JSA of LIS Member Program COVID‐19 Report
with responses through March 31, 2020

Summary:

          JSA board members who are located in each geographic area have started to contact nearby junior programs to understand the effect of COVID‐19 on summer junior activities, which will help coordinate a cooperative response to this challenge.

          JSA’s expectation is that as long as its member programs are able to safely run junior programs this summer under local and national guidelines, then JSA’s support for those junior sailing programs, including clinics, training and regattas, will continue to be offered to its member programs and their families.

          Input was received from 26 of the member junior programs through March 31. JSA board members will continue contacting additional member junior programs, in order to publish an updated report in mid‐April.

Club/Program Site Closure:

          Five programs or clubs are seasonal and typically would not open until after May 1. The rest of the programs report that their site is closed, in varying degrees, because of local and state proclamations. All have closed their clubhouse to members, but some allow members onsite to walk the grounds or work on their boats, with appropriate social distancing. Many are also providing curbside pickup of food prepared in the club kitchen. Club maintenance and marine staff continue to work at many of the clubs.

Junior Program Registration:

          The coronavirus uncertainty has affected the junior programs in a wide variety of ways compared to the prior year: 10 are seeing a decline in registrations, while 14 are on track with the prior year, and 2 are expecting an increase. All are planning to contact, or have already been in contact, with their enrolled families to inform them that the program is monitoring the situation and will take appropriate actions.

          Excepting five programs that have already completed their registration, programs are planning to extend the typical registration cut‐off dates to encourage additional commitments for the planned summer sessions. In addition, policies are being established by many clubs to offer full refunds of prepaid fees to families in the event of a shorter or cancelled program.

Here are selected registration comments from some programs:

Registration has been impacted a bit, however not much.;

This has been our best year ever for registration. Some families have been inquiring about the program status, and we have communicated that we are monitoring the situation and will take appropriate actions ;

We've had lots of registrations, and so far no one has withdrawn or expressed concern about their child participating.;

Unclear where we stand right now ‐ we have seen a stop in registrations since March 15, so we have left the window open as we expect to see more registrations arrive in late‐April to May.;

On track at beginning of March, but have had no registration activity for the last three weeks.;

Program registration will be 100% refundable through April 30. Cancellations made between May 1‐31 are 50% refundable and cancellations after May 31 are non‐refundable. However, we will monitor the situation and adjust after April 30 if the circumstances remain unsafe. In the event that program duration is cut short for an extended school year or other reason, registrations will be pro‐rated and refunded/credited accordingly. Should we need to cancel summer programs, registrations will be 100% refunded.; We are significantly down in registrations because of this uncertainty.;

We are promoting the program to non‐members in our local community.;

At the moment there is no “closing date” on registration and no deposits are being taken.;

We announced our intentions to prepare for and hold our summer programs and that we will accommodate late registrations from all, both novices and experienced.;

We've polled a number of parents whom we expect to return, and they are really hoping we can open up.;

We have no indication that families are not planning to participate. In fact, we believe there could be incremental demand to the extent those who might otherwise have traveled to other camps stay local.;

We could see a surge of interested participants if sleep away camps and team sports activities like Little League are unable to run. Local camps with individual sports like sailing might then become more appealing this summer, as was observed from 2008 to 2010 following the financial crisis.;

Current registration is slightly ahead of 2019, but we expect to see a drop‐off during April.; We still need to encourage families to register so that we can adjust staffing if necessary.

Instructor Hiring:

          Some programs have completed hiring their instructor team, but others are still hiring.

Here are selected hiring comments from some programs:

We are continuing to hire for the summer and planning to move forward. But we are concerned about ability for overseas instructors to come to US. Final J1 visa processing is on hold in Ireland and the UK, so we are in contact with instructors and their visa processing companies.;

If foreign instructors are blocked, we may look to hire local instructors or may reduce the size of the program.;

Some of our former instructors had planned to take college courses or to do an internship, but with all of that either up in the air or officially on hold they have decided to again teach at our program.;

We have made our offers to hire contingent on partial program or no program this summer.;

Now there is a concern among our hires as to whether we will operate this summer and will they have employment.;

We have communicated to our instructors that we will honor their contracts as long as they show up even if there are no kids to mentor or coach.;

We are reaching out to all of our local, college‐aged instructors to confirm their commitment and assure them that we will continue to communicate any new developments.;

We have put a hold on any additional hiring until we get a sense of how registration numbers are impacted.;

Club members have volunteered to teach the sailors if the hired instructors are not available. We may make the exception of hiring member’s children to teach in a pinch.;

Concerns were expressed by some programs about new instructors needing Level 1 and Safe Powerboat Handling courses – will they be able to become certified? [Note: US Sailing expects to restructure the Level 1 Instructor course from a 4‐day in person course to become 2‐days in person preceded by remote learning. And the Safe Powerboat Handling course may likewise incorporate some remote learning. Details TBD for both.]

Decision about Running the Program:

Here are selected comments from some programs:

We are having online committee meetings every other week to continue the dialogue, and will follow state and national guidelines. We are making contingency plans for delayed openings with and without regattas, scenarios that involve social distancing involving fewer numbers of participants in each activity over the course of day/week (e.g., 3 days a week, with shorter class times to move more groups through the program).;

We have no intention of cancelling our junior program. We’ll find a way to make it happen. If the program starts one week late, we will compensate by ending the program a week later than originally scheduled. But if the program starts two weeks later based on school schedule, we will end the program one‐week early, because families tend to go on late summer vacations during that time, and instructors need to get back to school.;

Our program is small, approx. 50 kids, allowing for flexibility with ability to break instruction into smaller/staggered groups on land and water, staggered program periods, start times, etc. to avoid crowding. Contingency planning options include focus exclusively on “outdoor activities,” with option for smaller/staggered groups, in accordance with recommended health guidelines.;

The club remains flexible as the situation evolves and will make final decision in May, approximately one month prior to the program start for enough time to make any necessary adjustments; The club wants the program to happen ‐ if it’s possible it will happen.;

We are examining this on a week‐by‐week basis, because it is too soon to make decisions for something that is three months out. Our junior committee has discussed contingencies and several scenarios, as has the club's leadership. No decisions have been made but we expect to run the program as scheduled and as planned, and also to be as flexible as possible with enrollment dates and fees, if we need to pro‐rate the season or a session.;

Dependent on registration and numbers of instructors that can join us we might have to stretch out our program in order to reduce number of sailors per week. We considered that we might also be ordered to reduce group sizes to achieve greater social distancing.;

If we are able to go forward we expect to do so. We have been looking at contingency plans in the event we have to push back our start date from June 22. We would likely still offer a full 8‐week program even if the start was pushed back by a full two weeks to July 6. Beyond that date we would be looking at a shortened program given college return dates for staff, etc.;

We are small, flexible and nimble. We communicated to families that we continue to prep, but that we cannot rule out a last minute cancellation.

Other Comments:

          Asset purchases: two junior programs mentioned that spending for new equipment and boats has been postponed until next year.

          Virtual programming: one club reported that it recently started offering online sailing and powerboat theory classes, as well as virtual racing, to help its members remain connected and engaged.

Huguenot Yacht Club

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