College Sailing Team Spotlight

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Hobart & William Smith Colleges

Location/Enrollment: 
Geneva, N.Y., 2,216 undergraduates; 8 graduates

Sailing Site: Seneca Lake

Facilities/Boats: The team sails out of the Bozzuto Boathouse, located on the campus. Dedicated in 2003, it resembles a modern wooden barn perched above the water. The fleet includes 18 420s, six FJs, and six Lasers.

Coaching: Scott Iklé, head coach; Dan Thompson, assistant coach

Team Status: Varsity

Other teams often wonder how Hobart and William Smith Colleges (HWS) can withstand the cold temperatures in Geneva and stay on top of their game. The answer is the coaching. Iklé (a graduate of HWS) has been in place since 1993 and has established a dedicated work ethic.

Iklé, a self-taught sailor, grew up in Manhasset, N.Y. He gives himself a “sailing project” each summer so he can remind himself how it feels to be a competitor and bring fresh perspectives to practice every year. 

He treats sailing like any traditional sport; although the game is different, the training and teamwork is the same. Under Iklé, HWS was one of the first sailing programs to develop team workouts. “It’s about working together during workouts to make each individual stronger,” he says. “Sailing is a thinking game and when you’re fatigued, you’ll make mistakes.”

Iklé enjoys working with his student athletes and believes Seneca Lake is one of the best sailing venues in all of college sailing. His secret to success: Make sure everyone is working together to help each person improve.

Did you know?
HWS sailing has produced more ICSA coaches than any other college team in the last seven years. HWS alumni have been either head or assistant coaches at a number of top programs including: College of Charleston, Cornell, Dartmouth, U.S. Naval Academy, Roger Williams, St. Mary’s, Stanford, Tufts, Vermont, and, of course, HWS, itself.

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