Jennifer Sundberg - Director
|
The Community Sailing School @Pistakee is very excited to welcome our Sailing School Director for this summer!! Jennifer Sundberg is a local sailor and educator with enthusiasm to promote sailing for all ages in all types of venues. She is aligned with our core values "Inclusion of everyone in the community, stewardship of our natural resources, teamwork, leadership and volunteerism to "pay it forward."
Jennifer has been sailing on Long Lake for over 45 years. She started sailing at the age of 7 in a Butterfly, transitioned to crewing and skippering on C Scows, and has been skippering an MC Scow for the last 20 years on Long Lake. She is a past Commodore of the Long Lake Yacht Club. Jennifer has been on race committees on Long Lake, C Blue Chip regattas on Pistakee Lake, NCSSA Championship and Inland Lake Yachting Association championship regattas for classes including C Scows, E Scows, A Scows, MC Scows and X boats. A founding member of SPILL (Stop Pollution n Long Lake), she worked to stop the release of industrial waste into the Squaw Creek Watershed. During the off season Jennifer is a special education teacher at Johnsburg High School. |
|
Andy Kartheiser – Sailing and Windsurfing Instructor

Andy is a US Sailing Certified Level 1 Instructor and a Level 1 Windsurfing Instructor as well. Andy learned how to sail at a young age on Pistakee Bay. He served as a volunteer Instructor for the summer of 2013 and as Instructor in 2014. In 2016, he was promoted to Head Instructor. Andy competed in high school sailing in 2014 and 2015. He won the award of "Skipper - Most First Place Races" while representing Johnsburg High on the Pistakee Community High School Sailing Team in both 2014 and 2015. Andy's continues his volunteer efforts to create and grow the Community Sailing School @Pistakee. For four summers between 2012 and 2016, Andy was a member of the core team of volunteers who restored the exterior of the Pistakee Yacht Club. His countless hours of volunteer labor helped restore the PYC Clubhouse, which serves as the home for the Community Sailing School. He graduated from Johnsburg High School in 2016 where he also earned college credits in computer science his junior and senior years. He was recognized at the JHS Awards Ceremony for his team's State of Illinois 2nd place finish in Game Software development. Andy attended Maryville University in St. Louis, where he studied Cyber Security. Andy served for two years as a Junior National Ski Patrol at Grand Geneva Mountain and completed coursework in Outdoor Emergency Care. Andy excels in teaching young children to sail and he receives frequent expressions of gratitude from their parents for his role in helping their children grow. Andy assisted in running the fall Johnsburg High School Outdoor PE program.
Jerry Camardelle Jr. - Sailing Instructor

Jerry is a US Sailing Certified Level 1 Instructor and he will return this summer as a member of our Instructor team! He will be a Johnsburg High School graduate in June. Jerry is a member of the JHS golf team and he represents the Johnsburg Skyhawks on the Pistakee Community High School sailing team. Jerry started to sail his freshman year, and with a natural love for being on the water, Jerry quickly fell in love with sailing.
Jerry was an intragal part of the Johnsburg Outdoor PE class held fall 2016. Thanks to Jerry's help many HS students had the opportunity to get out on the water and learn some basic sailing. The senior instructors shared these comments about Jerry:
“Jerry likes to have fun with the kids and the kids like him. He balances fun and teaching and brings enthusiasm.”
“Jerry is energetic, likable and really friendly. He is a great sailing instructor!”
"Jerry is great because he is always willing to help us lift the heavy boats."
We love having Jerry on our CSS@P Instructor team!!
Jerry was an intragal part of the Johnsburg Outdoor PE class held fall 2016. Thanks to Jerry's help many HS students had the opportunity to get out on the water and learn some basic sailing. The senior instructors shared these comments about Jerry:
“Jerry likes to have fun with the kids and the kids like him. He balances fun and teaching and brings enthusiasm.”
“Jerry is energetic, likable and really friendly. He is a great sailing instructor!”
"Jerry is great because he is always willing to help us lift the heavy boats."
We love having Jerry on our CSS@P Instructor team!!
Mackenzie Winkiel - Sailing and Windsurfing Instructor

Mackenzie is a US Sailing Certified Level 1 Instructor and is a Level 1 Windsurfing Instructor as well. She will be joining our team of instructors this summer after volunteering at CSS@P for several years. She completed both the US Sailing Level 1 and Level 1 Windsurfing certification courses spring 2017 and is excited to continue sharpening her instructing skills. Mackenzie enjoys racing 420’s, crewing on CScows and teaching new sailors how to skipper and crew. This summer she will be racing with team Reinke on Sundays at PYC. Mackenzie enjoys Stand Up Paddle boards and is happy that CSS@P offers a SUP course. Mackenzie graduated from Wauconda High School in 2018 where she was a member of National Honor Society, and the Varsity Dance Team. She is currently a student Saint Louis University studying to become a Physical Therapist.
Sammy Volkmar - Sailing Instructor

Sammy graduated from Grant High School in Fox Lake in 2018. She earned Honor Roll designation at Grant. Sammy was active in sports and she was a member of the Grant HS Girls Golf Team, Sammy was also is a pitcher and played first base for GTAAA 16U Girls Fast Pitch Softball.
Sammy sailed on the Pistakee Community High School Sailing team 2016 and 2017 representing Grant high school. She also sailed in a MISSA regatta in Pewaukee.
Sammy participated in the Fox Lake Fire Station Explorer program and received training ambulance procedures including First aid, CPR, basic firefighting and EMS training. She is currently a student at Northern Michigan University where she is a member of their collegiate sailing team. Our CSS@P Senior Instructors have shared that “Sammy is good at taking charge" and "the kids can really relate to her.” Sammy loves ice cream and the sailing students certainly relate to that, especially on hot summer days on the Bay! Sammy is very excited to return as CSS@P Instructor staff!
Sammy sailed on the Pistakee Community High School Sailing team 2016 and 2017 representing Grant high school. She also sailed in a MISSA regatta in Pewaukee.
Sammy participated in the Fox Lake Fire Station Explorer program and received training ambulance procedures including First aid, CPR, basic firefighting and EMS training. She is currently a student at Northern Michigan University where she is a member of their collegiate sailing team. Our CSS@P Senior Instructors have shared that “Sammy is good at taking charge" and "the kids can really relate to her.” Sammy loves ice cream and the sailing students certainly relate to that, especially on hot summer days on the Bay! Sammy is very excited to return as CSS@P Instructor staff!
Kevin Winkiel - Sailing Instructor
Kevin has been a long standing member of CSS@P's Instructor Team. Kevin had enjoyed volunteering for three years at CSS@P before becoming an Assistant Sailing Instructor summer of 2017. His family has been a Pistakee Yacht Club member for many years and Kevin has grown up on the water. Kevin loves to assist new or younger sailors as they first get on a boat and begin sailing. His calm demeanor and friendly personality help put new sailors at ease. Kevin enjoys sailing and has a special appreciation for motor boats. He loves making sure all of the instructor boats are fueled and in working order. He likes to set the marks for the days activities and make sure all of the school's equipment is put away properly. Kevin will be a junior at Wauconda High School where he plays varsity hockey and varsity lacrosse.
|
Alana Vodicka - Saining Instrucctor
Alana Vodicka is one of our two new instructors this year. She was a volunteer instructor last summer, and completed our instructor training course. Alana grew up on Bangs lake and has spent many years on the water. She learned to sail at a young age and her family has been a member of the Pistakee Yacht Club since she was little. Alana races a C-Scow with her dad Alex at the Pistakee Yacht Club on Sunday mornings. Alana will be a sophomore at Wauconda High School in the fall. She enjoys honors and AP courses and participating in the Future Business Leaders of America club. Alana is also a member of the varsity Track and Field and Cross Country teams at WHS. Alana loves working with young kids and helping them learn the joys of sailing.
Ashley Plant
Ashley Plant is one of our newest instructors joining this years staff after volunteering for a year and completing the instructor training course. She had grown up with a family that loves sailing and was introduced to sailing at a very young age. Ashley races MC Scows with her dad every Saturday morning as long as she doesn't have a soccer game. She plays soccer for the FCLC travel club and for her high school soccer team. However, Ashley doesn't let activities get in the way of academics. She will be taking honors and AP classes her sophomore year at Grayslake North High School. Ashley loves teaching the kids enrolled in our classes how to have fun on the water and how to properly sail one of our many boats.