By Taylor Phillips
Copy Editor
Costa sophomore Dawson Wong uses his experience in sailing to help teach younger kids how to sail through a local sailing organization called the King Harbor Youth Foundation.
According to Wong, he became involved in sailing when he was nine years old after spending time in King Harbor in Redondo Beach paddle boarding and kayaking. Wong’s step-father also had experience sailing and competing around the world, so it helped inspire Wong to try sailing.
“My favorite part of sailing is the complexity and versatility of the sport,” Wong said. “I love how sailing combines mental and physical aspects into a single activity. Sailing always poses a challenge to you on multiple levels, and on top of that, since a large part of the sport relies on wind and other weather conditions, the playing field is always changing, making it so you always have to be ready for anything and everything.”
Wong started taking lessons through the King Harbor Youth Foundation during the spring of his fourth-grade year. By the end of that summer, Wong had joined the Optimist race team through the King Harbor Youth Foundation and sailed competitively with the team until eighth grade. Wong is currently a member of the Costa sailing team through the King Harbor Youth Foundation and has competed in offshore races as well.
“I currently sail on the Costa sailing team through [the King Harbor Youth Foundation], along with sailing offshore on boats such as Coeur De Lion, a NY36 and El Encanto a C320,” Wong said. “In regards to how I started offshore sailing, I began by doing casual race night on a friend’s boat out of King Harbor Yacht Club on Thursdays during the summer after I worked at King Harbor Youth Foundation. I began getting invited on further and further races and eventually gained a regular spot on two boats that I had been sailing on.”
According to Wong, he first received the opportunity to volunteer with the King Harbor Youth Foundation when he was in seventh grade, when his sailing coach asked if he wanted an internship. Wong began working with the foundation and found a passion for teaching and coaching kids. Wong interned for two years with the foundation until he was able to become a certified coach.
“I originally began coaching thinking it’d be a good way to get experience and give back to the foundation, which had taught and given me so much,” Wong said. “After I began working and teaching, I realized I really loved to teach and work with the kids and realized that this was something I really enjoyed doing and wanted to do more of it.”
Last spring, Wong was old enough to become a certified coach. According to Wong, he completed his United States Sailing level one certification, meaning he can now coach students on his own. He works with the New Channels program and helps teach students between the ages of eight and 18 how to sail.
“I first heard of the New Channels program about two years ago when my coach mentioned that they were looking for volunteers who knew how to sail, kayak and operate power boats,” Wong said. “I decided to attend an event, and I thought it was a really great program that combined my love of being on the water, charity work and teaching into one.”
Wong works for New Channels and over the summer, he worked with the King Harbor Youth Foundation as well. It has been difficult for Wong to be able to teach during the pandemic, but, according to Wong, when he has the opportunity to teach even a few classes, it is rewarding.
“Getting to see kids come on the first day a bit hesitant and unsure and leave at the end of the session confident and sure of their abilities on the water and even having found a new interest or passion is something that reaffirms for me time and time again how great this opportunity I have is,” Wong said.
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