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Coach John Thomas

Coach JT has been a parent with VYBA since 2002 when his daughter joined the opti racing team. He has been coaching optis and lasers at VYBA since 2006, has been a member of the VYBA board of directors since 2002 and served as VYBA president from 2005-2010.

John grew up in Philadelphia and started sailing when he was 8 years old on the Yacht Club of Sea Isle City sailing team. He reached great sailing success both on a local and national level at a young age placing in countless regattas. He has continued to race but has been focusing on the coaching realm of the world of sailing-inspiring children to love the sport of sailing just as he does. Coach JT coaches podium-placing sailors at both the local and national level where sailors on his team have won regattas including the Junior Olympics and the Silver Southeast Team Race Championship.

John graduated from LaSalle High School and Rowan University with a degree in industrial technology and a teacher’s certification. He is a building contractor and the president of Coastal Building Development and Management Inc. He is a certified Level 1 instructor as well as a licensed Coast Guard Captain. In his free time, aside from sailing, he also enjoys fishing, surfing, power boating, snow skiing, and spending time with his beautiful wife, Susan, and daughter, Michelle - a current student at the University of Florida.

• Coach Thomas Video at the 2010 Optimist Team Racing (By Lucas Galarza)