We have assembled a team of some of the best coaches in the region, all with Canada Games competition and/or coaching experience, and multiple appearances, competing and/or coaching, at national and international events. We welcome guest coaches and in addition to the below, and will be introducing a number of additional coaches that will be participating in the STAR program as well.

Mike Todd, STAR Technical Director
Intermediate Opti Race Team ​
Home Club: St. Margaret Sailing Club (SMSC)

Mike has 18 years coaching at local, national and international competitions at all levels of the sport.  He has coached multiple World Cups, World Championships and Youth World Championships; coached 7 medals over two Canada Games (NS+QC); has coached multiple sailors in Top 5 of US Nationals, North Americans, US Youth Champs; and is a Level 5 certified coach (National Coaching Institute). His experience spans classes and includes ILCA boats, 470, 29er, 49er/FX and Opti.

Mike’s philosophy is based in goal-oriented thinking and old-fashioned hard work. What you put in is what you get out. He enjoys working with youth, especially sailors who are focused on the process.  Every single sailor on a team has a role, whatever their end goals, and the journey is never about the end result. It is about the memories, the laughs, the life-long friendships and, most importantly, the life skills that you build along the path.
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If not on the water, you will find Mike skiing, biking (mountain and road), swimming, running and seizing whatever other opportunities he can to learn new sports.

Spencer Dalzell
Advanced Opti Race Team
​Home Club: Chester YC

STAR is pleased to have Chester YC coach Spencer Dalzell onboard as our Advanced Opti Race Team coach. In addition to coaching high-performing sailors, Spencer is an undergraduate student at Saint Mary’s University. He's been racing every kind of boat since forever, starting out with his dad on Wednesdays nights at BBYC. He then started racing in the Optimist at BBYC before joining an awesome team called COAST (IYKYK).
 
Spencer raced Opti at the highest level for around four years before moving onto the Laser where he competed in the Radial and Full Rig, eventually representing Canada at the Radial Worlds in Kingston, Ontario in 2015, and representing Nova Scotia at the 2017 Canada Summer Games in the Full Rig.
 
Spencer continues to fleet and match race in a variety of classes including IOD, Bluenose and J-boats. He'll be coaching Opti this summer at Chester YC!

Sophie Carter
c420 Race Team
​Home Club: Lunenburg YC

A c420 and Opti coach for the last three years, Sophie made a HUGE mark in the fleet last summer when her c420 team simply dominated, sweeping multiple podiums and ending the season with a Top 3 finish at every event.
 
Sophie's a fourth-year Life Sciences Student at Queens University where, during her first three years, she dominated at events in both the Canadian and American double-handed collegiate categories for the Queen’s Sailing Team. She's been sailing for as long as she can remember, starting out racing with her dad who had her at the helm from the get-go! She raced c420s out of the Waeg (heck yeah) and RNSYS before transitioning into the 29er. She was a member of the Nova Scotia Sailing Team and attended the 2017 Canada Summer Games in the 29er.
 
Always looking to improve and build upon her skills, Sophie has continued to race Farr 30 and Bluenoses (go Crusader go!). She is currently transitioning into the 49er FX and plans to compete at the upcoming World’s with her partner Emily Roy. She will also be coaching at LYC again this summer!

Max Seward
Laser Race Team
​Home Club: Bedford Basin YC (BBYC)

​BIO COMING SOON!

Jeremy 'Bucket' Fraser
Guest Coach
​Home Club: Chester YC

Jeremy 'Bucket' Fraser is currently a double-handed sailing coach with Princeton University on the American collegiate sailing circuit. He coaches at Chester YC during the summer season where he has coached the Opti Race Team for five years. He started sailing at age seven in the Optimist class and competed on the Canadian and American circuits until the age of sixteen. His first international appearance was at the IODA North American Championships in 2009.

Bucket started coaching at the age of seventeen for his home club the Chester YC. Since then, he has worked with a variety of different programs across Canada coaching all skill levels. He has a passion for developing young adults through sport by providing them with opportunities that require focus, determination, and self-reflection. 

Chris Tully
Guest Coach
​Home Club: Chester YC

​BIO COMING SOON!