-22855 Mulholland Hwy. Calabasas, CA 91302-

Calabasas Courier Online

-22855 Mulholland Hwy. Calabasas, CA 91302-

Calabasas Courier Online

-22855 Mulholland Hwy. Calabasas, CA 91302-

Calabasas Courier Online

Sophomore Roberto Stevens sails to new heights

Sophomore+Roberto+Stevens+sails+to+new+heights

As a crisp August morning matures into a  summer day, sophomore sailor Roberto Stevens meticulously rigs his boat and runs its sheets, silently scoping out the day’s competition.  His competitive nature gradually gets the best of him as Stevens focuses all of his mental energy on a singular paramount goal: winning the race.

“I always have to race,” said Stevens.  “It is so competitive, I love the rush I get.  It is all very exciting to me.”

His dad, who has been sailing for around 30 years, prompted Stevens to start the sport at an early age.  Now 15 years old, Stevens continues to sharpen his skills by training intensely.  With all of the effort that he has put into sailing, Stevens has made a number of personal sacrifices, including quitting baseball and missing water polo tournaments.

“It was not difficult to learn how to sail, but to do well it takes a lot of time,” said Stevens.  “My dad helps me with my fundamentals.  Sailing is physically demanding, and it is also very mental, so his advice is essential.”

sailorTo prepare for races, Stevens’ coach helps him run drills and master different strategies and tactics.  Stevens practices for events in both offshore racing, which is usually one race of 300 to 400 miles, and inshore racing, which consists of many individual races, though he often competes in the latter.  Most recently, Stevens placed third out of 60 boats in the Shadden Series.

“I would say the mental game is the most difficult part [about races],” said Stevens.  “If I stop thinking for a minute, I can go from first to last place.  I never stop moving, and I never get a break.  Sailing has definitely taught me to be patient and to be confident in my decisions.”

picture-21In the future, Stevens hopes to pursue sailing in every way that he possibly can.  His hard work and determination set him apart from the crowd and will play a key role in his ultimate success.

“I am definitely going to sail in college and hopefully go to a [professional] level and campaign for the Olympics,” said Stevens.

“In this sport so much passion and commitment is needed, and I definitely think I have that, so anything is possible.”

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