2024 LMSS Sportsmanship Award Recipient: Kat Woodburn

This summer, Kat started out in our volunteer mentor program — an opportunity for high schoolers on the 420 Race Team to learn coaching skills as they continue to grow as sailors and compete to represent LMSS — during which she helped out with pram camp in the mornings (and with our Island Time sailors!) before afternoon Race Team practices. The past two weeks, she has been coaching pram camp full time. Saying the kids love Kat is an understatement. At all times, she had sailors holding her hands, jumping on her back for a piggyback ride, or simply chatting with her about their weekends. Kat has even been invited to several playdates!

Here’s what other coaches had to say about Kat: “she goes above and beyond to instill comfort on the water and make students feel welcome and safe at sailing school,” she “puts the team above herself,” and she is “driven to improve and is ALWAYS willing to help others.” What a gift for LMSS to have someone so thoughtful, enthusiastic, and positive to support our sailors and their families each day when they arrive at LMSS.

As a racer on our 420 Race Team and Minnetonka High School Sailing Teams, Kat is an incredibly hard worker who goes out of her way to make new friends, cheer for her teammates, and use every practice as another opportunity to improve as a sailor and competitor. Her engagement with coaches and desire to learn was proven successful by her second place finish with skipper Linnea Martin at the TCYS Brad Robinson Victory Regatta a few weeks ago.

We are proud to call Kat a friend, employee, and racer at LMSS. Thank you, Kat, for all you do for LMSS, your sailors, teammates, and fellow coaches.