How junior sailing helped raise our girls

Ibis de Teresa enrolled her two daughters in the Vallarta Yacht Club junior sailing program when they were just 6 and 8 years old. Now well into their 20s, Ibis attributes their adult successes to what they learned from being young sailors. In her own words, Ibis describes this experience:

As a junior sailing parent, I can truly say that for my daughter’s, Emilia and Martina, being part of the junior sailing program at the Vallarta Yacht Club was one of the best choices we could have ever done for their upbringing and formation.

When a child learns to sail and participates in a professional program, such as the one at the Vallarta Yacht Club, what the child is really learning (while having lots of fun and exercising) is many of the life skills needs to thrive.

These include confidence and independence, problem solving and adaptability, teamwork and communication, focus, patience and emotional regulation, responsibility and safety awareness, goal setting and perseverance, love, respect and connection to nature, amongst many other subtle and very important skills that are difficult to describe.

All that you see on the water with a junior sailor, you can also see at school, at home, and in every aspect of their life.

Many years later, my daughters, now in their 20s, are both happy, positive, powerful, resourceful, and successful in their lives. I definitely still see in them all those great skills they learnt when sailing. I will always be extremely grateful for what junior sailing has meant for our family and for them.