NBYA Junior

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The NBYA (Narragansett Bay Yachting Association) Junior Sailing Program and The Marshall family have teamed up to make an all women’s regatta. The premise behind this event is to provide a fun, safe learning environment that is all-girls. We want girls to have great female coaches and gain confidence. If girls want to stop and rest, so be it. This is typically not an clinic and regatta where we try to push girls past their comfort zone. We are trying to help girls find their comfort zone. Having said that, in the past, the race day of this event has been the Girl’s Championship.

Please join us in continuing the tradition of The Mary Rose Marshall Regatta!

Read Below for the history of The Mary Rose Marshall:

‘Jim Marshall, former Chair of NBYA Junior Sailing Committee, had a vision when he discussed creating a regatta for girls with his daughters in memory of his wife, Mary Rose. He wanted to create something special: an opportunity for girls to learn, grow, and race in a supportive, encouraging environment. From the beginning, the regatta included a high-level clinic focused on racing techniques and concluded with a fun competition among peers. The NBYA Junior Women’s Regatta was founded in 1995 by Jim, with the enthusiastic support of his daughters, Ann and Mary.

The heart of this event has always been about more than racing. Jim’s deeper purpose was to build camaraderie and foster friendships among girls from across Narragansett Bay and beyond. He also believed in the importance of bringing in women coaches and leaders to show the participants what’s possible—not only in the world of sailing, but in life.

Jim and Mary Rose raised their daughters to believe in themselves, to speak up, and to never think they couldn’t do something. That message became the theme of the very first regatta: “Yes, I can.”

Mary Rose was a gifted athlete, long before Title IX gave women the right to participate in organized school sports. She excelled across many disciplines, but her true passion became supporting her children. She was the ultimate “soccer mom”—cheering her daughters on in soccer, softball, volleyball, basketball, and, of course, sailing.

Neither Jim or Mary Rose grew up sailing. As newlyweds, they bought a little 18-foot sailboat and taught themselves to sail by exploring Narragansett Bay together. When it was time for their daughters to race in junior sailing, their Pearson 34 towed two Sunfish and a Boston Whaler to regattas all over the Bay.

The first Jr. Women’s Regatta featured just nine girls sailing in Laser Radials, originally designed as a stepping-stone to the Wakeman and Leiter Cup events. Over time, the regatta grew in both popularity and scope, expanding to include 420s and Optis, and eventually was renamed the Mary Rose Marshall Junior Women’s Regatta.

The 420 trophy is named in honor of Alicia Tabor, the first woman elected commodore within NBYA (Narragansett Terrace Yacht Club). She played a vital role in founding a junior sailing program and left a powerful legacy, not only in leadership, but in spirit. Even as she battled cancer, Alicia continued to sail. Her strength and love of the sport still inspire us.

The Opti trophy honors Brad Swett, who was a passionate supporter of junior sailing at Conanicut Yacht Club, CISF, and for his daughter Hannah’s amazing journey in sailing—from her early years all the way through her Olympic career and beyond.

Sailing, especially when learned at a young age, builds lifelong skills. It teaches you how to communicate under pressure, build trust and confidence in yourself and your teammates, adapt to constantly changing wind and sea conditions, and approach challenges with the mindset of a lifelong learner. Learning to win—and lose—on the sailing course and how you challenge yourself to try again and learn from the previous race is something that is applicable for whether you’re preparing for a school exam, navigating a job challenge, or facing any of life’s unpredictable turns.

As the regatta marks its 30th anniversary in 2025, its mission remains the same: to create a welcoming space where girls can build confidence in their sailing skills, learn from one another, be inspired by female sailors and community leaders, and form lasting friendships, all while having fun. At its core, the event encourages participants to support one another and continue the tradition of giving back—paying it forward for the next generation of women in the sport. Many past participants have become coaches or volunteers for the event.

The continued success of this regatta is because of the energy, effort, and heart that the NBYA Jr. Sailing Committee, clinic coaches and participants bring year after year. The regatta’s success is also thanks to the countless parent volunteers who help make it happen each year. Their dedication often goes unrecognized in the moment, but its impact is long-lasting. For many families, the event becomes a shared experience that bridges generations. It continues to honor the legacy of Mary Rose and Jim Marshall while inspiring future junior women sailors to find strength, community, and joy on the water.’

– Mary