Towne Athlete Meet

TOWNE ATHLETE

Josh Sambrano

Sts. Peter & Paul High School Sailing, Swimming

By Tom Worgo

Growing up, recent Saints Peter and Paul High School graduate Josh Sambrano enjoyed competing in football, but the sport took a toll on his body. Sambrano sought an athletic endeavor that would challenge mind over body. So, he took up sailing in the seventh grade. He fell in love with it and decided to put as much time into sailing as possible. That means jumping in nine months a year, working as a skipper and crew in two-man boats.

I DEFINITELY FELT MORE CONNECTED TO SAILING THAN THE OTHER SPORTS. IT’S JUST MY CONNECTION TO THE WATER. IT’S NOT AS INTENSE PHYSICALLY. IT CHALLENGES YOU MORE MENTALLY AND INTELLECTUALLY— ESPECIALLY DURING THE RACES.”

He participated on the junior varsity squad in seventh grade, in the fall and spring, and in youth programs at the Cambridge Yacht Club and Tred Avon Yacht Club in Oxford. Sambrano, an Easton resident, picked up sailing quicker than expected. And Saints Peter and Paul promoted him to varsity as an eighth-grader. He went on to a stellar high school career, serving as team captain in his final years. He capped his career with five first-place finishes in regattas and another 12 top-three placings.

Sambrano’s dedication has paid off. He will be sailing in the fall at the University of Maryland, where he plans to major in aerospace engineering on an academic scholarship.

“I definitely felt more connected to sailing than the other sports,” explains Sambrano, who carried a weighted 4.9 grade-point average. “It’s just my connection to the water. It’s not as intense physically. It challenges you more mentally and intellectually—especially during the races.”

The 5-foot-7 Sambrano had some appealing choices when it came to sailing in college. He got accepted to Virginia Tech, Penn State, Georgia Tech, and Michigan, eyeing both the sailing teams and engineering programs. “I got the best (scholarship) package from Maryland, and I wanted to stay close to my family,” Sambrano says. “They are always very supportive of me.”

While Sambrano has won his share of regattas, he might be just as valuable to the Sabres’ program for his leadership skills. He taught his young teammates and family members how to master sailing.

The 18-year-old Sambrano was the oldest member of the Sabres’ sailing team. It also included six underclassmen and a combined four eighth- and seventh-graders. He relishes leading them.

“I see myself as a mentor,” he says. “Most of my teammates are just starting out. You are teaching them the ropes, how to strategize, and what to do in a race. I also want to teach them the strategy of motivation because sailing can be a grueling sport. The mental exhaustion can last all day.”

Sambrano proved he can win races even under the most difficult circumstances. There’s one race that jumped out of the 80 he participated in over six years. In the fall of his sophomore year, Sambrano was part of two-man team that won the last race of the Maryland Interscholastic Sailing Association

championship on the Tred Avon River. The winds blew 30 to 40 miles an hour and it was pouring rain.

“He never complains about anything,” Saints Peter and Paul Sailing Coach Robin Cooper says. “He never missed a practice, and he gets something out of every practice. He is so passionate about sailing. I think he will thrive in college.”

In the winter, Sambrano swam on his school’s varsity team, specializing in the 50- and 100-yard freestyle. He also belonged to the Spanish Honor Society, National Honor Society, and performing arts club, was a student government officer, and received a large number of academic awards.

“He almost won every academic award,” Saints Peter and Paul Athletic Director Pat Tracy says. “Watching him develop as a young man and athlete—he is very determined, very hard-working, and a great teammate. I am excited about what he will be doing after graduation.”

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