PC Lang Ryder Hot Shot Award Deed of Gift
To honor PC Lang Ryder’s generosity, passion for youth sailing, especially competitive junior sailboat racing, LYCSF in partnership with the Ryder Family, has created an award that incorporates one of PC Ryder’s favorite phrases for an outstanding up-and-coming junior sailor. The term “Hot Shot” comes from Erika Reineke‘s nickname that he enthusiastically called her through many years of watching her progress to be a world class sailor.
Award Criteria
The PC Lang Ryder Hot Shot Award will be given no more than annually to an up-and-coming sailor who has shown potential to be a next level, Hot Shot racer in his or her class through consistent top results in regional, national, and/or international regattas.
The sailor must be at least 15 years old. If the sailor is in high school, the sailor must have been in the LYC Junior Sailing Program for at least three years and remain in the Program during the year following the award, unless having graduated from high school. If the sailor has graduated high school, the sailor must have been in the LYC Junior Sailing Program for at least three years and graduated high school while still in the Program. The sailor must not have reached the age of 22 at the time of the award.
The intent is not to fund a Pan-American or Olympic campaign, and a recipient may only win the award once while competing in a given class of boat (i.e., if a recipient moves on to primarily sailing a different class boat in a subsequent year, they are potentially eligible for the Hot Shot Award again). For purposes of this restriction, ILCA 4, 6, and 7 shall be considered different class boats.
If more than one sailor is being considered for the award as a team, then all team members must meet the above criteria, and the award will be divided equally between the sailors. However, an LYC sailor may win the award solo even though the sailor is competing in a class with more than one sailor in the boat.
The award will be given at most annually but does not need to be given annually. While it is anticipated that the award will be given out most years, it may not be given out some years.
Recipient Expectations
Prior to receiving any awarded funds, the recipient must agree to allow LYCSF to publish the recipient’s name and picture. Additionally, the recipient must pledge to provide receipts for sailing-related expenses to LYCSF totaling at least the amount of the award, no later than 11 months after receiving the award. Sailing-related expenses shall be limited to expenses for regatta travel (i.e., flights/gas/rental cars), lodging, meals, boat charter fees, regatta entrance fees, annual class dues, coaching fees, or junior sailing program fees.
Determining the Recipient
The LYCSF will determine the award winner with input from the LYC Sailing Program director and the Lang Ryder family.
The LYCSF Grant Committee will administer this award and will be charged with determining the worthiest recipient each year (if any). The Lang Ryder Hot Shot Award Committee (“LRHSC”) (a LYCSF Grant Committee subcommittee), shall consist of at least three (3) members, and preferably one of the members will be a member of the Ryder family. In order to identify potential awardees, the LRHSC may share this notice with, and solicit input from: the LYC Fleet Captain, the LYC Sailing Director, the LYC chairman of the Yachting Committee, and others. The LRHSC may annually recommend an award recipient to the Grant Committee (or may recommend that the award not be given). Along with the recommendation, the subcommittee will provide a short description of the proposed awardee’s worthiness.
The LYCSF will have the sole final say as to if the Hot Shot Award will be awarded in any given year, who the recipient is, and the amount of the award.
Announcing the Recipient
The winner of the Com. Ryder Hot Shot Award will be announced at the annual LYC Change of Command Ceremony.
Award Winners
About Past Commodore Lang Ryder
Past Commodore Lang Ryder (1963 – 2023) was a native of Hingham, Massachusetts. PC Ryder attended “The School by the Sea,” Tabor Academy in Marion, MA, and was a member of its interscholastic Varsity Sailing Team. At the time of this dedication, Tabor Boy is Tabor’s flagship, a 92-foot restored 1914 schooner used for teaching young people about life and the sea, exactly what PC Ryder was all about. PC Ryder took great pride in showing off Tabor Boy to LYC Junior Sailors whenever it was in port. Following Tabor, PC Ryder attended Tulane University, where he competed on the intercollegiate sailing team.
PC Ryder later settled in Fort Lauderdale where he was known for his love of sailing and the sea, as well as his generosity. He served as the 71st Commodore of Lauderdale Yacht Club. PC Ryder was a beloved, active member of LYC, and a passionate supporter of the LYC Sailing Foundation for many years.
PC Lang Ryder was in the truest sense, the gentleman sailor.
