DANIELLE WALKER: REACHES FOR THE FAST LANE
July 17, 2009
SEASIDE, Calif. - Walker begins her senior year as a member of CSUMB's sailing team in 2009-10 season. Competing against NCAA Division I schools on a weekly bases, Walker's primary position is skipper in the two-person crew during competitions.
Walker has qualified for the Pacific Coast Championships all three years. In her freshman year, she won the North South Designate regatta in Santa Barbara in Spring 2007.
Recently the Huntington Beach native sat down to answer a few questions about her experiences in sailing and her future plans.
Who got you interested in sailing?
Sailing has been running in the family for years and I decided I wanted to follow in the footsteps of my grandfather. He built a 32 foot wooden sailboat in his backyard when I was a kid and his dream was to travel down part of the Mississippi River. My family and I helped fulfill his dream when I was eight. I grew up sailing on his wooden sailboat. As a kid I did summer sailing programs in Huntington Beach and continued on to teach sailing to young kids. I am currently the head instructor for CSUMB's sailing program during the summers.
Why did you choose CSUMB?
I chose CSUMB because CSUMB had a varsity sailing team. My senior year of high school I drove up to Santa Barbara to meet part of the team and from that moment on, I knew I wanted to go to CSUMB. Frank Degnan and my teammates were very friendly and welcoming. My dream as a kid was to sail competitively in college and CSUMB had the perfect opportunity for me to do so.
What was the most memorable race you participated in?
The most memorable race I participated in was my freshmen year in Hawaii for the Pacific Coast Championships. I was sailing with an alumnus, Haley Pikhart, and we were in second place rounding the first mark. Unfortunately, we weren't able to hold that position but we did finish towards the front of the fleet.
What would you like to do once you graduate?
I am actually majoring in ESTP with a concentration in Environmental Policy because when I graduate I'd like to work with businesses on how to be more sustainable with their packaging and more eco-friendly in general. I find it very important to try to make as little of an impact as possible and if businesses begin to reduce, reuse, and recycle more we can begin to head in the right direction.
