Surf America Launches Member Surf School Program

January 16, 2006 - Surfing America, the National Governing Body (NGB) for Surfing in the United States, has established a set of minimum requirements in order to be deemed a Member Surf School. The goal of the Program is to recognize those Surf Schools who operate under the highest standards of professional conduct, teaching progressions and methodology, safety practices, and staff training.

“Launching the Surf School Endorsement Program is among our top initiatives for 2006,” said Mike Gerard, Executive Director of Surfing America. “There are so many of them out there now. And the public needs help to identify which schools are legitimate--offering a quality lesson product and meeting a high standard for safety. Membership in Surfing America is a recognition that is reserved for only the finest Surf Schools and for those that demonstrate their ability to be good neighbors in their communities, stewards of the ocean environment, and supportive of the Mission Statement of Surfing America."

Surf Schools accepted into the program will be officially recognized by Surfing America and will be included in the organization's marketing and support programs. Also, Member Surf Schools will be permitted to use the "Official Surf School of the USA Surf Team" designation and logo in their advertising and promotions.

As the program unfolds, consumers will be confident they're picking the right school program by reviewing brochures at their local surf shop and selecting the one with the USA Surf Team logo on it.

A key objective of the Member Surf School Program is to encourage increased participation and early development of lifelong surfers and future surfing champions, while establishing a feeder program for future competitors into Surfing America's Member Organizations: ESA, HASA, NSSA, TGSA, WSA, and BIA.

The first school enrolled in the Program is San Clemente’s Endless Summer Surf Camp. Camp Director and professional surfer Jason Senn has been running camps for nearly 15 years and feels a governing system must be in place in these over-saturated times.

"Surfing America is the perfect umbrella," said Senn. "There are so many fly-by-night operations popping up out there; it's a discredit to all of those who have worked to build solid programs. The government agencies that are issuing permits are catching on to their need to more closely scrutinize the operators. And Surfing America's endorsement program is just the stamp of approval that's needed to set the standard."

“Our mission at Endless Summer Surf Camp that of any quality Surf School: to provide a solid surf instruction program that includes a total immersion in the sport of surfing, its environment, history and culture," added Senn. "As a former United States Surf Team member, I encourage all students to aspire to reach their surfing goals--whether to stand up for the first time or to become a professional surfer. Surf Schools are an important part of the sport's growth and are logical feeders for Surfing America’s Member Organizations. We have hundreds of current and former students competing throughout the nation. In fact, Endless Summer Surf Camp has produced two recent USA Surf Team members: Marty Weinstein, who learned to surf with us at the age of 6, and Morgan Faulkner, one of TGSA’s best athletes.”

Source: Surfing America

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