Sailing
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John Vandemoer

John Vandemoer

TitleHead Coach

John Vandemoer served as Stanford’s head sailing coach for 11 years (2009-19). Vandemoer’s teams won 29 of 30 PCCSC spring conference championships, and qualified for at least the semifinals of every spring ICSA national championship.

In 2017-18, Stanford finished sixth in the Fowle Trophy standings for the second straight year after fifth-place finishes at the coed and team race national championships. In addition, for the ninth straight season, the Cardinal swept the three spring conference championships.

In 2016-17, Vandemoer guided Stanford a sixth-place finish in the Fowle Trophy while winning all three PCCSC spring championships. Stanford also won both PCCSC singlehanded championships, sending four individuals to the ICSA singlehanded championships.

In the 2015-16 season, Vandemoer led Stanford to a third-place finish in the Fowle Trophy while finishing in the top ten at all three ICSA Spring Championships. Stanford tied a record with six All-Americans at the end of the season – Sammy Steele, J.P. Cannistraro, Antoine Screve, Will La Dow, Martina Sly and Kathryn Booker.

Under Vandemoer’s watch, senior Kieran Chung was awarded Sportsman of the Year at the ICSA National Championship to end the 2014-15 season, which also proved to be highly successful. Once again, Stanford finished in the top-ten in all three spring ICSA Championships, including third in team racing.

At the end of the 2013-14 season, Stanford had six All-America selections, the most in program history. Yurk Namikawa, Carolyn Ortel, Sarah Mace, Molly MicKinney, Kieran Chung and Kevin Laube all made the team, while finishing 3rd at team racing nationals and 4th at coed nationals.
In 2012, Vandemoer produced his first set of Cardinal All-Americans - Kevin Laube, Oliver Toole, Kelly Ortel and Sally Mace - as the Cardinal finished eighth in both team and coed sailing. That same season, the Cardinal won all six fall and spring crowns (men's and women's singlehanded, match, spring coed, spring women's and spring team racing), a first for the any member of the conference.

In 2011 and 2010, Stanford was one of just eight teams nationally to compete at all three national championships, doing so for the third straight season. The Cardinal also swept past the PCCSC field by winning the coed, team and women's championships in 2010 and 2011.

In 2008-09, the Cardinal won four of the six district championships and qualified for all three spring nationals, the only PCCSC team to do so.

Before arriving on The Farm, Vandemoer was head coach at the United States Naval Academy for two seasons (2006-08). It was there that he led the Midshipmen to five national championship appearances in two seasons - each year in the team and women's races and the 2007 coed division - after serving as the assistant coach in the fall of 2006.

In 2007, Navy not only served as the host school but also made its first national championship appearance in 12 years. The women finished fourth, the team finished seventh and the coed sailors were ninth.

The 2008 campaign saw the Navy squad place sixth while the women were 11th nationally. Vandemoer's team won the women's Mid-Atlantic Conference title in 2008 and were runners-up in 2007. The team also finished third three times (2007 in coed and team, 2008 in team racing).

Vandemoer began collegiate coaching at national power St. Mary's College of Maryland (2003-06), spending three years as an assistant coach. In 2004, St. Mary's won the team championship and in 2006 the Atlantic Coast conference championship.

Vandemoer's training is top-notch, as he not only has a U.S. Sailing Level 3 Coach Certification (the highest advanced coaching level offered by the national organization) but is also a certified instructor trainer. For several years, Vandemoer has traveled to nation coaching junior sailing clinics at the highest level. For his efforts, Vandemoer received the Captain Joe Prosser Award for excellence in sail training. Vandemoer was also awarded the Arthur B. Hanson Rescue Medal for his efforts in rescuing many dinghy sailors that were caught in the vicious winds of a Chicago cold front.

Vandemoer is often praised for his commitment, patience and attention to detail when it comes to supporting his team. However, one characteristic is the most essential: his excitement in getting out on the water and interacting with the sailors.

Vandemoer graduated from Hobart and William Smith Colleges in 2000 with a degree in geochemistry. As a member of the Hobart and William Smith varsity sailing team, he helped the team to consistent top-three rankings including a fourth-place showing at team racing nationals and a second at the dinghy nationals.

Conference Finishes Under Vandemoer

YearConferenceCoedWomenTeam
2007Mid Atlantic3rd2nd3rd
2008Mid Atlantic9th1st3rd
2009PCCSC3rd1st1st
2010PCCSC1st1st1st
2011PCCSC1st1st1st
2012PCCSC1st1st1st
2013PCCSC1st1st1st
2014PCCSC1st1st1st
2015PCCSC1st1st1st
2016PCCSC1st1st1st
2017PCCSC1st1st1st


National Finishes Under Vandemoer

YearProgramCoedWomenTeam
2007Navy9th4th7th
2008Navy--6th11th
2009Stanford15th12th7th
2010Stanford18th13th9th
2011Stanford13th14th8th
2012Stanford8th13th8th
2013Stanford6th5th6th
2014Stanford4th12th3rd
2015Stanford11th9th3rd
2016Stanford6th9th6th
2017Stanford16th5th7th
2018Stanford5th16th5th