Welcome to our High School Sailing Spotlight series. In this series, we highlight sailing programs from across the country that compete in the Interscholastic Sailing Association (ISSA). From programs with long-standing competitive traditions to emerging teams, each profile takes a closer look at the schools and provides key information about their sailing programs. You can find ISSA regatta results on the HS Sailing TechScore.
Located in Greenwich, Connecticut, Greenwich Academy is an independent all-girls day school serving students from grade 5 through 12. The sailing program competes within NESSA, ISSA’s New England Conference.
Ahead of the spring championship season, I caught up with Head Coach Beka Schiff to learn more about her first season leading the Gators and the culture she seeks to build within the program.
Schiff’s goals extend beyond the scoreboard, focusing on creating a program where sailors of all experience levels can grow, contribute, and develop confidence on the water.
“My goal is to build a program that girls want to be a part of and look back on as genuinely formative,” Schiff shared. “I want Greenwich Academy sailing to be known for developing smart, confident, fearless sailors who know how to think on the water and trust themselves under pressure.”
During her first season, Schiff emphasized balancing the needs of a roster that included both experienced racers and sailors new to the sport. For the team’s top sailors, the focus was on sharpening competitive skills, strengthening team racing abilities, and preparing for the transition into college sailing. For newer sailors, the emphasis was on building strong fundamentals and confidence that would carry into future seasons.
As an all-female program, Schiff sees a unique opportunity to create an environment where sailors feel represented and empowered. “Coaching an all-girls team is an absolute privilege,” Schiff said. “It is so important for girls to have female role models to look up to. I get to be the person that helps show them that they belong in this sport just as much as anyone.”
The team culture Schiff helped foster was competitive while remaining centered around collaboration and shared success. “When one of us wins, we all win,” she said. “Every person on the team contributes to our successes as a whole.”
As Greenwich Academy continues to build on its strong tradition in New England scholastic sailing, Schiff encourages sailors entering high school competition to embrace the learning process.
“Give yourself grace,” Schiff advised. “It gets more technical, the competition gets harder, and the stakes feel higher, and that’s ok. The sailors who thrive are the ones who stay positive and stay coachable”.
In the Spring 2026 season, the Greenwich Academy Gators had several standout results, highlighted by winning the 2026 ISSA Phoebe Corckran King Memorial Trophy and finishing at the top of the standings at the NESSA Girls Championship. The team also finished 6th at the NESSA Fleet Racing Championship for the O’Day Trophy.
Have a high school sailing story worth sharing? Coaches, sailors, alumni, parents, and race officials — we want to hear from you! Contact Heather at [email protected]
Thank you to Dave Curtis of HDFA Photography for allowing us to use these amazing photos. You can find his galleries HERE.
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