Maxwell Plarr begins his eighth season as head coach of the Christopher Newport sailing team in 2019-20.
During his time with the squad, Plarr has helped the Captains continue to make great strides as a program. Under his guidance, CNU earned votes in the Sailing World Collegiate Rankings and have been perennial competitors in the America Trophy. In 2016, he helped lead Christopher Newport to a 15th place finish at the conference championships and the program's first-ever appearance at the College Sailing Women's National Semifinals. At the national regatta, CNU eventually finished 14th following the program's eighth-place showing at the MAISA Women's Spring Championship.
Just two years later, Plarr helped guide the team to another national championship appearance when Vir Menon became the first Captain to qualify for the ICSA Singlehanded National Championship. Menon sailed to a 13th-place finish at nationals in his junior campaign and he would repeat as a national qualifier in 2019 where he finished in the top-half of the event with an 8th place showing.
Before being appointed the head coach at Christopher Newport, Plarr was a head instructor of Gatling Pointe Yacht Club located in Smithfield, Virginia as well as a head instructor at Naval Station Norfolk Sailing Center. He was also a 420 racing coach at Hampton Yacht Club and an assistant coach at Christopher Newport University. In 2016, Plarr was selected by US Sailing to become an Instructor Trainer as well as a Level III Coach. In addition to his work as an instructor, he was elected as one of the two Mid-Atlantic Intercollegiate Sailing Association (MAISA) South Representatives to serve on the Executive Board of MAISA.
Before joining the professional ranks, Plarr attended Christopher Newport University for his undergraduate degree where he was a member of the sailing team coached by Dan Winters. During his career at CNU, he was the captain of the sailing team as well as a three-time varsity sailing MVP recipient. Successful in the classroom as well, he was selected to the USA South All-Academic team during all four years that he participated in sailing.
Plarr received his bachelor's degree in history from CNU and studied at Harris Manchester College, University of Oxford. He is also a published sailing historian, writing Yachting Diplomacy: Anglo-American Relations and the Creation of Nationalism through the America's Cup and Great Trans-Atlantic Ocean Races, 1851-1914. In addition to his published work, he also received the Ambassador Bill lane USA Gallery Fellowship through the Australian National Maritime Museum to continue his research.
During his spare time, Plarr enjoys sailing competitively out of Hampton Yacht Club, paddle boarding, fishing, surfing, and skiing.
