SMU sailers (left) compete against Texas A&M boat (right) during Baylor Regatta. Photo Courtesy of Spencer Eggers

SMU sponsors 17 sports teams and a majority of them are well known and supported by the student population. But one club team has been around since the 1980s and it would not be far fetched to claim that only a handful of students have ever heard of this club. Yet, this same club has been building steam and placing high at competitions, all the while dealing with a tiny budget and only a scant few serious athletes. They are the SMU sailing club.

The team, which has 25 overall members, is led by co-presidents Rachel Ellis and Spencer Eggers, both of whom joined the club as freshmen. Though they are on equal standing in the club now, their experiences in sailing entering SMU could not have been more different.

Ellis, a senior majoring in economics and public policy, began sailing at the age of 11 with her dad at Lake Ray Hubbard. To her, being on and controlling a boat is like second nature.

“I started sailing at a really young age,” Ellis said. “My parents put me in sailing camp down the street at home. I got into racing and I was the president of my high school sailing team. So I knew I definitely wanted to sail in college.”

Eggers, a junior who is majoring in accounting and Spanish, was on the other end of the spectrum in terms of sailing experience. A native of Houston, Eggers had never piloted a sailboat before his first year in college. But, when he arrived, the team caught his attention.

“Going into SMU, I had absolutely no sailing experience. I had never been in a sailboat before,” Eggers said. “I was just interested in sailing. I knew that there was a team here at SMU so I showed up, went to meetings and thought: Hey, I can do this.'”

The sailing team, which is built around a small core of serious members, has fared well at their competitions – or regattas – this year. The team typically competes in three to four regattas a year, but they have already competed in four and have one more left before the semester ends.

The SMU sailing team is a member of the Southeastern Intercollegiate Sailing Association. There are several strong teams within SEISA, including The University of Texas, Texas A&M University, Baylor University and Tulane University.

On Oct. 17, at the Baylor Regatta, the sailing team won their first victory in years when their two boats took first and sixth for the win.

“It’s our first victory since I’ve been on the team,” Ellis said. “It was a great feeling, and we were all really excited that weekend.

The team also did well at the Austin Regatta, placing fifth out of 11 teams, including beating out TAMU, Kansas University and the University of Colorado.

The team practices at White Rock Lake and competes in 240 competitions, which is a reference to the length of their boat, 240 centimeters, or 15 feet. Each boat is manned by two people: a skipper and a crew. The skipper’s main duty is to steer the boat and control the mainsail. The crews’ main job is to control the smaller jib sail as well as keeping an eye out for other boats in the vicinity.

The sailing team is in possession of five boats, which they have used since the club was formed back in the ’80s. Years ago, the club did not even receive a budget because SMU did not recognize the club as a team. And although they receive a budget now, the amount is not always enough to keep their equipment up-to-date.

“Last year we received $4,500 from Senate,” Ellis said. “This year, they’ve cut our budget by more than half to $2,100. Plus, with the way the system is set up, we can’t really save our money to buy new boats.”

Added Eggers, “You might think five boats is a lot, but to put it in perspective, UT has 20 brand new boats.”

Despite their lack of funding from the school and recognition from the student body, these few determined sailors are not going to stop. They’ll keep slipping beneath the radar, but with the way they have been competing, it is only a matter of time before they receive their dues.

Blake Hurdle and Rachel Ellis participate in the SMU sailing club. Photo Courtesy of Spencer Eggers