After completing one year of dedicated service to Anguillian children, Ian Brunswick has left Anguilla to pursue other endeavours. Although his shoes will be difficult to fill, I am sure the new director, Ryan Kuja, will do his very best. Although the Anguilla Youth Sailing Club is relatively new, it has had much success. Ryan plans to maintain this high standard as he is very devoted.

Ryan Kuja

Ryan sailed competitively and specialized in recreation management at the University of Vermont in Burlington, Vermont. Moreover, he continued his education at the graduate level in Liverpool, England, where he focused primarily on humanitarian assistance. Besides having an extensive educational background that pertains directly to what his duties and responsibilities are with the Youth Sailing Club, Ryan has also travelled extensively throughout the world. While living in Southern Africa, during 2003, he studied in Cape Town, volunteered with orphans in Mozambique and travelled to Zimbabwe, Swaziland, Namibia and Botswana. Even more impressive, Ryan served as a humanitarian aid worker in Kenya and Sudan in 2006. Obviously, his experience with many different cultures will be an asset when confronting the Anguillan children.

Ryan Kuja started his new job as the director on March 28. His role will be to manage the sailing programs at the AYSC as well as instructing the youth. This job entails a variety of administrative tasks that relate to the operations of the club, organizing regattas, fundraising, community involvement and participation. Although his job will require him to maintain a full agenda, he will receive help from a youth assistant. I asked Ryan to explain where the program is now and what goals he has as the director. Here is his response:
“The program is still in its infancy as it is not yet one year old. The proverbial seed has been planted by Ian Brunswick and the AYSC board and we hope to continue to blossom. Under Ian’s directorship, AYSC competed in several Optimist regattas including one on St. Maarten. AYSC also hosted a regatta with sailors attending from St Barths and St. Maarten. We will continue to grow and reach for the next level. AYSC will be having another Optimist regatta on May 13 at Road Bay. In addition we will continue to sail against the youth of St Barths and St Maarten in a variety of regattas on each of the islands. In the next few months we hope to acquire a fleet of new boats suitable for larger children and teenagers, most likely Lasers which are high level, technical and ..., fast boats that will be greatly enjoyed. This will allow the members of AYSC to compete in more regattas and gain great exposure to international competition. The main goal I have for the upcoming year is to start a partnership with the public schools at both the primary and secondary levels of Anguilla to get more youth into the sailing program and the Youth Assistant program.

The board members of AYSC as well as me would like to see the youth of Anguilla really prosper and benefit through the sport of sailing. It would be great to see someone who started sailing at AYSC sail competitively in a variety of regattas, become a Junior Assistant and then eventually become the director. We want to see the youth really gain from AYSC as much as possible even to the point of getting sailing scholarships to go to University in the States.”

Recently, I had the privilege to meet Ryan at Little Bay. It was obvious that he has fallen in love with Anguilla’s beauty and I am confident that he will make a positive contribution. He is a young, vibrant, and determined man and I am quite pleased that he has joined our community. Ryan said, “I also feel a deep connection to the ocean which spurned my love for sailing and surfing. I have taught sailing to youth for about 3 years in Newport, RI. I enjoy working with youth of all ages and I am convinced I learn as much from them as they do from me. I am very excited to be here as the Director of AYSC. The sky is the limit and I am looking forward to the coming year and the opportunities that lie ahead. We will be starting a summer sailing program for July and August. Please contact me for more information in getting your child enrolled by email or phone. director@sailanguilla.com 584-SAIL”.

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