Teen setting sail for Junior Nationals
By Michael Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer
The volatile whims of the ocean were never a problem for Jennifer Scott. The mysterious ways of adolescent boys were a little harder to negotiate.
"It was really bad at first," said Scott, one of a handful of female youth sailors in Hawai'i. "They wouldn't talk to me, so I just hung out by myself. It was hard."
Scott, who competed in her first sailing race at age 11, found that the easiest way to gain respect from her peers was simply to win. Starting with 8-foot El Toros and eventually moving up to 14-foot Lasers, Scott has proven to be a formidable competitor to whoever she races — boys or girls, men or women.
In her first Hawai'i Youth Sailing Association race at Waikiki, Scott, then an unflappable fifth-grader, finished third overall in the El Toro division.
Now 14 and an eighth-grader at King Intermediate, Scott is gearing up for the U.S. Girls Junior Nationals in San Francisco next month.
"As we got older, I think (the boys) realized that I could do well," Scott said. "I beat them a lot."
Scott's affinity for and ability in the ocean are directly traceable to her father, Randall, a lifetime sailor. Randall Scott, a career Marine, fell in love with the islands while stationed here and decided to stay when he retired a few years ago. Figuring sailing was cheaper than shipping, Scott brought his Formosa 35 from Malibu, Calif., to Hawai'i himself.
Over the years, Randall Scott's personal passion has blossomed into a family love affair.
"When the kids were young, I took them out sailing all the time," he said. "As they got older, they started sailing small boats on their own through sailing programs."
Twin brothers Michael, 15, and Kenny, freshmen at Castle High School, have grown into accomplished sailors.
Michael participated in the Junior Olympics (the top junior level in the nation) at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md. Michael, who returned June 28, finished 15th out of 27 competitors.
"I want to be as successful as they are," Jennifer Scott said. "I'd like to try for the Olympics one day, but I don't know if I'll be good enough."
Kailua Yacht Club sailing director Jesse Andrews, who has coached Jennifer Scott and her brothers for four years, says "the sky is the limit" for Scott.
"A lot of girls start out in the beginner programs, but she's the only one who's stuck it out," Andrews said. "She's a diehard, and she's had to put up with all the boys picking on her.
"She has a lot of natural talent. She's also very athletic on the boat, probably stronger than most boys her age."
Jennifer Scott's precocious abilities have already made ripples in the local sailing community.
"She's our youngest member," said Katie Thompson, commodore of the Hawai'i Women's Yacht Racing Association. "We're really glad to have her. We used to only take age 18-and-older, but we changed the bylaws for Jennifer."
Thompson said she's seen male competitors "gang up" on her during races.
"Nobody wants to lose to a girl," Thompson said.
But they do. Often.
"I think it's her athletic ability and the fact that she's pretty much a natural at sailing," said Randall Scott. "I've seen other kids work harder and not do as well."
He said he expects his daughter to continue sailing competitively at least through college. Already the experience has been an education.
"At first, I just wanted her to feel confident around the water so I wouldn't have to worry if she wanted to go to the beach," Randall Scott said. "But I think she learned a lot about teamwork and competition, how to have confidence in her abilities.
"Sailing requires a certain discipline. You can't just go out there and run a race. You have to take care of your equipment, tend to all the preparations. It's a whole process and (Jennifer) has the discipline to work through it."
Said Andrews: "She has a lot going for her mentally and physically. She has a very strong personality. If she stays with it she'll be a collegiate All-American and she could probably try for the Olympics."
