Many students participate in school-sponsored athletic teams, but there is one Huskie whose passion for sports takes place solely outside the walls of Naperville North.

Senior Jennifer Lyon brings her athletic talent to the waters of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, where she sails competitively.

“I started sailing because all the generations of my family have sailed, and I have just grown up on the water,” Lyon said. “Sailing is something I’ll always be able to do regardless of my age.”

Lyon began sailing at the age of six and is a member of the Lake Geneva Yacht Club, where she practices and participates in races. With the four-season climate in Wisconsin, Lyon’s sailing season begins in the start of May and finishes in early September. During the summer months when the lake is accessible, Lyon resides at her lake house. There, she practices multiple times a week and eagerly anticipates her hour to hour-and-a-half long races that occur twice each week.

As Lyon’s E Scow boat leaves the shores of Lake Geneva, she plays a crucial role in ther team’s success. She flies the spinnaker, which is a part of the boat that propels during downwind (wind that is blowing downstream) and increases its speed.

“If the whole team of people on your boat are not on the same page, you’ll never have success or accomplish anything,” Lyon said. “Everyone has to work together at all times in order to reach your goal.”

Lyon recalls the most challenging aspect of sailing for the team.

“What can be most difficult during races is when there are light wind days,” Lyon said. “You really need to pay attention to the wind because less wind can make it harder to sail.”

According to Lyon, she must practice frequently to prepare for a race because the conditions can be difficult and unpredictable. After temperatures drop into the cooler seasons, Lyon continues to participate in ice boating. Ice boating compares to regular sailing by having the same structured boat, but is designed to glide over ice instead of run through water.

After all the hard work Lyon incorporates into competitive sailing, she enjoys seeing her efforts pay off.

“My favorite part I would have to say is winning,” Lyon said. “The races are generally pretty long so it is very rewarding when all the hard work pays off after such a long race and all the practicing that goes into competing.”