For the first time in school history, LHS will be offering Sailing Club in addition to the plethora of clubs to choose from each year. This brand new aquatic club hopes to get more people involved with and excited about sailing, a sport that the prairie does not often recognize.

Rob Baker is a sophomore at LHS and the founder of the Sailing Club. Baker was just six years old when he began learning how to maneuver a sailboat. He started with simpler boats like Prams and gradually shifted to bigger and more agile boats.

“I just loved getting out on the water,” said Baker. “I loved meeting new friends and learning about the sport.”

Baker has learned from many different sailing teachers locally and from various places around the country. He is eager to help others experience sailing for themselves and for all of the different opportunities it can provide. For this reason, Baker believed it was time for LHS to create its first Sailing Club.

“There are a lot of different sailing groups out there, especially on the coasts,” said Baker.  “In Florida there is a very nice one. In Minnesota and Iowa there are plenty of schools that do sailing too. I figured, why not start a sailing club up out here in South Dakota for other people to do it?”

Living in the midwest, water sports do not often reach the limelight. However, Baker serves as proof that it is possible for people living here to pursue water sports and he would like to show his peers how. Sioux Falls is particularly lacking in the promotion of activities like sailing, but people like Baker agree that it is entirely possible for us to catch up with our neighboring states and cities who are already setting sail.

“We took one of my brother’s friends, Joe Osmundson, on a sailboat and he loved it,” said Baker. “The problem is a lot of people are not getting the experience of doing it and it is very expensive, but what is nice about high school sailing is that the boats come for free. You don’t have to pay to get a boat or anything.”

With the help of Baker’s sailing connections, the LHS Sailing Club has been able to obtain a sponsorship through the Okoboji Yacht Club. Okoboji is a lake in Iowa about two hours away from Sioux Falls and is the destination for most of Baker’s sailing. However, sailing has taken him to many beautiful destinations all over the country.

“I recently got invited to Blue Chip which is where the top 30 X-boaters in the world go,” said Baker. “If you think of an NBA all-star game, the Blue Chipper Regatta is kind of like that.”

The Sailing Club is very small right now, but it is aims to gain numbers and hopes to reach over 10 members soon. If you are someone looking for a new experience and possible life-long hobby, be sure to check out the new club and attend Baker’s next meeting for more details about how to accomplish your sailing dreams in South Dakota.