Rocky's Kids Keep Marco's Summer Youth Sailing Program on Course

Tucked away at the foot of the Marco Bridge, in the shadows of the Marco Island Yacht Club, is a very impressive sailing school that graduates a surprising number of fledgling sailors every summer.

"We went through 132 kids this summer,” Rocky Cale said proudly, “and we did not have one parent complaint.”

Cale has been in charge of the island’s Summer Youth Sailing Program for 13 years now. Three years ago, the Yacht Club came aboard as a partner.

"After the city dropped the program,” said the Yacht Club’s Dwyn von Bereghy, "the Yacht Club partnered with Rocky to continue the program. So, this is our third year.”

Cale and von Bereghy are quick to point out that the kids are what make the program a success.

“I think it’s important that these kids get a lot of kudos,” von Bereghy said. "We couldn’t run it without them. All of these kids have gone through the program with Rocky since they were this big,” she said, holding her hand about three feet off of the ground.

Cale is justifiably proud of his young sailors. All of his instructors learned to sail with him during past summer programs.

"I’ll tell ya,” Cale said, motioning to his five instructors, "these kids right here have really done a great job. This program wouldn’t run without them. I handpicked all of these kids. And all of these kids are a quality, class kid. They have integrity, and their dedication to the program is impeccable. They’re really conscientious. Makes my job a lot easier.”

Cale also singled out Elizabeth Patterson, who couldn’t make the photo shoot because of a family emergency.

"We just completed our summer program,” Cale said. "We have a beginner class for kids who have never sailed before. We were basically sold out all summer for our beginner class. It’s a week-long class. A lot of these kids are attempting something that is completely foreign to them. They’re learning a new language. We’re teaching them the basics. We try to get them to be able to tack and gybe the boat. We also teach them basic boat handling skills.”

But the first thing Cale teaches his novice sailors is how to right the boat.

“Every beginner,” Cale said, "we go out and do a capsize drill. We go over everything with them beforehand. Usually, they want to do it again.”

Cale is revered by his instructors.

“I’ve been here for 11 years,” said Zach Schemel. "Since I was seven. I’m 18 now. This place, I mean, it taught me how to sail. It’s been such a mainstay in my life. It’s what I’ve grown up with. I like to think that this program is responsible for making me the person that I am.”

Schemel is Cale’s most successful sailing student.

"Zach’s probably the most experienced guy to come out of this program,” Cale said. "He was really exceptional. After he left us, he went over to the Coral Reef Yacht Club in Miami. He sailed in the European Championships. They only took six boats from the United States, and he was one of them."

 “You set the bar way too high for us,” Grace Roloff joked. Roloff, Schemel and Marco Distel have grown up together in Cale’s program.

“I like to sail,” Marco Distel said. “Rocky taught me how to sail. It’s the first thing I did when I came to this country was learn how to sail. Now I like to sail. And I like Rocky.”

“I don’t think any of this would have been possible without Rocky,” Roloff said. “He definitely deserves a thank you for all of this. Without him I don’t think we would have this program. Especially the way it is today.”

“This is the first place I came to after I moved here, which was like second grade,” said Elle Richardson. "Being here has helped me become more confident, with speaking in general, and being around people. I’ve looked up to everyone here for years and years, and they’ve really helped shape who I am.”

“Everyone has taught me so much,” said Ava Richardson, the youngest instructor, who Cale singled out for her command of sailing fundamentals. Everyone has helped me so much.”

In addition to his accomplishment of finishing the summer without a parental complaint, Cale also told a heartwarming story of a mother who didn’t think her daughter would learn how to sail.

“I had a mother come up to me one Monday and say, ‘My daughter’s not going to be able to do this,’” Cale said, "'but I just want her to have the experience.’ I told her to come back Wednesday. She came here Wednesday, and I had her daughter solo sailing. The mother almost went berserk.”

In addition to teaching the kids how to sail, Cale makes sure his young sailors leave with the essential knots needed in sailing.

“We teach the kids five different knots that have to do with sailing,” Cale said. “The stopper knot, the bowline, the cleat knot and the clove hitch, the square knot. They learn the parts of the boat and how to rig and de-rig a boat.”