So what is team15?

Team 15 evenings start Wednesday generally during May & June - dates for this year

The national iniative started in 2001 and the idea is to get more under 15s into windsurfing and competition, but also to have many more youngsters windsurfing regularly. Notts County was one of the early clubs to express an interest and is now a Team 15 centre. We shall be meeting on Wednesday nights at 6.30pm for tuition and fun and games from April onwards for those that are really keen and have a warm wetsuit, however we expect the majority to join up later in the year when it gets warmer. To join just come and see David Eberlin, Steve Payne or Russ Towns or contact us by e mail

The RYA decided to put much of its windsurfing resources for 2001 into team15, an initiative led by Gillian Horne. In April 2001 there was very little regular junior activity or racing, and even fewer race clubs (1 Volvo Champion Club). In September 2001 the story was spectacularly different.

Over 130 children had taken part in an inter-club event, many of those youngsters had only started windsurfing during that summer. In 2002 it is expected that forty to fifty centres will have team15 clubs running, this is exactly what windsurfing needs - new blood.

Some of you will have seen the blurb, the distinctive logo and maybe logged on to www.team15.org.uk. Here you will see a message board, local team15 (T15) clubs, tips from the stars and loads of information (if you wish to use the phone ring 023 8062 7456). The RYA site has maps of zones etc www.rya.org.uk the equipment pathway is on the RYA site

The idea is simply to encourage youngsters to get together and improve their windsurfing at a regular time and place each week. Socials are encouraged, and after some improvement, friendly local rivalry is nurtured with other team15 clubs.

In 2002 each club will have their own team-coloured lycra race vests for competitions. The aim is that following on from club activity, where teaching & improver sessions are available at a local level, participants do not need to travel far to take part in some fun competition.

The eventual aim in a year or two is for strong RYA zone squads, which feed into the national squad. The route to that level should be fun and certainly not forced.

The racing, freestyle or simple sailing around marker buoys is used as a vehicle for improvement and providing new goals to aim for. Those who race will know there is no better way to improve short and long board skills than racing or sailing in a disciplined way.

Robby Swift, Nick Dempsey, Nik Baker and many others have all come up using long and short boards through the RYA squads and are competitive on the world stage. Within the RYA Youth Windsurfing Logbook - LogOn to Windsurfing - there is space for recording sailing sessions and progress made.

On the new RYA website www.rya.org.uk there is a tracking system for zone squad sailors to record their results and progress through the youth squad system. As a club we see team15 as an excellent way of getting more youngsters into the sport.

We are running Team15 sessions as improver sessions on a Wednesday night

The RYA are providing team15 clubs with:
Training for team15 coaches, and as a group of volunteers from a club I see a team of us running the sessions, at many commercial establishments there is likely to be one co-ordinator.
A resource pack has been issued by the RYA covering teaching topics.
Branding in the form of wetsuits, flags and stickers is being provided to provide a sense of being part of the Team both for instructors and the youngsters.

2001 saw us laying the foundations, with some late season training, followed by a visit to Carsington Watersports, who hosted the first inter-club event in the North Zone. In 2002 Notts County will be setting aside a regular time for members, dependent on the most suitable time for those joining in (and their parents who have to ferry them!). The programme will involve improver sessions, concentrating on a subject at a time, and coaching of individuals.

Already three of our youngsters are in the North Zone Windsurfing Squad, which is great news for the club - we hope to apply for funding for new junior boards & rigs this year.

The age limit has been set at 8-15 year olds (though anyone older can join in),

The first joint event in the North Zone took place on 23rd September and Notts County bought a trailer of equipment which along with the centres boards, allowed twenty to race. Racing was split into beginners and more advanced. It was windy enough for shortboards so quite a challenge for the youngsters, most of whom had only been sailing a few months. The club won the Team prize.