Redwood’s sailing team wrapped up the 2024 season with four Norcal Regional wins, a significant accomplishment that highlighted the team’s dedication and skill. Sailing is an incredibly labor-intensive sport, with some athletes training up to six days a week. 

Captain Blake Oberbauer described the season as successful, acknowledging the abundance of enthusiasm and determination amongst the team. 

“We accomplished so much this year because of a big change. [At] the beginning of the year, over half of our team members were new to the sport, but we stayed [focused] and motivated to make everything possible,” Oberbauer said. “The change in the team dynamic this year was one I have never experienced before.” 

Sophomore Lauren Crawford credits the team’s Norcal victory to the positive atmosphere the sailors created. 

“Our team did really well because we all communicated with each other and were friendly. That’s the key [to] a successful team,” Crawford said.

Communication is crucial for a team sport, especially sailing, in which quick decisions and coordination determine the race’s outcome. If these factors aren’t present, the team can’t cooperate well. The team does a lot of bonding activities and get-togethers to become more comfortable with each other. While communication is very crucial while sailing, physical labor is also very prominent. 

“I joined sailing not knowing how hard I would be working every practice. It is heavily physical and we push ourselves and each other for the best outcome,” Crawford said.

Yet, Oberbauer knows that mental strength is also necessary to succeed in sailing.

“Mentality is [also] super important to learn tactics, study the race course, and do maneuvers,” Oberbauer said. 

Crawford agrees, embracing a similar sentiment to Oberbauer.

“Sailing has a lot of mental components. You have to understand your surroundings, like mapping out the wind,” Crawford said. 

The sailing off-season ranges from the middle of November to early February. Off-season gives the crew a very short amount of time to rest, but most athletes tend to cross-train to maintain a strong physical condition for the upcoming season.

“During the off-season, I really enjoy going on runs to stay in shape. In the off-season, my team does core and ab exercises a couple [of] times a month,” Crawford said.

Yet,  Crawford also uses sailing as a way to condition for other athletic commitments. The results of being a multi-sport athlete benefit both sports, as getting a variety of workouts improves overall performance.

“I only sail in the fall, because I do lacrosse as my main sport in the spring,” Crawford said.

The Redwood sailing team’s Norcal league win reflected not only the athletic abilities of the team members but also the supportiveness, communication and strong mental focus. With the spring season coming up, athletes work hard in order to have another successful year.