Unleash your inner surfer

The Power of Surf Coaching and How It Helps Us

Growing up in post-apartheid South Africa, you were brought up to be tough. My dad was an amazing parent and loved us, but he was stern and strict. The schools we went to were strict, and we needed to have discipline and respect towards teachers, leaders, and elders; otherwise, we would face the consequences. The consequences were things such as detention after school or on weekends, weekly report cards by teachers sent to parents, and more.

Having all this in my childhood made me listen to authoritative teaching, correction, and guidelines. But, I did not like it! I did not like it when someone told me what to do or how to live my life. I wanted to make my own decisions and find my own way.

I started surfing at 13 and surfed with my friends, brother, and his friends. They all surfed better than me, and I tried surfing like them. I thought I did surf like them until one of my brother's friends told me I surf like a kook and with a ‘poo-man’ stance. I was so offended by what he said because I thought I surfed like Kelly Slater! His words stuck with me. Over the next season, I received more insults about my surfing, and I hated it.

There was one surfer who ripped by the name of Nick Pike who did not insult me but gave me surf tips and told me how to surf better, fix my stance, how to do a bottom turn, proper cutbacks, and more. We would surf together, and out of the kindness of his heart, he gave me feedback on how to progress. I loved his advice, and for the first time ever, I really enjoyed receiving correction and guidelines for my surfing to improve. I was hungry for it and took every word he said in!

When I was 15, my dad bought a video camera and filmed us surfing at least once or twice a week. This was amazing!! I could finally see how I surfed and try to find ways to surf better. The first few times seeing myself surf were embarrassing. It looked way worse than what it felt. But this made me more determined to put into practice what Nick had told me. When I moved to Jeffreys Bay, I started getting coached and trained by Graham Hynes. Hynsie was a legend and so filled with wisdom, experience, and passion!

I tried to get as much coaching as possible and as many videos as possible to become the best surfer I could become. I applied all that my coaches taught me and would constantly get videos of myself surfing and analyze them. I started seeing and feeling progress, and this grew me as a surfer, a coach, and grew my self-confidence knowing that over time, my goals can be reached.

I felt like my inner surfer was being unlocked, and I started doing things on a wave I only dreamed of doing. This was such a rewarding feeling. At the age of 19, I started giving free surf lessons to help unlock and unleash the surfer in others. This is how I started my surf coaching career. Over the years, I helped develop and coach surfers to achieve their personal goals. Watching surfers reach for and achieve their goals is very rewarding both for them as surfers and for me as a surf coach.

Do you feel your inner surfer has been unleashed? Have you reached your goals? We all know as surfers that it takes time to unleash the surfer we want to be and to achieve our goals. One of the most important things I realized for us as surfers to have is patience. Patience helps us through the process to get to our destination. On the way, we need to make sure we have our goals in place and the building blocks and steps to get there. It just takes one step at a time, and before you know it, you have progressed and become the surfer you want to be.

Consistency is key! I am sure you have heard this before. Even more so in surfing, as we know that surfing has a completely different playing field than any other sport. I found that for me to progress, it was important to surf as much as possible and to surf when the waves were small and bad. On top of that, doing surf-specific training such as stretching, mobility, strength and cardio training, and working on my physical and mental health was just as important.

Now, it's your turn. Reflect on your surfing journey. Are you putting in the consistent effort needed to see real progress? Are you embracing the patience required to refine your skills and reach your goals?

Whether you're just starting out or looking to take your surfing to the next level, remember that every great surfer started where you are now. The key is to stay committed, seek out guidance, and never stop learning.

I invite you to join me on this journey of growth and discovery. Follow my Instagram @shannonainslie for daily tips, insights, and inspiration. Visit my website www.surfcoach.no for more resources and to book a session with me. Let's unlock your full potential together and ride the waves of progress and transformation.

Keep pushing, keep improving, and most importantly, keep enjoying the ride. See you in the water!