Sailing is a smaller sports team at Mater Dei compared to some of the others.  This co-ed club team began at Mater Dei in 1998. Since then, the sailing program has gone through many changes and has gone on to win a number of national titles.

Junior Nick Lech joined the team his freshman year and is a key member. He has many hopes for this upcoming season.

“My hopes are to win the national championship this year,” Lech said.

He hopes to achieve this even with all the changes the team has faced. Many of the key players graduated last year as seniors, so that left the responsibility to the juniors.

“We have lost many valuable people but we are gaining many people who are looking to be beneficial to the team,” Lech said.

Lech has stepped up this year as a mentor towards the new members. He strives to motivate others to push their limits and to go beyond their comfort zones.  

“I consider myself a leader because I help motivate the younger people on the team to perform at higher standards and learn [more],” Lech said.

Being on the sailing team has helped people build a family. Senior Tate Christopher considers himself a key member of the team and helps build team character amongst others. He is a big role model for others and knows that he has to set an example. 

“I am now a senior so I know that I have to be a big role model,” Christopher said. “I try to be the best version of myself while being a role model for others.”

Christopher would like to see the team grow in numbers and become more popular.  New talent is always welcome.

“Hopefully we can get more people to join the team since we are smaller but ultimately I would like to see the team grow in size.”

Like Lech, Christopher hopes to win a championship this year. With the time and effort they’ve put in, he feels they have a good shot at the title.  He knows that it is not a one man job and can’t be done without the help of his teammates.

“I see us performing quite well since we’ve all put in time and effort to get to where we are today,” Christopher said.

With help from other seniors such as William Sangmeister, the team is sure to perform well this year. Sangmeister has also been on the team for many years and is a big influence and mentor for others on the team.  

“The team has gained much more recognition for its achievements hence its popularity,” Sangmeister said. “Its team size has grown a lot to the point where we are matching other teams, such as CDM, in comparison to size.” 

Sangmeister has made many friends while on the team and has built a bond with them.  He loves being on the team though and finds it very rewarding to do something he loves with friends.  

“Being out on the water with all my friends [is the best],” Sangmeister said. “As someone who doesn’t go to regattas usually, it’s fun to go out and practice with my friends and just have fun.”

He definitely tries to take advantage of the many opportunities he has while being on the team. 

“My favorite thing is being able to go out with my friends and go sailing on a weekday,” Sangmeister said. “My least favorite thing is the boats because the boats are a bit small for our size.”

 Sangmeister encourages others to join as they can also build life lasting friendships and bonds.