Grammar school students sail to success

Fourteen S3 students at Campbeltown Grammar School (CGS) are on the crest of a wave after successfully completing sailing skills training with Kintyre Seasports.

 

The Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation's operations and development manager, Dr Jamie Rodgers, presented Jake Anderson, Josh MacDonald, Christopher McEachran, Niamh Quinn, Matthew Soudan, Neve Wilson, Ben McMillan, Annie Watson, Finn McCallum, Gregor Craig, Emily McMurchy, Emily Gillies and Aiden Cunningham with certificates and logbooks at a sports-themed assembly for S1 to S3 on Tuesday.

 

Ciara Wallace also completed the training and will receive her certificate and logbook but she was absent on the day of the assembly.

 

The students were among 33 from CGS who took part in sailing taster sessions, mostly during the spring term when they were in S2.

 

They decided to go a step further, however, and participated in a week of sailing skills training through the Kintyre Seasports Instructor Development Programme, where they got to grips with sailing a dinghy in Campbeltown Loch through a mixture of exercises, games and theory.

 

'We follow and award qualifications from the RYA National Sailing Scheme,' explained Dr Rodgers, 'which we can do since Kintyre Seasports is an RYA Recognised Training Centre.

 

'The students now have the skills needed to take a dinghy out themselves, in good weather and with safety cover.

 

'They also discovered how a boat works, and other useful nautical skills such as chartwork and understanding weather forecasts.

 

'The week also works on participants' soft skills, such as communication and teamwork – you can't sail a dinghy in a pair without lots of both! – as well as individual resilience when we let them out on their own in a boat and it doesn't always go to plan.

 

'Another key skill that the programme develops is dynamic risk assessment, which participants develop by being allowed to use their own judgment to assess situations, in a safe and controlled environment.'

 

Elaine McGeachy, depute head teacher at CGS, who led Tuesday's assembly, said: 'We are very proud of our young people and hope they continue on with their new seasport.

 

'We are delighted to have such a strong partnership with Kintyre Seasports and have allowed some of our young people a fantastic opportunity that they would never have thought on before.

 

'They have become more confident as people, not just on the water, and we hope they will continue to take their new skills forward.

 

'Congratulations all our S3 pupils involved.'

 

With many of the students keen to progress their sailing skills, Kintyre Seasports is looking at building on the week's training over the winter and into next season, improving sailing and nautical skills, giving the students a chance to learn to drive a powerboat, and progressing towards becoming assistant instructors.

 

'We'll also look to introduce and enthuse participants about the opportunities available to them in maritime fields,' said Dr Rodgers.

 

'Eventually, the participants will have the opportunity to become an RYA instructor, offering employment opportunities both close to home and abroad, as well as being fantastic experience and skillsets for CVs.'

 

He added: 'The Kintyre Seasports Instructor Development Programme has been supported by funding from the John Mather Trust, Trinity House, the Argyll and Bute Council Supporting Communities Fund, and the TK Foundation, without which we would not have been able to provide the opportunities, or to qualify as a Recognised Training Centre and issue the internationally-recognised qualifications that these participants have gained.'