Rebecca Keller, a Passion for Sailing
Over the past 20 years, The WaterFront Center has strived to foster an environment of passion for water. From inexperienced sailor to collegiate athlete and instructor, Rebecca Keller is one of those passionate community members.
Rebecca’s story started in pre-k when her class went on a field trip to The WaterFront Center to learn about sailing and the environment. It was her first day on a sailboat. In fact, she loved it so much that her parents signed her up for The WaterFront Center’s summer program that year!
Every year, she returned and got hooked on sailing in Optis. When she was 11, she was introduced to racing by her WFC Opti Coach. She returned to race every year after that, sailing on our Opti Race team until she was old enough to learn c420s and join our High School Sailing Team her freshman year.
Joining the c420 Race Team and High School Sailing solidified Rebecca’s love and passion for sailing and racing. High school sailing introduced her to team sailing, allowing her to collaborate with other sailors and discuss race tactics. “When I was on the 420 Race Team at The WaterFront Center in 2018, I found it beneficial that all of us would work together and push each other prior to and during sailing.”
During her junior year of high school, Rebecca took US Sailing’s Level I sailing instructor certification course and qualified to become an instructor at The Waterfront Center. In her first year, she taught beginners in Optis. She said her favorite part of teaching is “watching the little sailors develop the same excitement for sailing that I felt when I was little, which is incredibly rewarding.” Now she is the c420 Race Coach for the same team she joined as a freshman in high school.
As a young adult, Rebecca sails on the Fordham University Sailing Team and has become involved in match racing. Although Rebecca’s sailing experience at The WaterFront Center began as a simple field trip, it stayed with her throughout adolescence and young adulthood. The WaterFront Center was where Rebecca could grow up with her friends, learn new skills, and acquire a passion that would last a lifetime and gain employment! We are so lucky to have Rebecca and watch her grow from a young student to a master,
We honor her dedication and commitment to both the sport and our organization. Thank you, Rebecca, for sailing with us and continuing to be a part of this wonderful community. That instructor inspired Rebecca to work harder and join our race team to continue her sailing journey.
You can also find this story in our 2023/2024 LOG!
