Coaching Staff
Coach
Adam Falkowski is a seasoned Great Lakes sailor with more than 35 years of sailing experience. He has been sailing on Lake Michigan with his family since 1989, and raced on the Michigan State University Sailing Team while in college. Adam joined the ranks of the coaching staff in the LLHSS programs when his kids, Brendan and Cara, started the Bath High School Sailing Team in 2021. Since then, Adam has become very involved in the program, helping to secure a fleet of new 420 sailboats for LSC and Lansing Youth Sailing, to expanding recruitment and development of sailors in the program. When he’s not sailing, Adam enjoys golfing, fishing, and spending time with his family.
Coach
Mike Moody learned to sail on Lake Lansing in the early 1970’s, on the home waters of the Lansing area middle and high school teams today. After taking a break from sailing to help raise his family and pursue his career, he returned to active sailing by racing the first race of his sailing life in a Laser in 1989, and competed in 6 regional regattas that first season. He went on to become Assistant Coach at MSU under Head Coach Sid Mook. As a current active member of Lansing Sailing Club, he has continued to compete locally in Lasers and Lightnings. In 2016, he was asked to help start up a high school racing team, and assisted Head Coach Susanna Tellschow, successfully competing with exactly one racer that fall. Today, he enjoys being an influence on many young racers’ development during their middle school, high school and college sailboat racing adventures.
Coach
Susanna Tellschow was first exposed to sailing when she was young, sailing with her grandfather and mother when she was 6 years old. After some time on and off the water over the years, she made a dedicated return to sailing in the early-2000s at Lansing Sailing Club, crewing on Lightnings and later skippering on Lasers and Sunfish. Susanna has been teaching sailing at LSC as a volunteer since 2008, and was involved in the early collaboration with the MSU Sailing Team to bridge the gap between the LSC youth summer sailing programs and college sailing and beyond. This collaboration grew into the Lake Lansing High School Sailing organization, which was officially started in 2016 alongside Mike Moody and other club volunteers. Susanna enjoys seeing the graduates from the high school programs both come back to teach at LSC but also join college teams and fleet racing. The small lake, club, and program are proof that big water is not needed to open the door to the world of sailing for anybody. One of the things Susanna believes make the sport of sailing so great is the sense of community and how members take the time to support those learning, share knowledge of racing, and pass on their love for the sport.
Coach
Susan Taylor is a lifelong sailor from Annapolis, Maryland. She has been with Lansing Sailing Club since moving to East Lansing in 2020 to be near her daughter and her family. Susan was the team captain of the women’s team at Tufts University, coached privately and at the U.S. Naval Academy for 10+ years, and sailed competitively in regional, national, and international competition. When not competing she was a sailing event coordinator and caregiver for family members. She currently races her Laser at LSC and enjoys providing sailing tips to anyone who wants them whenever she is racing or otherwise available.
Assistant Coach
Brendan Falkowski grew up sailing on Lake Michigan with his family, and began sailing dinghies while in high school. He co-founded the Bath High School Sailing Team alongside his sister Cara in his senior year. While not sailing for a college team, Brendan helps with assistant coaching and photography for the Lansing Youth Sailing Teams. Brendan is a graduate of naval architect and recent graduate of the University of Michigan.
Assistant Coach
Michael Kovalchick started sailing in the summer of 2015 at the Lansing Sailing Club. Since then he quickly developed racing skills and participated in the joint high school sailing team, representing East Lansing. Michael has raced all over the Midwest in all different boats ranging from 40-foot keelboats to Lasers. He first got involved in sailing through his brother Drew who started sailing before him and event taught him how to sail. Ever since Michael showed up at the Lansing Sailing Club he has always been very involved with the happenings around the club. Michael does a little bit of everything, ranging from teaching and coaching, to keeping the club looking its best.
Support Crew
The LLHSS program wouldn’t be where it is today without our amazing support crew!
Deann Falkowski has been sailing since she met her husband, Adam, in college. She has been on boats ever since. Deann plays an integral role in the program, serving as equipment manager and administrator. She helps makes things happen behind the scenes, ensuring the team is ready to go and the home regattas hosted by Lansing Youth Sailing run smoothly. When she is not working on getting the boats fixed up or organizing a regatta, she enjoys sewing and playing the piano.
