When athletes graduate from college, the question of "what next" is always top of mind. Will they continue to pursue their sport competitively or won't they? As easy at it is for us to ask that that questions, the answer is often a very difficult one for the athlete.
For one Bulldog from our Class of 2016, who will be winding down four incredible years at Yale by competing in the Coed Sailing National Championships in San Diego this week, the question proved especially difficult – this year's championships may well be the last time she competes at such a high-level in a sport she has pursued since the age of eight.
For Charlotte Belling, who sails on both the Women's and Coed teams, Yale's legacy in the sport of sailing was a personal matter even before she joined the University in 2012.
Over the last four years, the two-time All-American has furthered that legacy with many achievements, including winning two national championships in her junior year, and one this week already!
As Charlotte prepares to defend Yale's Coed National Championship next week, she looks back at her tryst with sailing that brought her to Yale and looks ahead to a life beyond it, all in this edition of the Total Mortgage Bulldog Spotlight Series.
Q. Our guess is that A LOT of people sail in Newport Beach (the whole city seems like a marina!) But what made you take it up so seriously, more than just recreationally?
When my sister and I were young, our parents signed us up for sailing camp during the summer. I loved being outdoors and became hooked to the sport. As my sister Blair began to sail competitively, I developed an interest in racing too and never really stopped. I began sailing during the summer when I was eight and gradually transitioned to sailing year round in California and traveling to regattas throughout my teens. I was very lucky to grow up in a region where many youth events were hosted, and I definitely have my parents to thank for driving me all over to compete each weekend.
Q. Your sister also had something to do with your decision to join Yale, right? What else drew you here, as opposed to staying out West?
There were many reasons why I chose Yale, and my sister was certainly one of them. She sailed for Yale as well and loved being a student athlete here! When I started thinking about college, I knew that I wanted to sail at a competitive level while also having a rich experience within the classroom, and Yale was the perfect place for these two things. Zack and Bill are also undeniably the best coaches in college sailing, and they do an incredible job building a team that is both cohesive and competitive. The opportunity to work with them these past four years was unbelievable, and based on my sister's experience I knew that this was the type of team I wanted to be a part of.
Q. College sailing has a grueling schedule – it seems you guys are out on the water literally EVERY weekend in the Fall and Spring. How do you manage to balance such a massive time commitment with studies, social life and some down time?
Sailing in college was certainly an adjustment and a balancing act. We are almost always in season and the weeks and weekends can be hectic. Freshman year I over-committed myself with extracurriculars and soon found that I needed to prioritize the things I was most passionate about instead of trying to find time for everything. There are certainly sacrifices that come with a college sport, but our coaches also care a lot about our academics and encouraged us to be Yale students and not just Yale athletes. They invest a lot of time in us as athletes, but they also want us to have a holistic experience that involves prioritizing schoolwork and more generally being active members of campus.
Q. Not many athletes are Art History majors in college! What kind challenges has this posed for you?
I loved my experience studying art history, but it was sometimes difficult to manage alongside sailing. Yale has incredible resources for students to learn about art beyond the classroom, including the YUAG and the YCBA, but my practice schedule conflicted with many of the art history opportunities on campus, which as hard when I applied of internships. However, this past year I was very lucky to find a way to help the YUAG as a museum assistant. My bosses at the museum kindly allowed me to coordinate times outside of my practice schedule, and I learned so much assisting them with projects throughout the year.
Q. Both the women's and co-ed sailing teams at Yale have had a pretty tremendous few years. What has been especially memorable for you, as you look back at the last four years?
That's a tough question. I think the seamless evolution of our team has been really incredible and has struck me the most. The past four years, I believe our achievements are mainly due to the adaptable nature of this team and the ways in which Zack and Bill coach us to be resilient competitors who can jump into a boat with anyone and switch from one event to another.
My junior year was especially memorable, when our team won all three national championships. This particularly special because it showed how hard the entire team worked all year… I'll never forget the work we put and being with my teammates on the water at the end of it.
Q. The National Championships in San Diego this week may mark an end to your sailing career. What made to decide to step back from sailing, and what lies ahead for you?
Sailing has been an integral part of my life for years, and I hope to find a way to continue the sport as a hobby. Nationals will be my last college event, and it's going to be a bittersweet ending. Next year, I will be pursuing a masters in Art History in London, so I will most likely take a year off from sailing. This will be a big transition, but when I return to the states I hope to continue sailing as part of the alumni network.
