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How to Choose a Surf School for your Child?

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Surf schools are a dime a dozen these days. They have sprung up at every local beach and pocked most of the world’s premier breaks. From California to Costa Rica; Portugal to Peru; Surf schools are everywhere. But how do you know the fly-by-night operations just making a quick buck from quality businesses that will teach you how to surf?

Being little busy students, children should find an interesting hobby to have a rest and calm down. Even though many students use essay writer services to get assistance and improve grades, they still need something for mental and physical development. 

First of all, surf schools fall into several categories (and some do it all):

  • Surf schools always offer surf instruction, but some may also offer guided surfing tours.
  • Also, schools offer daily services or overnight stays.

Here are a few things to consider when choosing a surf school for yourself or your child.

Experience

The hard truth is that a business that has been around a while has not only learned how to treat its customers well and give them what they want but also how to keep them safe. So once you start looking for a school, choose one that has been around for a few years. Often, a local camp will be affiliated with a local surf shop or another establishment. These sorts of operations have the resources for better equipment and pay for more skilled staff.

Remember, just because a surfer can rip, it doesn’t mean he/she can teach. Therefore, if you are looking for instruction, ask around if the camp is local or log on to Trip Advisor and look for brutally honest reviews. Don’t fall for contest records of insane photos of instructors. Instead, look for credentials like time spent teaching.

Sometimes, even real school teaching experience or time spent working with kids in other areas shows that the instructors understand kids and how they learn.

Safety

Even on small days, the ocean can turn dangerous in an instant, so it stands to reason that you should look for criteria like instructors with CPR training and life-saving experience. Life guards often make for great instructors because they can teach safety techniques along with surfing skills.

Some of the most overlooked concepts of learning to surf are those concerned with safety. How to respond to rip currents or hold downs; what to do if you are cut, bitten, or stung; what to do if another surfer is in trouble are all concerns that need to be addressed before you even paddle out for the first time. Therefore, safety is a top priority (especially if you are dropping your kid off for a few hours).

Further, look for life-saving equipment like life preservers and rescue boards. Some larger schools might even have a jet ski or boat for more serious situations.

Teacher to Student Ratio

It all matters what you are looking for. If you just want your kid to get outside and play with other kids, a group teaching model is perfect. The kids socialize and exercise while getting the feel for the waves. However, according to one of the best essay writing services reddit, if you want your kid to get essential rudiments of the sport with the intent to gain real skill, you want one-on-one teaching. You’ll pay more, but the possible pay-off is worth it. 

Caveat: no matter how good the teaching is or how great the school, a kid will only progress if he/she loves it. Passion trumps all other factors. If he/she isn’t feeling it or the experience is unpleasant, all the money and teaching in the world won’t do any good.

Equipment

In addition to the safety equipment mentioned above, you should also look at the basic wave riding gear available. Soft boards are essential to the learning process, especially in group lessons since the possibility of flying, spinning, or controlling surfboards is real. Traditional surfboards are sharp, hard, and dangerous in inexperienced hands, so soft boards with bendable fins make for a much nicer learning experience for everyone involved.

Lastly, look for a nod from the International Surfing Association (ISA). The ISA is recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and offers both classes and accreditation for instructors and schools. International surf schools registered with the ISA show “evidence of their commitment to the program… with established ISA credentials, international standards of “best practice” and excellence.”