Nothing to sign

When kids are into sports, few things jazz them up more than getting an autographed ball by a popular sports figure. My boys have several on their shelves, and they make for a lasting keepsake.

While many sports athletes don't deserve their "role model" position, it is where the fans and media have thrust them. We cheer for their teams, and praise their good play. And when the ball they autograph sits on a kids shelf, it becomes an active reminder of that sport.

Sailing is starting to develop participants that are well known - some even outside the sport. Dennis Conner may have been the first well known sailor outside the sport. Ellen MacArthur is now well known. Paul Cayard and Russell Coutts are well known, at least so inside the sport. What's also great about sailing is we often have access to these sailors. We are not restricted by fences. Heck, sometimes we are even competing against them.

But for sailing, what do our role models sign? Sailing doesn't use a baseball or football. We use boats and sails. We can't put our Optimist on the shelf. Tiller extensions are small and affordable, but they are usually black and too narrow to sign. For adults, maybe they can sign our Mount Gay Rum cups, but what about the kids? Sailing just doesn't have anything good that can sit on a kid's shelf.

Paul Cayard will be making a public appearance at a West Marine store in Annapolis, MD during the Volvo Ocean Race stop in April. I just don't know what he is going to sign. - Craig Leweck