Development

It is critically important for sailors to be learning at an accelerated rate from the ages of around 10/11 to the age of 17. This learning is reliant on the environment presented to the sailors being accurately challenging. Young people are naturally capable of adapting, they enjoy learning and experimenting. When young people are learning and growing their self esteem is high and they are happiest. Any periods of time at this stage where a sailor is in an environment that is not suitably challenging will lead them to be bored and possibly put them behind their peers. Both of these are key contributors to young people leaving sport.