Surfing Activities:

• Carrying the softboard
• Navigating the surf zone
• Paddling the softboard
• Take-off techniques
• Surfing “down the line.”
• Safe dismount

ESSENTIAL SKILL

1: CARRYING THE SOFTBOARD

The coach must teach the students to:

• Pick up the softboard and find the center balance
• Wrap the leash around the softboard to avoid dragging it behind you
• Carry the softboard efficiently and safely
• Point the nose of the softboard into the wind
• Assist each other in the “double board carry” method

ESSENTIAL SKILL

2: NAVIGATING THE SURF ZONE

Before entering the surf zone, the coach must teach the students to put the leash on the correct foot, secure the velcro with a tight but comfortable fit, and have the cord positioned at the back of the ankle.
The coach must explain and demonstrate the correct methods of pointing the nose into the waves, popping the nose of the softboard over the waves, and maneuvering the softboard through the surf zone.
Surfers can attempt to push the softboard with their hands on either rail at the middle of the softboard to waist-deep water, turn around, and catch small suitable whitewater waves.
The surfer can also try holding the nose of the softboard and navigating their way through the small whitewater waves.

ESSENTIAL SKILL

3: PADDLING THE SOFTBOARD

The coach must teach the students to:

• Paddle the softboard efficiently with good control techniques, balance, and tempo
• Lift your chest off the board, keep your head up, and observe what is happening around you
• Keep your hands cupped, fingers together, and paddle with alternating strokes with the elbow slightly bent

ESSENTIAL SKILL

4: TAKE-OFF TECHNIQUES

The coach will demonstrate three “take-off” techniques to help surfers consistently move from a prone position to their preferred surfing stance.

Coaching Tips

• Paddle with powerful, steady strokes
• Peek over your shoulder to spot the wave
• As the board moves forward and the tail of the softboard lifts up, surf the softboard in the prone position or try one of the three take-off techniques.

TAKE-OFF TECHNIQUE A: SLIDE YOUR KNEES

The surfer must:

• Slide both knees forward and onto the softboard
• Bring your front foot forward in between your hands
• Stand up

TAKE-OFF TECHNIQUE B: SLIDE YOUR BACK FOOT

The surfer must:

• Slide your back foot forward onto the softboard just in front of the tail pad
• Lift your upper body off your softboard
• Bring your front foot forward and stand up.

TAKE-OFF TECHNIQUE C: “POP-UP”

The surfer must:

• Use your hands and knees to help you jump up (pop-up) from your softboard
• Move your feet under your body
• Land on your softboard with your feet apart and balance your body.

ESSENTIAL SKILL

5: SURFING “DOWN THE LINE”

Once the participant can competently stand and ride the whitewater wave straight to the beach, the coach can teach the surfer to:

• Paddle at a slight angle toward the beach
• Angle the softboard across the wall of the wave and use a “take-off” technique
• Focus on the direction you want to go by turning your head, pointing with your leading arm, and twisting your hips toward the wave
• Stand with your knees bent and a straight back
• Support your body weight over your front foot and spread your arms for balance

ESSENTIAL SKILL

6: SAFE DISMOUNTS

The coach must prevent participants from surfing whitewater waves onto the beach and riding the fins into the sand.

The coach must teach:

A: Dismount the softboard from the prone position

• Control the softboard with a firm grip of your hands on the rails
• Slide your hips off the softboard
• Bring your knees to your chest
• Stop the forward movement of the softboard

B: Dismount the softboard from the standing position

• Slow your forward movement by placing weight on your back foot
• Step off to the side of your softboard
• If possible, grab the tail of your softboard
• Bring your knees to your chest
• Drag your feet in the sand to act like a break
• Stop the forward movement of the softboard

Wipeouts

The coach must teach participants to fall off the softboard safely by demonstrating this skill on the beach and reinforcing these skills during the surf lesson.

Coaching Tips:

• Fall away from your softboard
• Fall flat (like a starfish) on the surface of the water and try to avoid touching the sand
• Put both your arms and hands out in front of you when falling forward
• Cover your head with your arms

Swimming Activities:

• Safely entering and exiting the water
• Standing and navigating through whitewater waves
• Diving over or under whitewater waves
• Bodysurfing waist-deep waves
• Fall flat (like a starfish) on the surface of the water and try to avoid touching the sand
• Put both your arms and hands out in front of you when falling forward
• Cover your head with your arms
• Treading water and floating
• Rip Current Survival Plan
• Surf Swim

Wading

West Bay Nippers learn how to:

• Move efficiently through the water by lifting their legs up and over the shallow surf
• Use less energy through shallow sections of the water

Coaching Tips:

• Lift your knee out of the water and to the side of your body, so your thigh is parallel to the water
• Swing your leg around
• When your leg comes around to the front of your body, extend your foot out and leap forward
• Put the front of your foot onto the sandbank
• Repeat this motion with the other leg while moving forward as fast as possible
• Bend your arms at the elbow and swing them parallel to the water in circular motions to the opposite leg