If the University of the Sunshine Coast has sailing program, it would make the decision of Sarah Johnson, the young sailor to stay in the region easier.

The day of decision for Sarah, the 17-year-old sailor is just around the corner, with her first pick to remain on the Coast to study nutrition and sports science, and her second pick, University of Queensland where sailing program is there.

This is the Sarah’s passion for sailing since her school days.

She started sailing at the age of 14. At this age, she joined an experience sailing program, which was run by her school at the Maroochy Sailing Club, Chancellor State College.

From there, Sarah she joined the MSC, sailing entirely for fun and going out on the Pacers of the club.

Sarah said, “For the first three months, I sailed a club optimist and after that, I joined in the basic race training during mornings”.

After a year the bug had bit with Sarah heading to a Laser Radial.

Sarah said, “That was the time I was introduced to the competition in Australia. It was a quite difficult for me to compete in the regattas as I had no training in that.”

Only a few number of teenage girls used to sail at the time when Sarah joined MSC, but as begin her racing and training in Brisbane, she found her company in the Laser fleet.

She said,” In MSC, I got many role models and then I realized that even the girls can do this sport well.

It was not at all easy, when I started at that time with the keelboat program of Mooloolaba as I was the only girl there, but now it is good as more girls are involved in the program and this is a positive vibe as well.