Making the sport accessible to both young and old is key to the sport‘s survival. To that end, the OYS sailing school offers sailing and racing courses, which have been approved by the Canadian Yachting Association, for youth and adult sailors. Attracting fresh blood to the sport, which must comâ€" pete for members with such popular pastimes as baseâ€" ball and soccer, is easier said than done, said Rustom, who supervises 12 fully certified instructors. The primary obstacle which the sport faces in its quest for new members is its image as an exclusive activity. "There‘s this misconception that sailing is elitist. I think that has hurt the sport, especially in Canada." Incredible diversity is something the sport has to offer that the other ones don‘t, said Rustom, who attends Queen‘s University in Kingston when he‘s not teaching someone to sail "Sailing is the type of sport you can make as mental as a chess match or as physical as a rugby match." The camaraderie that develops between participants in the sport is second to none, he added. The Oakville Yacht Squadron‘s head instructor, 22â€"yearâ€"old Michael Rustom, said the sport of sailing can be as mental as a chess game and as physical as a rugby match. (Photo by Peter McCusker) "I used to really fear the water," recalled Rustom, whose mother enrolled him in the OYS sailing school at age 10. A sailing instructor since the age of 15, Rustom now spends his summers trying to get others hooked on the challenges and excitement the sport has to offer. akville resident Michael Rustom has sailing in his blood. But it wasn‘t always that way for the Oakville Yacht Squadron‘s 22â€"yearâ€"old head sailing instructor. Sail away with OYC AND RECREATION | At the basic racing (or silver sail) stage, students are "expected to make a commitment" and make the transiâ€" tion to boat owner. For adult sailors, lessons are also provided for the larger 22â€"foot craft. "It gives students that Big Boat experience." Cost of the courses range from $250 for an eightâ€"sesâ€" sion adult beginner course to $595 for a twoâ€"month ° advanced racing course. Rustom said the response so far has been encouragâ€" ing. "Our enrollment is up 20 per cent over last year. But we‘re only at 60 or 70 per cent capacity. We‘re getting calls every day." The first step is white sail where basic seamanship, knot tying, boat handling, safety, and emergency proceâ€" dures are taught. In bronze sail, sleek twoâ€"person Lasers, which can travel up to 12 knots (15 miles) per hour, introduce stuâ€" dents to the sport‘s highâ€"performance aspect. "The Laser has been introduced as a new Olympic class which means we now have the potential to make students into Olympic athletes," Rustom noted. Rustom recommends students purchase used boats initially. A used Laser costs around $2,500, he said. Gold sail (or advanced) racing is the highest achievement level available to competitive sailors. Skills are honed through participation in both interâ€" club and regional regattas held regularly throughout the summer. Courses start on June 13th and run until August 26th. For more information, phone 338â€"9379. Introducing the grandest Extra Value Meal ever â€" The Grand Poobah"" Meal! Get your hands on a hearty McRib sandwich, medium fries and a medium soft drink served in one of six great collection cups. Hop into your Flintmobile"" and drop into Roc Donald‘s"" today! CRAAP FCCOEBAd E6L Collect all six cups! © 1983 universAL Ciry STUOI0S, INC. AND AVBLIN ENTERTANMENT, NC ALL RIGHTS RESEAVED The RUNTSTONES® AND THE FLINTSTONES CHARACTERS ARE TRADEMARKS ® ANO COPYRIGHTS OF HANNAâ€"BARBERA PRODUCTIONS, INC Marc Walton opened with four fine innings of baseball, giving up only four hits. Relief pitcher Shaun Benay took over for the final three giving up only two runs on one hit for the win. The Oakville A‘s major pee wee baseball team used their combined offensive and defensive skills in an unselfish team effort to defeat Brampton in their home park 10â€"6 on Tuesday. Marc Walton and Rob Kapuscinski had two RBI‘s each with single RBI‘s going to Bobby Chapelle, Shaun Benay, Scott Wallace and Peter Kissel. Hits went to Marc Walton (2), Peter Kissel, Jonathan Cooke, Rob Kapuscinski, Scott Wallace, Mike Bondarenko and Bobby Chapelle. Timely walk and headsâ€"up base stealing by Josh Cr-owley' helped set up a big sixth inning for Oakville. Catcher Peter Kissel launched a monâ€" ster shot that would have been a sure home run in any park with a fence. The game was full of outstanding defensive plays, steals, sacrifice bunts, walks and fielder‘s choice singles to score runners on base. % Oakville‘s only loss was an opening 3â€"2 round robin loss to Dixie. They won their next two games â€" 6â€"0 over London and 2â€"1 over West Rouge â€" to claim a semiâ€"final berth against Mississauga, last year‘s league champions. With a tremendous team effort, Oakville defeated Last weekend, against some of the best competiâ€" tors in the world, he managed to climb up another notch to second place (he also picked up a bronze in sparring). One of his students, Dion Markettos, has also qualified to compete for the Canadian national team. The world competition will be all the more tougher, he explained, because it will include two other powerhouses â€" Malaysia and Korea. Oakville‘s underâ€"11 soccer squad won the MISSlssauga international soccer tournament on the holiday weekend. The Allâ€"Japan Cup competition was held last weekend, and the only foreign competitor invited this year was perennial Canadian national Tae Kwonâ€"Do gold medalist Mike Morningstar. The elite athlete, who runs his own Tae Kwonâ€"Do school in Oakville, had twice before posted thirdâ€" place finishes at the prestigious competition in his specialty event â€" patterns. He would like nothing better than achieving the top rung this July at the world championships in Malaysia where he has qualified to compete both individually (in the patterns event) and as a member of the Canadian team (team competition involves all of the events). In their first tournament of the summer soccer season, the Oakville Star Data Strikers steadily improved throughout the tournament, endirig up with a record of four wins and one loss. Three graduates of the Underâ€"19 team who will be joining the team, he said, include Mario Saric, Ed Stadola and Matt Honchar. Ironically, Saric and Stadola play for St. Thomas Aquinas and faced Honchar, a member of Queen Elizabeth Park School, in Wednesday‘s Halton high school championship (which St. Thomas Aquinas won 1â€"0 in a shootout). Also on board, he said, is former Hamilton Steelers playér Jason Gibbons. Silver medal earned in Japan Tournament victory for Underâ€"11 squad Oakville now has a team in the Ontario Soccer League‘s top division. The team, which opened its schedule Saturday night in Barrie, decided to move up after finishing third in the tierâ€"two division last year and then winning the playoff championship. The first home game is at Bronte Athletic Field on Sun., June 12 against Brampton. "Oakville has got good players and a strong soccer program," explained vice president John Kapusin. The coaches haven‘t quite finished shopping yet, though. "We‘re lookâ€" ing for a good sweeper," said Kapusin. Oakville beat a Toronto team in the semiâ€"final game and Peterborough (also stepping up to the top division) in the final. Other teams in the league include Aurora, Guelph, Bramalea, Brampton, North York, Scarborough and Woodbridge. e Oakville moves up to top soccer league Unselfish team effort leads to win SUNDAY, MAY 29, 1994 PAGE 21 (See ‘Riddell‘ page 22) l]uaker State uuality everfime! 260 Speers Road ©1994 McDonald‘s Restaurants of Canada Ltd Mike Morningstar