The Wave Warriors Learn to Surf Programme takes place from late spring through until early autumn each year.
We take our purpose built trailer full of boards and wetsuits around the coastline of New Zealand visiting schools and teaching youngsters to surf.
The programme provides school-age children from year 5 to year 8 the opportunity to experience surfing in a fun and safe environment. Students get a taste of riding their first wave whilst finding out more about the sport, learning life-long beach and water safety skills as well as meeting local surf schools and boardrider clubs.
The programme is supported by a number of organisations including Foundation North, New Zealand Community Trust, numerous Regional Sports Trusts, SunSmart and Water Safety New Zealand. All of our instructors are qualified to international safety standards and hold a Community Life Saving Award and First Aid Certificate.
The Wave Warriors programme has been delivered since 2012 with over 7,000 students from 200 schools taking part.
Target Audience
The programme caters to students from 9 – 13 years old from Primary and Intermediate Schools as well as Kura Kaupapa.
Lessons can cater for up to 50 students at a time with two sessions a day in school hours if necessary.
Objective
Participation – make surfing accessible to all schools by providing tuition, information and resources
Skill Development – quality, professional coaching at an early age will increase participants learning rate
Professional Instruction – provide schools access to qualified coaches and training programs/resources in their region
Collaborative relationships – building relationships between stakeholders to share resources, ideas and information and build a development pathway
Junior Surfer Log Book
Each participant attending the Wave Warriors Programme receives the Surfing New Zealand
Junior Surfer Programme logbook. This 28 page guide to surfing takes the novice surfer through
five levels of surfing ability and has useful information on the types of breaks in New Zealand as well as handy tips and safety advice.
Summary
The Wave Warriors Programme is a great opportunity to introduce surfing to school age
children in a fun and safe environment with their peers. Take a look at a video of the programme here
Check out our feature on The childrens tv show What NOW
See us in action
