Mercy & University of Detroit Jesuit (MUDJ)
Student High School Sailing Team
Mercy & University of Detroit Jesuit (MUDJ)
Student High School Sailing Team
Home of the
Mighty MUDJies
SAILING CLUB
2020 FALL Season
Sign-up is open. See the latest schedule.
Welcome Aboard!
Students from Mercy and University of Detroit Jesuit compete as a combined team under the name MUDJ Sailing.
Our team of courageous sailors are unofficially referred to as the MUDJies (or sometimes MUDJkins).
ORGANIZATION
Students from Mercy and UDJ formed the combined team and compete against other high school teams from across the state and Great Lakes region. The sport of sailing is unique in that, for the most part, boys and girls compete on the same playing field. There are no gender distinctions for the major national sailing championships with the exception of the women’s national invitational held in the fall which Mercy made it to the finals of in 2018.
While team members compete as students of their respective schools, the MUDJ Sailing team itself is formed as an independent student run group and not an official organization of either Mercy or University of Detroit Jesuit and Academy.
FLEXIBLE LEARNING & RACING
The program consists of competing in regattas on weekends and training during the week.
For training, MUDJ participates with the Pontiac Yacht Club High School sailing program which provides professional coaches and all the requisite equipment. Practices are typically three days a week and regattas are generally on Saturdays.
There is no requirement to attend every regatta or every practice. You can totally go at your own speed, but once you get the hang of it you'll likely be begging for more chances to get on the water.
SAFE & FUN FIRST
Make no mistake, when we race, we race to win. But there's more to sailing than racing. The majority of the sailors on our team (and really most high school teams) join with little or no prior experience. You don't need to have done junior sailing at a summer program or know how to tie a fancy bowline. We teach you all you need to know.
People learn through our weekday practices on the water, where members develop the skills and confidence needed to enjoy themselves and handle the boat with confidence. Plus you'll be with friends and meet a ton of new folks from other schools. It becomes kind of like a family - a MUDJkin family.
Home Port
MUDJ trains out of Pontiac Yacht Club (PYC) which is on the banks of Cass Lake in Keego Harbor, Michigan. Check out the footage of a past race at PYC.
Coaching
MUDJ Sailing partners with Pontiac Yacht Club High School Sailing to bring a comprehensive approach to sailing development
Head Coach MUDJ Sailing
Roy is both a Mercy and UDJ parent and serves as head coach for the team. Coach Roy is a US Sailing Certified Level I & II sailing instructor and a volunteer coach at Pontiac Yacht Club High School training program. As a Detroit native, Roy and his family are long time members of the Detroit Yacht Club and have been active for many years in the Flying Scot adult learn to sail program.
Program Director and Head Coach at Pontiac Yacht Club Youth Sailing
Eric runs the PYC youth sailing program including oversight of the PYC coaching staff and operations. Coach Eric is a US Sailing Certified Level I & II sailing instructor and U.S. Coast Guard 100 ton Licensed Captain. Coach Eric is also PYC’s Waterfront Director and runs the club's summer junior sailing program.
Ahoy!
Don't be afraid to reach out. We'd love to hear from you.
The MUDJ Sailing team is an independent student run group and not an official organization of either Mercy or University of Detroit Jesuit. MUDJ Sailing is open to students currently enrolled and in good standing at Mercy High School or University of Detroit Jesuit High School and Academy.