Boston College Athletics
Photo by: Robert Migliaccio
From the Past to the Future Through the Present
November 10, 2016 | Sailing, #ForBoston Files
For Boston College sailing, national championships are a way of life.
With an incredibly rich history, few college sailing programs boast the pedigree and legacy of Boston College. In a sport featuring a number of national championship opportunities in multiple disciplines, the Eagles have a number of opportunities to shine - and usually do.
Carrying the torch of success is great, but it's BC's ability to pass on that flame keeping the program burning bright. As one athlete continues success, the program's ability to create new champions breeds the type of recognition and inspiration all sports try to attain but few succeed in actually developing.
Senior Erika Reineke is no stranger to championship sailing. In her final year for the Eagles, she recently captured her fourth National Singlehanded Sailing Championship. In a sport where low score wins, her 31 points were 39 less than her nearest competitors. Racing in 14 events, she won eight, placing second and third in four additional events, two apiece.
"It feels really good (to win another title)," Reineke said. "It's a sign that hard work really can pay off, especially because the goal is always to go looking for a national championship."
While Reineke celebrated her fourth singlehanded trophy, an Eagles rookie was drinking the cup of success for the first time. With 81 points, freshman Scott Rasmussen grabbed his first singlehanded title to stand atop the podium. He won three times across 14 races, including one in the final race to clinch the championship.
"It's pretty exciting to win my first title," Rasmussen said. "It's really nice to do it for a team, which is something new for me in the sport, In the past, competing has always been individual, so to have done it for a group makes it better."
The duo continues the tradition of excellence established on the water with Boston College sailing. This past summer, Annie Haegar and Brianna Provancha competed as part of Team USA at the Olympic Games. It sets the tone for what the current Eagles try to accomplish, stemming from their hopes and training in Chestnut Hill.
"Winning four national championships (for the program) feels really good," Reineke said. "You watch the people who came before you, and you realize how much hard work it is to get where they are. It's hard to imagine being an Olympian, but with so many other steps and goals, in practices and meetings, it's a goal that we want to accomplish here (at BC)."
If the line from past to future goes through the present, it's no irony to see Reineke and Rasmussen succeeding together. Both are Florida natives, and both matriculated to BC out of the Fort Lauderdale area.
"My parents joined a yacht club in Fort Lauderdale," said Reineke, "and they signed me up to learn to sail on dinghys. When I was 12, I started working with Ben Williams, who was really the right coach. He taught me about the hard work that it takes to get to the top. When I started, I didn't really love (sailing), but the more I worked at it, the more I started to fall in love with it."
"I started in a small camp in Fort Myers," Rasmussen said, "and after I started learning how to sail, I took up racing, which I really enjoyed. So I talked to my parents about getting into racing, and it started to become a really big part of my life because what you do every day really counts."
For Reineke, the trip to Boston College was natural because of its historical success. "When I was a freshman out of high school, I wanted to come to BC," she said. "I knew that's where Annie Haegar and Brianna Provancha were, and I really just wanted to be like them.
"I knew BC had great academics, so I knew it would help me to get a good job out of college (when I graduate)," she continued. "Plus it's a Division I program, which gave me the work aspect of a varsity sport. It's taught me to be as professional as possible."
Her success would pave the road for Rasmussen. "I came to BC because of Erika," he said. "Her family are friends of my family, so I got to see what she did. The program really interested me; with the team and the life that everyone lives (on campus). The team is very professionally run, and everyone is very serious about sailing. I want a future in (the sport)."
It's that history of success that defines the current achievements and potential for more in the future. With six possible national championships, it's one of the few sports that provides a year-round chance to shine - even as they have to practice in the New England winter.
"The number (of possible titles) keeps us on our toes," Reineke said. "Practice becomes a battle for all of us to be the best that we can be."
"It defines us to be one of the more professional teams (in the nation)," Rasmussen said. "Even though we'll have winter, there's no offseason, and we're going to continue our work. Our coaches do a great job of working with us on training, and they help track our nutrition (to keep us healthy). We're treated as true athletes even in what some people might call our offseason."
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Carrying the torch of success is great, but it's BC's ability to pass on that flame keeping the program burning bright. As one athlete continues success, the program's ability to create new champions breeds the type of recognition and inspiration all sports try to attain but few succeed in actually developing.
Senior Erika Reineke is no stranger to championship sailing. In her final year for the Eagles, she recently captured her fourth National Singlehanded Sailing Championship. In a sport where low score wins, her 31 points were 39 less than her nearest competitors. Racing in 14 events, she won eight, placing second and third in four additional events, two apiece.
"It feels really good (to win another title)," Reineke said. "It's a sign that hard work really can pay off, especially because the goal is always to go looking for a national championship."
While Reineke celebrated her fourth singlehanded trophy, an Eagles rookie was drinking the cup of success for the first time. With 81 points, freshman Scott Rasmussen grabbed his first singlehanded title to stand atop the podium. He won three times across 14 races, including one in the final race to clinch the championship.
"It's pretty exciting to win my first title," Rasmussen said. "It's really nice to do it for a team, which is something new for me in the sport, In the past, competing has always been individual, so to have done it for a group makes it better."
The duo continues the tradition of excellence established on the water with Boston College sailing. This past summer, Annie Haegar and Brianna Provancha competed as part of Team USA at the Olympic Games. It sets the tone for what the current Eagles try to accomplish, stemming from their hopes and training in Chestnut Hill.
"Winning four national championships (for the program) feels really good," Reineke said. "You watch the people who came before you, and you realize how much hard work it is to get where they are. It's hard to imagine being an Olympian, but with so many other steps and goals, in practices and meetings, it's a goal that we want to accomplish here (at BC)."
If the line from past to future goes through the present, it's no irony to see Reineke and Rasmussen succeeding together. Both are Florida natives, and both matriculated to BC out of the Fort Lauderdale area.
"My parents joined a yacht club in Fort Lauderdale," said Reineke, "and they signed me up to learn to sail on dinghys. When I was 12, I started working with Ben Williams, who was really the right coach. He taught me about the hard work that it takes to get to the top. When I started, I didn't really love (sailing), but the more I worked at it, the more I started to fall in love with it."
"I started in a small camp in Fort Myers," Rasmussen said, "and after I started learning how to sail, I took up racing, which I really enjoyed. So I talked to my parents about getting into racing, and it started to become a really big part of my life because what you do every day really counts."
For Reineke, the trip to Boston College was natural because of its historical success. "When I was a freshman out of high school, I wanted to come to BC," she said. "I knew that's where Annie Haegar and Brianna Provancha were, and I really just wanted to be like them.
"I knew BC had great academics, so I knew it would help me to get a good job out of college (when I graduate)," she continued. "Plus it's a Division I program, which gave me the work aspect of a varsity sport. It's taught me to be as professional as possible."
Her success would pave the road for Rasmussen. "I came to BC because of Erika," he said. "Her family are friends of my family, so I got to see what she did. The program really interested me; with the team and the life that everyone lives (on campus). The team is very professionally run, and everyone is very serious about sailing. I want a future in (the sport)."
It's that history of success that defines the current achievements and potential for more in the future. With six possible national championships, it's one of the few sports that provides a year-round chance to shine - even as they have to practice in the New England winter.
"The number (of possible titles) keeps us on our toes," Reineke said. "Practice becomes a battle for all of us to be the best that we can be."
"It defines us to be one of the more professional teams (in the nation)," Rasmussen said. "Even though we'll have winter, there's no offseason, and we're going to continue our work. Our coaches do a great job of working with us on training, and they help track our nutrition (to keep us healthy). We're treated as true athletes even in what some people might call our offseason."
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Players Mentioned
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