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>> BOB: WELCOME TO "NORFOLK PERSPECTIVES" I AM BOB BATCHER
AND HERE WITH BILL BAHEN THE DIRECTOR OF SAIL NAUTICUS.
YOU HAD A BABY ON THE WAY. >> I DID.
>> BOB: YOU WERE COMING FROM THE BIG NYC.
FIRST NORFOLK WINNER. >> IT HAS BEEN A GOOD WINTER AND
SIMILAR TO WINTERS. >> BOB: AND THE WATERFRONT IN
NORFOLK COMPARED TO NEW YORK CITY?
>> IT IS A BUSY AREA. >> BOB: THOSE BARGES GET IN THE
WAY. BABY?
>> FANTASTIC, WILL. LITTLE BOY, ABOUT A YEAR.
>> BOB: COOL. NOW LET'S TALK ABOUT SAIL
NAUTICUS. HAS IT MET YOUR EXPECTATIONS?
>> IT REALLY HAS. THERE HAS BEEN GREAT LEADERSHIP
IN THIS TOWN THAT HAS HELPED TO GET A HOLD OF THE PERSPECTIVE
WITH SAIL NAUTICUS. WE HAVE BUILT GREAT PARTNERSHIPS
WITH NORFOLK PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM AND NORFOLK PARK AND REC
DEPARTMENT THAT HAVE ALLOWED US TO EXCEL.
WHAT WE ARE DOING IN NORFOLK, I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF A SAILING
CENTER OUTSIDE OF A PUBLIC SCHOOL CENTER.
>> BOB: HOW MANY KIDS INVOLVED IN THE PROGRAM?
>> WE HAVE AN AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM THAT BEGAN IN SEPTEMBER
CALLED SAIL NAUTICUS ACADEMY. THREE YEAR PROGRAM, SIXTH,
SEVENTH, AND EIGHTH. WE RECRUITED 80 SIXTH GRADERS.
>> BOB: HOW MANY OF THOSE KIDS HAD BEEN ON A BOAT BEFORE?
>> OUT OF THE 80, SEVEN. [LAUGHTER].
IT WAS A PRETTY LOW NUMBER. >> BOB: WHAT DID THEY DO WHEN
THEY FIRST SAW THE BOAT? >> THEIR ENTHUSIASM.
WE HAD REALLY GOOD INSTRUCTORS. I THINK THEY KNOW HOW TO MAKE
THESE KIDS FEEL COMFORTABLE. THAT PERSPECTIVE HAS GAINED
CONFIDENCE WITHIN THE KIDS. FIRST DAY THEY COME DOWN WITH
TREPIDATION AND SECOND TIME THEY ARE EXCITED.
>> BOB: DID YOU ASK IF THEY KNEW HOW TO SWIM?
>> IT WAS NOT A REQUIREMENT BUT AT SOME POINT IT WAS ASKED.
>> BOB: THEY STAY IN THE BOAT, RIGHT?
>> THEY ARE IN THE BOAT THE WHOLE TIME AND WEARING LIFE
JACKETS. THESE ARE NOT DINGY BOATS, THEY
ARE 20-FOOT BOATS, THEY DON'T FLIP OVER UNLESS WE GET IN BAD
WEATHER. >> BOB: PREDICTING WEATHER YOU
DON'T GO OUT? >> WE DON'T GO OUT IF IT IS BATH
WEATHER. >> BOB: WHEN THE SNOW IS COMING
DO YOU DO STUFF ON SHORE? >> KIDS BEGAN IN SEPTEMBER AND
COME DOWN ONE DAY A WEEK, WE HAD THEM IN THE WATER UNTIL EARLY
NOVEMBER. I WAS ABLE TO BUILD A
RELATIONSHIP WITH NORFOLK REC WE ARE USING THE AQUATIC CENTER AND
NORTH SIDE POOL. KIDS ARE IN A NINE-WEEK LEARN TO
SWIM PROGRAM. >> BOB: OKAY.
>> THAT IS OUR BRIDGE FROM FALL TO SPRING.
KIDS GET BACK IN THE WATER, WEEK OF THE 24TH OF MARCH.
LEARNING TO SWIM RIGHT NOW. >> BOB: SAILING IS THE ULTIMATE
TEAM SPORT. ARE YOU SEEING THE TEAMS
STARTING TO BUILD? >> WE ARE SEEING MORE CONFIDENCE
IN THE KIDS A LOT QUIETER IN SEPTEMBER.
MUCH MORE LOUD. LIKE ANYTHING ELSE, PEOPLE GET
COMFORTABLE AND THEIR PERSONALITIES START TO SHINE.
IT HAS BEEN GREAT TO SEE THE GROWTH IN KIDS.
THIS IS DEFINITELY OUTSIDE THEIR COMFORT ZONE.
IDEA THEY ARE MORE COMFORTABLE IN THE POOL, A LARGE PERCENTAGE
OF KIDS DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO SWIM PROPERLY.
>> BOB: THEY TOLD YOU THEY COULD SWIM?
>> NO. THEY ALL SAID THEY HAVE BEEN IN
WATER BEFORE. THEY DIDN'T FEEL COMFORTABLE IN
THE WATER. THERE IS A BIG DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN NOT BEING AFRAID AND NOT BEING COMFORTABLE.
A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF KIDS THAT WERE AFRAID.
NOW HAVE BEEN FORCED TO GET IN THE WATER, COERCED THROUGH
DIFFERENT GAMES AND EXERCISES THEY ARE DOING TO BUILD
CONFIDENCE. >> BOB: YOU ARE NOT GOING TO
GET A BREAK COME THE SUMMER, RIGHT?
>> NO. THESE KIDS GRADUATE FROM OUR
SCHOOL PROGRAM IN MID JUNE. OUR SUMMER CAMP BEGINS, THIRD
WEEK OF JUNE, ADULT MEMBERSHIP BEGINS MAY 1ST.
IT IS A YEAR ROUND PROGRAM. >> BOB: IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO
SIGN UP FOR THE SUMMER PROGRAM? >> SAILNAUTICUS.ORG.
>> BOB: THIS IS THE TIME TO SELL MEMBERSHIPS?
>> WE HAD A SUCCESSFUL CAMP, ABOUT 400 KIDS WHICH IS
PHENOMENAL. WE HAVE EXPANDED OUR CAMP BY TWO
EXTRA CAMPS. THERE IS LIMITED SPACE.
WE HAVEN'T DONE MARKETING. IF YOU WANT TO GET A SPOT ON THE
CAMP, SIGN UP SOON. >> I WANT TO CATCH UP WITH YOU.
IT WAS A BIG YEAR FOR NORFOLK BECAUSE OF THE WATERFRONT.
>> I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH LEADERSHIP IN TOWN.
PEOPLE HAVE LEARNED TO BE CREATIVE AND TRUST US.
>> BOB: I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO ANOTHER UPDATE.
MY NEXT GUEST IS A COOL LADY, SHE IS THE FIRST CITIZEN, FIND
OUT WHO SHE IS WHEN WE COME BACK.