meet the team

Get to know us meet the team

From elite performance coaches to specialist adaptive surf instructors, our team are the most qualified watermen/women in the world.
And they're all lovely too!

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croyde bay
croyde bay

Introduction

We’re proud to say that our Surf South West instructors are some of the most qualified performance surf coaches in the world. We believe it’s important that most of our instructors are trained to achieve their Surfing England/ISA Level 2 Surfing Instructor qualification. This elite level of instruction ensures that you’ll receive the very best surf tuition in a safe, fun and professional environment.

In particular, we’d like to mention Karma Worthington who heads up our female instructor team. As a Surfing England performance coach, Karma leads our Girls On Waves Weekends and is an integral part of the Wave Wahines CIC female surf club based here at the school. Jack Patching and Andrew are important members of The Wave Project programmes which run from our school. They specialise in working with SEN and adaptive surfers to ensure the waves are accessible to all.

To find out more about each of our special Surf South West family, please scroll down and we’ll introduce ourselves in full.

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people at beach with surf board

Meet the team

Here we are, waiting to introduce you to your waves. We’ll support you throughout your surf experience and you’ll learn at your own pace. This is all about having fun and building confidence. So, let us introduce ourselves.

will

Will

Surf coach

lewis

Lewis

Surf coach

karma

Karma

Surf coach

john

John

Surf coach

jack

Jack

Surf coach

andrew

Andrew

Surf coach

andi

Andi

Surf coach

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man with surf board

Get surfing

Try our award-winning surf lessons now. From beginner to intermediate, we have something for everyone. SEN and adaptive lessons included.

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get coasteering

Get coasteering

Explore the foreshore by cliff jumping, gully swimming, cave exploring, sea level traversing and rock climbing. One for all the family!

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man surfing

Get qualified

As a Training Centre of Excellence we’re proud to offer internationally recognised qualifications in surf coaching and beach lifeguarding.

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get up to date

"Surfers will find plenty of action on the North Devon coast – especially around Croyde, with its world-class waves and rugged coastline."

The Independent

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wave project

The Wave Project

Since 2014 we’ve partnered with a Cornwall based charity called, ‘The Wave Project’. This is an organisation that has proven that introducing people to the experience of surfing can improve self-esteem, with added health and well-being benefits. Put simply, it’s Surf Therapy. We now run sessions for the Wave Project in Devon and participants on these free sessions are referred from professionals working with vulnerable children and young people. These referrals may come from the NHS social services, mental health services, GPs, family support services, counsellors and children’s charities.

In addition, for the last few years we’ve been working intensively with the Wave Project’s Adaptive Lead, Ian Bennett. We have now become a Centre of Adaptive Surfing for the South West and this amazing sport has now become an important part of our offering which we are keen to see grow.

Wave Project sessions are delivered by a mix of our qualified instructors and volunteer surf mentors who work in partnership with us.

For more information on the Wave Project visit their website here: waveproject.co.uk

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people at wave project
surf background
girl on surf board

Wave Wahines CIC

Wave Wahines CIC, is one of the community projects that we are proud to support hear at Surf South West.  It  was set up by local surfer Yvette Curtis six years ago in order to empower and increase self confidence in girls and women through the sport of surfing. It’s a project that breaks downs barriers and female stereotypes; tackles cultural inequalities heads-on and supports diversity and equality in surfing for women of all ethnicities. Wave Wahines popularity has sky rocketed in recent years and it is now having far-reaching, positive effects on many women's lives.

All Wave Wahines weekly surf sessions are based at the club with Surf South West instructor Karma Worthington heading up the surf tuition. In recent years, the club has even hosted visits from young girls from war torn Syria, some of whom had never been into the sea, let alone surfed it. Can you imagine the excitement?

“The team at Surf South West have been fantastic. From the very beginning they’ve believed in what I was trying to create and they have fully supported me. Our relationship has grown and grown over the past years. Wave Wahines wouldn’t be what it is today had it not been for Surf South West and their fabulous team. I truly owe them so much.”

Yvette, Wave Wahines CIC
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