According to the more seasoned volunteers, sometimes these things work and sometimes they don’t. Students don’t show for one reason or another and the instructors are left with a whole lot of good intentions, but no one to share them with. Today, however, our ALL girls surf class was a huge success. In a town of 1000, we had 13 girls, 2 little brothers and a mom show for our California Surfing in Lobitos, ALL Girls Surf Class! … the first one of its kind.
From the moment that I got off the plane in Lobitos, last week, we’ve been developing the idea for this class. Brenden, one of the lead volunteers, who picked me up from the airport in a moto taxi, a three wheeled scooter with a bench in back to sit on, pitched it to me on the 25 minute ride back to the beach along a mostly unpaved dirt road. “I’m so glad you are here. We really need a girl surf instructor. The idea is to empower the young ladies of this town and we think an ALL girls surf class with a really cool female surf instructor, who has come all the way from California, is exactly the way to do it.” I was totally on board, mostly because I got to be the really cool surf instructor. Little did I know how rewarding this experience would be.
Over the course of last week we’ve plotted and planned how to promote the class and attract participants. When they put me in charge of the advertising campaign, I was elated. I promote other people’s businesses for a living, so promoting a class for something that I am totally passionate about sounded fantastic. Monday, I went to the school to make announcements to each class with potential participants, 6 classes in total. Girls 8 to 16 wanted to participate in an awesome 2 days of Girls Only surfing. We purchased time on the megaphone that is driven around town to make announcements. I created a flyer with a picture of a girl surf instructor surfing a wave, the time, the place and the day, and we had a meeting with the most popular 13 year old surfer girl in town to help spread the word and attract participants.
Today was the day and with 1 minute left before go time, we peeked outside the Waves for Development House and sure enough, 4 young ladies were approaching. 10 minutes later 4 more, then 5 more sauntered up the road. We were 13 in total. It was awesome! In a few moments the house was full of girls giggling, picking out wetsuits, and trying them on. It’s always awkward the first time you put on a wetsuit. A few were put on backwards, but we turned things right side out and all went well. We were pushing and pulling and adjusting, everyone helping one another. It was impressive to see the sense of friendship and care the girls showed toward each other.
After about an hour of squeezing and stretching into their wetsuits, half of the girls had little beads of sweat on their cheeks. It’s so hot in the wetsuit, they said in Spanish. So, the 4 instructors, and 13 girls dawned in brand new rash guards donated by ZJ Boarding House in Santa Monica along with other gear and leashes donated from Rider Shack Surf and Skate in Culver City, CA, we set out for the beach. Two blocks, down the hill, we picked a nice spot of flat dry sand to get ready. We jogged, stretched, practiced our pop ups on the boards, talked safety, picked partners, and finally hit the water. Of the 13 only 1 or 2 could swim. But they were brave. A couple girls went right out on the boards with an instructor. The rest of us kept to a bit more shallow water and had a swim lesson. Before long, all of them were standing on the boards, taking the white wash, getting low and pretending to get tubed.
It was amazing. The smiles, the laughter, the friendship, and the courage these girls showed us, was more than worth the journey. And tomorrow, we’ll do it again.
I can’t wait!!!
Casey
