Surf School Controversy
 

Selecting The Right Surf School...

 

When you decide to take surf lessons it is important to find an instructor who you feel comfortable with and one who you have confidence in so that you will have an enjoyable experience. 

You have to realize that everyone wants to surf right now!  Most people do not understand the difficultly of surfing and they think they can learn in two weeks.  Unfortunately, there are surf schools out there that take advantage of this situation.  They know that if they explained the reality of learning to surf, they would get fewer students and make less money.  So as a result many people now enter surfing through a surf school without getting the proper information that is absolutely vital to their safety and future development. Simply put you can not teach someone to surf in a couple of hours or a couple of weeks.  In surfing, there are no short cuts.  If you want to become a real surfer then there are  skills and rules to learn and it takes time and effort.  It is important that the surf school/instructor you select teach you properly.
 

Is There National Certification for Surfing?

As of 2008, there is no definitive national certification for surfing, but there are various respected surf organizations that will certify someone as "safe" by industry standards.  It is up to you to make sure that the instructor you select has proper insurance and certification.

What is NSSIA?

The National Surf Schools and Instructors Association (NSSIA) is a USA based non-profit organization, dedicated to fostering surf etiquette, water safety, and quality surfing education programs. As of 2008, it is the IRS recognized surf school industry association for the US.  It is officially the accreditation and certification body for surf schools in the US, Costa Rica, Eastern Canada, municipalities in Puerto Rico, and by the Baja Surf Instructors Association.