagger coming in a close second.

Preparing for these events requires discipline, determination and a positive outlook.

“I prepare for an event by making sure our boat is ready and that I am mentally and physically ready,” said Snow. “If you go in having a bad mentality, then you will have bad results.”

Jack, who has witnessed the team grow from a humble beginning into a fully-sponsored program, expressed pride in the progress made over the years.

“We first started off as a very low-budget team, and now, we have a bunch of sponsors,” he said. “The team has grown; our results keep improving; and our coaching staff has been improved significantly.”

However, recent news has put the team on a new course, as they were informed that they can no longer continue as a co-ed team. Moving forward, St. John Bosco and St. Joseph High Schools will have to form separate teams.

Freshman sailor Elizabeth Nash, one of the latest additions from St. Joseph, is optimistic about the future, even with the impending split.

“We have a lot of new girls from [St. Joseph’s] with sailing experience, which will help expand the team even after I graduate,” Nash explained. “It’s a great feeling to be part of something that’s constantly growing.”

For Snow, this season is about setting a standard of resilience and passion that will inspire future sailors.

“I want to push the team to strive [to be] better and to keep going even when it gets hard,” he said

As the season progresses and the team faces new challenges, St. John Bosco Sailing remains focused on its journey forward.