Jacob Harden -staff writer

Do you know any sailors? Meet Luke Roe, Foothill’s very own expert sailor.
Luke Roe is a sophomore here at Foothill. In addition to sailing, he is on the cross-country team.
As the old saying goes, practice makes perfect. Roe strives for perfection both in and out offseason, explaining, “I usually practice twice a week during the off months and six days a week during the summer.”
Just like with any other sport, competitive sailors engage in a variety of training activities. According to Luke, one of these includes “the dial-up drill, where two boats will set a timer for five minutes and enter a box of four.” “They will sail at each other and go head to wind in a dial-up and the whole purpose is to stay head to wind as long as possible and for port boat to get past the starboard boat.”
Luke has a passion for this sport, explaining that “sailing is interesting to me because of all the simple physics that I learn in it, hydrodynamics and aerodynamics. Sailing is just a fun sport which can take place on small dinghies or vintage wooden yachts that are beautiful–that aspect of sailing just interests me.”
Choosing the type of boat to race can be a daunting challenge as it makes a big difference when racing, Roe said, and he chooses his vessel carefully and trains to be successful with that boat.
Race day is always competitive for Roe. In his races, he tends to place higher than most people. He added,  “In my eight years of sailing, I’ve won about 15 races which vary from small bay regattas all the way up to nationals.”
Luke Roe makes an excellent addition to our community not only for his positive personality but also for his athletic excellence. From cross country to sailing, Luke is making a difference.