One of the biggest reasons Darby Smith decided to go to the University of South Florida was the opportunity to sail year-round.
After all, the 2007 Marblehead High graduate has sailing in her blood. The daughter of world class sailor and 2006 Rolex Yachtsman of the Year Judd Smith, she came to appreciate the joys of being on the water at a very young age.
Now, the 19-year-old college sophomore has been named to the 2009 United States Sailing Team Alpha Graphics (USSTAG).
Smith crewed for her college coach, Allison Jolly, in the 470 (two-person dinghy class) and finished sixth overall, and was the third American boat at the Rolex Miami Regatta in January — the only opportunity for the Alpha Graphics classes to qualify. The event attracted elite talent from Olympians to future stars, with 444 sailors from 41 countries and 10 Olympic and three Paralympic classes represented.
"The top three American boats in each Olympic class were selected to the team," said Smith. "Coach asked if I wanted to crew for her, and I really did even though I had never raced in that class before. It's a double-handed fun boat that goes super fast.
"I've sailed the 420, which is the youth version (of the 470), but the biggest difference is the 470 is quicker and more complex. There are two really good UGS boats in that class, but not many young sailors.
"I think the 2012 Olympics will probably be the last for the top two," added Smith, "so the field is wide open."
Gifted and hard working
Smith figures she was chosen because she was the perfect size to crew the 470: tall and strong. Even though they had only five practice times to prepare, they finished strong in a very competitive field.
Jolly knew what her talented athlete was capable of doing.
"Darby is gifted, one of the most observant sailors I have ever had the pleasure of sailing with," said Jolly, an Olympic gold medalist in 1988. "She's able to sense the wind shifts coming down the course, to factor in the overall fleet position and direction to the mark, then make the correct tactical decision where to go on the race course.
"She is a phenomenal athlete, always pushing herself in our team workouts (3 times per week), then working out on her own to improve endurance, quickness, balance, and flexibility. She's calm on the water, even under the most trying times; a crew who can be counted on to stay focused even when others are losing control."
As a member of the US Sailing Team, Smith benefited from a weeklong training session. But she won't have time to compete in other US Sailing ventures abroad because she is too involved with her college sailing team.
This summer, Smith plans to coach at Sandy Bay in Rockport.
"Over spring break I went to a training camp in California, and all the other US team members were there," she said. "It was really nice to meet two US Olympic gold medalists there and get to talk to them. I also made plans with Morgan Kiss, a high school girl from Michigan, to try to sail together in the future. It won't happen this summer because we both have made our plans."
"US Sailing has a lot of things going on in Europe, but in order to compete I would have to leave college to train full-time," added Smith, an education major who plans to teach. "In fact, if I was going to do the trials for the 2012 Olympics in England, it's really almost too late. I'll graduate in 2011 and (will) have more time to devote to sailing."
Learning from the best
Smith enjoys being on the water in all kinds of boats. She sails in the Etchells class with her father during the summer, and as a youngster loved the Wednesday night races in Marblehead where her whole family could sail together.
"I've been sailing since I was seven and got into two-person boats when I was very young," said Smith, a member at Eastern Yacht Club in Marblehead. "I like a lot of boats for different reasons. In college, everyone sails the same boats so they are all equal. Etchells (powerful keelboats) are the prettiest boats ever, and the 470 is so fast."
In addition to all the tips her Dad has given Smith over the years, she's also learned quite a bit from Jolly — an outstanding sailor and two-time Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year.
The USF sailing team is having a great year, winning the Sloop Nationals by winning the tiebreaker last November in St. Petersburg, and is off to a good start this spring. The school's home port is St. Petersburg on the warm waters of Tampa Bay.
"It was the first nationals that USF ever won, and it felt great. I trimmed the main," said Smith. "It's a pretty demanding schedule because we start early in the fall and only take a month off for winter break before the spring season starts up. We'll go now until spring Nationals at the end of May."
Earlier this season, the Bulls won a major MAISA/SAISA (Mid Atlantic Interscholastic Sailing Association/South Atlantic Interscholastic Sailing Association) Regatta at Hampton University in Virginia, a co-ed event where they were the only all-woman team.
Smith is hoping the year will end with another National trophy for the Bulls, but whatever lies ahead she is ready to face the challenges.
