He’s sailed in Rhode Island, Florida, Canada and Scotland and competes for Team USA.
Jack Howard is only 13 years old. But the Avon, Conn. teen is already in his 9th year of sailing. It’s a sport he loves.
“It’s more like attached with nature and you’re sort of out in the elements and anything can really affect you,” says Howard.
He heads across the globe to Bahrain on March 26 for the “International Optimist Dinghy Association’s” Asian Championships on Al Jazeer beach. There, he’ll race against 123 other teenagers from around the world.
“My goal is always to win. But I would like to be somewhere around the top 20,” says Howard.
But sailing’s not always a breeze: Howard’s had a concussion and just last year he broke his foot on board his dinghy.
But that didn’t deter him from qualifying for the Asian Championships.
“What’s going to set this apart is that there’s going to be like all these different nations coming together and it’s a lot more like the Olympics in a way,” said Howard.
His parents have supported him along the way.
“I believe that he’s on the Olympic path if that’s what he chooses,” says Jack’s mother, Kim Howard.
She’s happy to have her son compete for Connecticut and his country.
“To have a sailor come from Connecticut, home grown, and represent the United States, is a huge sense of pride,” she says.
Jack is holding onto his his Olympic hopes for the years ahead.
Beau Berman: “When you come back from the competition are you prepared to start signing autographs?”
Jack Howard: “I don’t think so – if someone asks me I would – but not really.”