Breaking down barriers to a sport

The sport of sailing may not want to consider it elitist, but you must sail on the water, and waterfront property is more valued. So, by proximity, so is sailing, but the Boys & Girls Clubs of West San Gabriel Valley and Eastside wasn’t going to let proximity or cost impact their programming.

The organization serves thousands of young people each year throughout Los Angeles County across five Club sites, all of which are significantly inland, and three of which are located in public housing communities. Their solution? They made virtual reality (VR) sailing as part of its youth sailing program.

They offer youth sailing year-round but transportation can be a major barrier for the young people they serve. For a kid living in East Los Angeles, getting to their Marina del Rey facility after school isn’t always realistic.

Through a partnership with MarineVerse, VR sailing brings the sport to their youth where they are. Kids can practice sailing virtually after school, learn the fundamentals, and build familiarity with the sport before getting on the water. It also provides a safe way to introduce young people to sailing who may have fears.

“We see this as more than a technology initiative,” said Ariana Gabier. “We’re using VR to break down barriers to a sport that can feel geographically and financially out of reach, while helping cultivate the next generation of sailors.”