I have taught probably 1,000 people to surf. I've taught every type of person from all over the world and I have to say that kids are better than adults with few exceptions.
Focus - This photo looks like a promotional shot from my surf school but was taken by my student Adam's mother. It did end up in a brochure but I think it was because of the looks on our faces. Adam is just about to pop into his stance and I'm caught in the act of saying, "Up!"
Not every kid is as focused as Adam here but I will say that kids have a lot of things that make them better surfers and students.
No Fear - For kids, this one is a no-brainer while adults have to think about their achy knees, their fear of large bodies of water, animals, and a myriad of other things. Kids usually just think about how fun it is.
Close to the Earth - Kids are so used to falling down that it's nothing to them. Sometimes you have to remind them not to inhale while going down but they otherwise have no problem hitting the ground. Adults, on the other hand, are so un-used to falling that it's something you have to give them permission to do. I actually teach them the mechanics of falling down so they don't get run over by their board.
Balance - Face it, people who are closer to the ground are better at this balance thing. Changing ocean? No problem. Try having three brothers and two sisters; you'ge going to get knocked to the ground a few dozen times a day. Here, my nephew takes in a brief moment without having to look out for siblings.
Mental power - It's a burden for adults. They just flat think too much. Kids, once you understand where they are developmentally, will always be able to turn coaching tips into actions. Adults are filtering your advice through so many levels it's not funny.
Wave Height - For kids, most waves are bigger than they are, for adults, a wave that's over your head can kill you. An over-head-high wave for a little one is probably breaking pretty gently and close to the shore. As they get bigger, kids actually outgrow the waves, giving them supreme confidence and more water time to deal with the really big ones.
Respect - Kids do need to learn respect for the ocean and that usually comes after one too many wipeouts. Getting rag-dolled through the drink is not so bad if there's an adult close by to pull you out of it. Adults simply weigh to much to lift our of the water with one hand so they have to respect the ocean sooner. Kids might get themselves into trouble later in their surf careers because of this but, by the time a serious wipeout happens, they usually have a lot more skills to handle it.
Exceptions, adults - There are always exceptions. Here is my friend Phillip. Phillip is an IT professional which would normally mean he's too mental to get physical. But Phillip has been playing soccer for 20+ years and has some of the best ballance I've ever encountered. Other adults who might be able to surpass their younger counterparts in a surf lesson include tennis players, swimmers and boxers. Boxers? Yes. Boxers are taught to shuffle their feet amd that helps them stay on a board while moving forward or backward while a kid will just pick up a foot... and fall over into the water.
Exceptions, kids - There are always going to be kids who are hard to teach. In my experience they are either unnaturally afraid of the water and sea creatures, not in good physical health or teenage qirls. Teen age girls have so much going on in their heads it's a wonder they even made it to the lesson.
First, they have to put up with learning something they loath by someone who is not as smart or cool as they are. Then they have to deal with all the things they're thinking about, not the least of which include: does the wetsuit make them look fat; do the cute surfers on the outside notice them (and will that be bad because they're totally bad at it); if the board matches the suit; the total grossness of seaweed; all the things they pretended to be too cool to hear; and will a real bad wipeout ruin their face, braces, confidence, etc.
Teenagers take an extra bit of patience because you need to gain their trust, make them feel comfortable and let them know that everyone else is pretty much focused on surfing more than anything that they might do to embarrass themselves. Some of my most rewarding lessons have been with teenage girls because once they get it, they learn fast. And watching them admit that you had something to teach them and made surfing fun it a great feeling.
Why teach? That's a good question. I teach because I want to share the power and beauty of the ocean and the waves that traveled thousands of miles to give us a ride. Teaching reminds me how wonderful people are and how fun surfing is. I strive to teach people to be good, considerate surfers who respect others and care deeply about the ocean.
If you haven't tried surfing you owe it to yourself to get a lesson from someone who loves surfing as much as I do. It will change your life.
Mahalo (love),
Kevin
