Building Better Sailors: The Case for Trained Judges in Junior Regattas

We’ve all heard it at a skipper’s meeting: “Let’s have a friendly regatta and stay out of the protest room.”

While meant to encourage a friendly atmosphere, this mindset can unintentionally send the wrong message - It can make the rules seem like something to avoid rather than the foundation of fair competition. To best support our junior sailors, we should move beyond informal discussions and recognize the value that trained, independent judges bring to the learning experience.

The Educational Imperative

A protest hearing isn’t a courtroom—it’s a classroom. Each hearing gives sailors a hands-on opportunity to apply what they’ve learned on the water, understand how the rules protect fairness, and see respect and sportsmanship in action.

When disputes are handled informally on the dock or between coaches, two problems often arise:

• Conflicts of Interest: Coaches naturally want to support their own sailors, which can make impartial decisions difficult.

• Procedural Gaps: While coaches teach technique brilliantly, they often lack the specialized training required to interpret the rules and conduct a fair, structured hearing.

The protest process should not intimidate young sailors—it should empower them. Learning to navigate a hearing builds confidence, sharpens understanding of the rules, and reinforces the principles of integrity that the sport depends on.

NBYA Can Help, But We Can't Do It for You

NBYA is committed to being a resource, not a replacement for club initiative. If your club needs judging support:

• Don’t Wait: Judges’ calendars fill up fast as spring approaches. Look at the US Sailing list of judges for Area A here: https://www.ussailing.org/competition/rules-officiating/resources/find-a-race-official/ 

• Ask for Leads: NBYA (judges@nbya.org)  or the Regional Administrative Judge, William Collins for Area A (contact info here: https://www.ussailing.org/competition/rules-officiating/judges/) can help to connect you with local certified judges

• Train Your Own: Both US Sailing and NBYA offer training opportunities every off-season, online and in person. Participation from junior programs has been light—let’s change that. Building a pool of homegrown judges strengthens our sailing community. See https://www.ussailing.org/competition/rules-officiating/resources/find-a-seminar/judge-seminar-calendar/ (NOTE: NBYA helps fund this training if needed - get a grant)

The Goal: Better Racing, Not More Paperwork

The more often young sailors experience fair, well-run hearings, the less they fear them. When trained judges oversee the process, hearings are efficient, respectful, and educational. Results are decided by skill and understanding on the water—not by who debates best on the dock.

By committing to trained judges and structured education, we teach our sailors that rules are not barriers to fun—they are the backbone of fairness. The protest room becomes more than a place to resolve disputes. It becomes another classroom, another racecourse, and another chance to grow as a sailor and a sportsman.