Supporting the Next Generation: Australian Sailing establishes Youth Pathways Team
On Friday August 7 Australian Sailing announced it is committed to continuing its focus on youth development, with the establishment of a new Youth Pathways Team that will work with sailors, coaches, clubs and youth pathway classes to support the continued development of youth sailing in Australia.
The Youth Pathways Team will work to strengthen the environments that enable youth sailors to develop, with particular attention to the links between club, class and national programs.
The new Youth Pathways Team comprises Youth Pathways Manager Ian Leeson, Youth Pathways Head Coach Brady Lowe and Youth Pathways Development Officer Grant Willmott and Club Support Officer Tait Kunzli.
Ian’s background spans youth development, program design and coach development, with experience working across club, class and national environments to support sailors, coaches and the continued growth of Youth Sailing.
Brady brings experience across the full sailing pathway, having worked within Australian Sailing’s High Performance team as a Performance Pathways Coach over the past 5 years, as well as across club and class coaching environments. His coaching experience spans multiple classes and includes supporting both sailors and coaches across different stages of development. In his new role, Brady will focus on strengthening alignment, collaboration and development across the youth pathway system, supporting the delivery of the Youth Development Plan and strengthening connections between clubs, classes and national pathway opportunities.
Grant has worked across club operations, event delivery and coaching, with strong knowledge of the environments where youth sailing takes place. Having worked within Australian Sailing across a range of roles, Grant brings insight into club delivery, events and the practical considerations involved in delivering youth sailing programs.
Tait will continue in his primary Club Support Officer role in Western Australia, while contributing one day per week to the Youth Pathways Team. His contribution will support Youth Pathways activity in WA and a targeted sailor wellbeing and development initiative within the National Youth Squad program.
The team will work alongside youth pathway class associations, clubs, coaches and other Australian Sailing staff across the country, helping strengthen existing programs and building greater alignment across youth sailing.
The Youth Pathways Team will begin engaging with the sailing community throughout the summer, attending key events including the Zhik Youth Sail series where they will observe existing club-based programs and spend time with the sailors, coaches, and classes involved in youth development.
Australian Sailing’s new Youth Development Plan is in its final stages of development. The plan will guide how Australian Sailing supports youth sailors at different stages of their journey, with a focus on improving connections between programs, providing practical support for clubs and youth pathway classes, and continuing to develop coaches across the youth pathway.
Australian Sailing CEO Malcolm Page OAM said the focus is on building on what already exists while strengthening the connections across the broader youth sailing system.
“Club and class programs continue to play a critical role in the development of Australia's young sailors. Our focus is on building on strong foundations and strengthening the connections between the different parts of the pathway, from local sailing through to national programs and international opportunities.
“The development of youth sailors is a collective effort. Clubs, classes, coaches, volunteers, families and Australian Sailing all have an important role to play. Our role is to help bring these environments together, share what works and support the people creating opportunities for young sailors to learn, develop and enjoy the sport.”
The Youth Pathways Team builds on several years of investment in youth development across Australian Sailing. This includes the expansion of Participation Programs supporting clubs and classes to deliver Green, Intermediate and Advanced Fleet coaching programs, increased engagement through Zhik Youth Sail events, stronger connections with youth pathway class associations, and continued investment in coach development through national webinars, mentoring opportunities and targeted development initiatives.
This work has also included the redesign and ongoing enhancement of the Australian Sailing National Youth Squad program, support for Australian representation at the Youth Sailing World Championships, and the development of pathways towards major international opportunities such as the Youth Olympic Games and Commonwealth Youth Games.
The Youth Development Plan will be published in the coming months, providing further detail on future priorities, programs and opportunities across youth development in Australia.
Eligibility & Development Focus
The Australian Sailing National Youth Squad is for sailors under 19 years of age (as of 31 December in the year of selection) and in the case of the ILCA 4 (female and under the age of 17 as at the 31 December in the year of selection). To be considered sailors should be actively training and competing in one of the following Classes: 420, 29er, ILCA 6, ILCA 4, Nacra 15, iQFOiL, Kitefoil.
Sailors should demonstrate a commitment to training and development, a desire to be part of a connected, performance-minded community, and a willingness to learn and contribute in a team environment.
Sailors in the program are encouraged to foster a commitment to the following key qualities, which form the foundation of our development approach throughout the program:
- Good Racers
- Squad-minded
- Curious Learners
- Physically and Mentally Capable
- Committed to Developing as Skilled Sailors
Selection
Sailors will be invited to join the Australian Sailing National Youth Squad in accordance with the Selection Guidelines. Offers will be made to sailors via email at the conclusion of the selection process, this is anticipated to be February 2027 for all classes, except the Nacra 15 class where offers will be made early April 2027 after the completion of the Nacra 15 selection regatta.
To accept an offer, sailors must commit to participating in all Australian Sailing National Youth Squad activities throughout 2027.