Rigging Up for Leadership
The Young Leaders program is a pioneering scheme that has been running at OSTT since its inception over 10 years ago. It takes some of the most talented young sailors coming out of our courses and transforms them into Assistant Instructors, setting them on a pathway to become fully qualified instructors and opening doors to a career in watersports.
Over the past decade, more than 300 young sailors have come through the Young Leaders Program, with the majority progressing further along the instructor pathway—either at OSTT or at centres across the country and around the world. This has created a truly home-grown feel at the centre, with many of our current instructors having started their journey right here as Young Leaders.
The program not only develops technical sailing and instructional skills but also builds confidence, leadership, and teamwork—qualities that benefit our young sailors far beyond the water. Young Leaders often take on real responsibilities during sessions, supporting instructors, assisting nervous or less confident sailors, and learning to adapt to changing conditions and group dynamics.
The Young Leaders Program continues to be a core part of what makes OSTT special. It’s not just a training pathway, it’s a community that nurtures the next generation of watersports professionals and keeps our centre thriving with passionate, capable, and enthusiastic instructors who understand and embody the OSTT spirit from day one.
