Paul Callahan USA, Paralympics 2012

2012 Paralympic Campaign (Lessons Learned)

Well, my personal mission for the 2012 Paralympic Games is nearly complete. All of the lessons learned from my Sonar Team’s journey - winning the USA Trials and just missing earning a medal by a mistake in the next-to-the-last day of racing in the Games - have been incorporated into the curriculum at Sail To Prevail.

 

 

The key lessons are:

1. One of the most important points that our Sail To Prevail participants (or any high-performance group) can learn from this Campaign is to do as much due diligence as possible at the front end of your Campaign or project, rather than waiting to fix any “surprises” that may arise. These “surprises” are more difficult to fix as the Campaign (or program) progresses. Make no assumptions, because it is convenient and you want to “check that box.” Please take the time to do the due diligence far in advance. Make correct choices at the outset, so you can alleviate any problems or challenges, especially if they can escalate later in the process, or worse, “in the heat of battle.” While it was a “textbook” Campaign by any measure, and all of us associated with it are very proud of it, the outcome may have been slightly more favorable had the above-referenced due diligence taken place initially. 
2. Second, preparation and execution of a plan are vital to any competition of any sort. We did a superb job executing our original plan, and we remained nimble enough to add to it as necessary, modifying anything that was within our control, as we proceeded. Certainly, this lesson can be transferred to any group or individual undertaking a daunting project.
3. Third, and finally (for now), communication and consensus of goals, ideas and commitment to this or any pursuit, is directly proportional to your results. It is essential that all group members or teammates must participate equally. 
4. Plan for, institute, and have an understanding of the hierarchical process you will use to gain consensus or solve a problem, if a “situation” occurs.

There will be much more detail to follow in the future (in another distribution channel). The above lessons will certainly be added to the curriculum of our Sail To Prevail participants, whether it be competitive sailing, or simply “sailing for fun.” Indeed, these are precisely the kinds of “teamwork lessons” that we endeavor to teach our Sail To Prevail participants, which they can apply universally to assist them in overcoming adversity in other areas of their daily lives.

Transitioning from the Sonar

 On a more current note, it certainly seemed strange not to be in Miami last month, racing a Sonar at the ISAF World Cup Miami (formerly the Rolex Olympic Class Regatta), as has been the schedule for the past decade. I wish the best to all of my old pals from all over the world in the Sonar Class, going forward, and throughout their respective 2016 Campaigns. You are great competitors! It has been a wonderful twelve years competing against you, and despite all of the on-the-water battles, becoming such close friends in the process.

 Time with My Family

 The successful time and investment in the 2009-2012 Sonar Campaign – winning the USA Trials, representing the USA, competing and training in Europe, as well as training rigorously across the USA – has made me enjoy home more than ever.  I am just delighted to share time with Alisa, Justin and Mitchell. I am getting my “sailing fix” by watching both boys doing so well racing Optimists and, as a family, we have been traveling the “Opti circuit” in Florida. The road trips are spectacular family bonding times!

 The Future – Competing in the SKUD18

 I am in the process of changing my Olympic/Paralympic Sailing Class of boat and am preparing to compete in the two-person, “SKUD18,” in Rio de Janeiro in the 2016 Paralympics. Due to my twin sons’ age, (9 to 13) during this Olympic quadrennium (2012 to 2016), a two-person team will, hopefully, free up “logistical time.” I believe I can still dedicate the time necessary for a Paralympic Gold Medal, but not at the sacrifice of being a “great Dad.”

Although I have begun my search for a teammate, I am trying to find an athletic female, (already a sailor would even be better!), single-leg amputee, preferably from south Florida. She would have to possess the innate will, passion and native intelligence to be able to make the commitment to win a Gold Medal in Rio de Janeiro. (Note that the reference to a “female” is an Olympic requirement of the two-person boat, and the single-leg amputee highlights optimizing the Paralympic classification system.) Do you know anyone “out there” with this profile, who could make the honest and true commitment to work hard and win a Gold Medal?

I will be standing by to hear from you.

Paul Interviewed About Israeli Sonar Team

Paul Callahan, skipper of the United States Sonar team, gives his opinion of the Israeli team's performance.

Heartfelt Thanks

It is with heartfelt thanks that I am sending you this note of gratitude and final report from the 2012 Games in the UK.

First, the racing – we all enjoyed a very good week, sailing with the top of the fleet, either “being on” on flirting with winning a Medal. (Congratulations to the Dutch Team for their superb performance!).

With no wind, thus no racing yesterday, we did not get a chance to redeem ourselves from the previous day’s two unforced errors on the starting line, causing two difficult scores and falling back in the standings. Other than these two errors, we sailed with conviction and pride all week - for the USA, and for the disabled children at Sail To Prevail and all across America - illuminating the fact that all of us can overcome adversity if we choose.

Second, and so very meaningful - very special thanks to my extraordinary wife, Alisa, John Havens, Jay and Christy Cashman, Sylvia Brown, Jeff Madrigali, my teammates, Tom and Brad (as well as logistics and training mates), Randy White, The Sailing Foundation of New York (Tom Stark), Ding Schoonmmaker, David Lloyd, Mark Freitas, David Lambert, Mary Gilbane, Steve Olive, the “over the top” volunteers from both The New York Yacht Club and Charlotte Harbor Yacht Club, and our National Governing Body, the staff and coaching (Betsy Alison) at U.S. Sailing, Adam Turinas, “Messing About in Sailboats,” and literally, the thousands and thousands of notes of support and good luck over these past two weeks.

Finally, as life moves forward, while expanding the reach and mission to assist others in overcoming their (surmountable) challenges, please stay in touch – and join in on the journey to Rio de Janeiro in 2016!

Oops!

The Team performed stellar in the 2^nd race today but mistakes on the starting line in Races 1 and 3 proved too difficult for us to climb back for high finishing spots in these two races.  

While we are waiting the results of a protest involving a team other than us, our exact place for the day (and Competition) is not yet known; however, suffice it to say we will have our work cut out for us in tomorrow’s last race to maintain our 3^rd place in the standings.

Go USA!

Shifty But Solid Day

Shifty, but very solid day today. In 3rd place by 2 points. 3 races tomorrow – early start, going to bed now (9:25pm in UK). Family had dinner tonight together here inside Olympic Village. Thanks for all your very kind and thoughtful good wishes – very meaningful and appreciated!

Photos From Day 3

c/o ISAF

The Midway Point - The Sum Is Bigger Than The Parts

We have been waiting on the results of as protest between Norway and France which just concluded. The result which will put us in 3rd place – now midway through The Games. We had an exceptional first race today, finishing 2nd , just behind Games leader, Norway. Our 2nd race was on pace to be approximately a 5th, but an error on our part landed us in 8th place – unfortunate, but that is why they make “tomorrows”!

Most exciting, however, albeit in business or sport, is when you assemble a Team, with the intention of the sum becoming bigger than the individual parts. It is always a magical moment when it happens – and no one can ever predict the timing of this moment or phase. Well, Tom, Brad and I are “gelling” right now at these Games! Our consistency of sailing with powerful confidence in the top echelon of the fleet, and sailing like it was choreographed for destiny, can be attributed to “peaking” as a true unit right now! So, you can expect some good news going forward over the next several days.

Day 2: Perseverance

With quiet and steady perseverance, Paul, Tom and Brad advanced into 2nd place today. Off the line with good starts, and “playing the shifts” in tricky conditions, separating our Team from some the higher performing Teams proved beneficial.

Equally beneficial, was consciously choosing to sail “cleanly” and conservative as we enter the middle stage of the Competition.

A Reasonably Good Start

A reasonably good start to the first day with a 3rd and a 6th place finish out of 14 boats. We are in 4th place. Consistency will pay off in this Competion.

One race at a time. Staying calm and confidently focused. More passing “lanes’’ opening up than expected.

The Eve of The Regatta

Opening Ceremonies was exhilarating! Over 80,000 people chanting “USA,USA,USA” with thunderous applause as Team USA made our way through the tunnel, into Olympic Stadium. It is a feeling that cannot duplicated, and one that you wish you could share with each and every person that helped you get to The Games.

The best I can do for now is pass along this unique spirit, and remind us all, how fortunate we are to be Americans – and equally, how proud each athlete is here to be representing their own country.

As for the competition at The Venue, last minute preparations include checking over and replacing any random parts that even have a hint of breaking, waxing and polishing the race boat one more time (again!), and last minute Team weather briefings with our meteorologists. Every team is so ready that even some light hearted – but clever – practical jokes are in play between nations. We have practiced, trained and competed against these same elite international athletes all over the World so much over the last several years, that the mutual respect that has developed, cannot help but bleed into some type of imbedded friendships – refreshing…well, at least while not “in competition”.

We had our only practice race today. We did well.