Learning the Ropes of Leadership and Legacy

 

May 2024 was a month of milestones for Tabor Academy’s SSV Tabor Boy. The Sailing School Vessel celebrated its seventieth anniversary since arriving in Marion, Massachusetts, and 110 years since being built in the Netherlands; a student—Cam Martin ’24, outgoing XO—had the opportunity to conn the schooner off the mooring for the first time since 2020; and Izzie Konowicz ’26 was selected to lead the crew for the 2024-25 academic year, making her the third female student executive officer (XO) in Tabor history.

“Besides the actual sailing of the boat, my favorite part of Tabor Boy is the legacy of all the crew members. Part of the history that I am particularly connected to is the legacy of female crew members onboard,” says Konowicz, with admiration for predecessors Holly Francis ’14 and Lauren Kirk ’21. “Having a co-ed crew is an integral part of the program, and I want to ensure that all crew and visitors feel welcome on the ship, and are measured not for their gender, but for their character as a shipmate.”

Character development and team building are hallmarks of the Tabor Boy program. According to Konowicz, some of the other competencies needed to be a good leader and team-member include communicating, delegating, coordinating, and leading.

“Simply put,” Konowicz says, “Tabor Boy is not possible without constant collaboration, and I am always working to maintain it. As with all teams, collaboration can also create a consistent challenge. As a leader, I am giving orders to people who are older than me, who are my friends, and who I’ve never met before. I’ve found that the best way to approach this unique role is to maintain honesty and communication with the other crew members, and help everyone remember that we are all students, and we all have room to grow. As some of the crew knows, I can go from joking to serious in the middle of a sentence, and that has created opportunities for me as a leader to constantly work on that balance between fun and responsibility.”

 

The XO collaborates closely with Captain Jay Amster to ensure the safety and success of the ship and its crew of around 20 students. While she compares certain elements of leadership of a crew on the sea to a team on a field, Konowicz emphasizes the unique responsibilities and challenges that come with teamwork in a maritime setting. 

“One huge element is different: sailing a tall ship isn’t a game, and sometimes a mistake isn’t something you can just walk off the field and forget about. As a crew, we all accept the inherent risk that sailing a 110-year-old boat poses. When we are on overnights, it isn’t some careless sleepover, it’s [about] people trusting the person who is awake to do their job and keep the rest of the boat safe,” explains Konowicz. “As a leader in this setting, responsibility means so much beyond just showing up. It means being accountable for the safety of those you are leading, and making constant risk-assessments on what you are asking people to do. For the crew, we each come to the table with some level of this responsibility, and together we watch out for each other, offer advice, and lend a hand without having to be asked.”

I couldn’t be any of the previous XOs— but I could be XO—and I wanted to be. So, I decided to go for it.”

Beyond teamwork, another skill Konowicz brings to the schooner is her ability to adapt. She reflects, “Growing up a military kid, I’ve been moving around my entire life and change is my normal. Being adaptable to whatever comes is both a huge part of working on a ship and being a military kid. Being comfortable being uncomfortable growing up has allowed me to be open to new experiences on the boat and always willing to try something new. Despite having sailed small boats for a few summers growing up, I had by no means grown up sailing.”

Joining the crew her freshman year in 2022, Konowicz was both new to Tabor and new to the sailing world. She was inspired to come aboard after participating in the Tabor Boy Summer Experience, a weeklong sail aimed at welcoming new students to the community. During the orientation program, she learned the ropes of sailing a traditionally rigged vessel, while forging friendships and exploring both local geography and marine ecology. “What really stood out to me was the confidence, passion, and camaraderie of the crew members. I’d been on many teams before, but the dynamic relationships of the crew, and the love they had for the program and the ship, really inspired my want to be a part of it. That and,” she laughs with candor, “I wasn’t committed to a fall co-curricular yet.”

Fast forward two years and Konowicz has dove headfirst into the program, sailing through with flying colors. She has since been on the crew each fall and spring season, most recently in the role as Watch Officer. Before being selected as XO, she had to fill out a formal application, interview with Captain Amster, and act as XO during a trial week. When she learned the news of her appointment to the position, Konowicz admits she was a bit shocked. She says, “When I first joined the crew, I was sure that I wouldn’t end up in the position because the XO to me was a person not a position. I saw it as ‘I can’t be them’ until I spent more time on the crew and realized that I couldn’t be any of the previous XOs— but I could be XO—and I wanted to be. So, I decided to go for it.”

 

No matter her title, Konowicz continuously engages in educational and outreach activities with the schooner. For example, she has added a Tabor Boy sail onto the schedule of events for International Orientation to ensure the ship’s expanded access to the community. She also helps faculty come up with ways to utilize the vessel to enhance learning across all disciplines, like hosting an English class onboard to write poetry. Through these practices, Konowicz says that the program will continue to gain interest and help secure Tabor’s identity as the School by the Sea. She believes another way to achieve this is by traveling more with the schooner both in local waters and beyond, like in the Marion to Bermuda race.

“For the past few XOs, a huge part of their tenure has been rebuilding the program from where it fell off during the pandemic, and I would love to continue that work and focus more on growing the program towards a sustainable future. It is unlikely that the program will ever be the way it was before COVID, and I think that is perfectly all right since it has to adapt to the changing times,” she says. “We say a lot on the boat, ‘ship, shipmates, self,’ and how it is a three-legged stool that cannot balance without all the legs. I hope to continue to improve crew communication, encourage self-advocacy among all members, and leave the boat better than I found it in respect to physical repairs, routines for continual care, and maintaining an open and limitless platform for learning. Most importantly though, my goal is to always put the crew first. No matter the position or the experience they hold, the crew is what keeps the ship together.”

 

While she looks ahead to the future of Tabor Boy, Konowicz plans to honor and build upon the rich history and tradition of the program. One way that she plans to preserve and celebrate its legacy is by talking with Tabor Boy alumni. She expresses, “The age and the build of the ship allows crew members to learn skills that are common in the tall ship world, but beyond that can be seen as a lost art."

I would love to keep sharing the work and dedication that years of crew members have put into this boat, because the signatures above the bunks are so much more than just a list of names that I get to add mine to.”

Konowicz’s commitment to the schooner is steadfast. Currently Watch Officer, she is spending the summer helping to lead the very same orientation program that piqued her interest in the first place. Working alongside Konowicz this summer are Kevin Xie ’26 and Silvia Thompson ’26, who attended the same Tabor Boy Summer experience as Konowicz, illustrating the transformative impact of their initial experience. Once newcomers to both the boat and the school community, these students have returned to the program as confident crew members, eager to share their knowledge and enthusiasm.

 

“I am very thankful to all of the support I have had from the crew and the adult leaders onboard,” exclaims Konowicz. “Having the chance to start from the bottom and learn my way up the ranks has been incredible and makes me so excited that I get to turn around and help others build their skills just like former crew helped me. It has also empowered me to keep learning and improving my own skills and leadership.”