I still am wearing the hemp ankle bracelet that one of my pods made for me last summer! A small hemp piece of jewelry that floods me with memories every time I look down or tie my shoe. “What is a pod?” you may ask. Well, a pod is the 3:1 ratio that Surf Camp has for all of its camps! On the first day of camp, the campers are broken down into groups of three, and one instructor works with each pod for the week. This ensures that each camper gets personalized surfing instruction. Also, the instructor gets the incredible job of coaching and watching each camper’s ability transform throughout the week!

One of my absolute favorite parts of my job at Surf Camp is meeting my pods! Each week in the summer, I get to meet a different group of three surfers who are stoked to learn my favorite sport in the whole world! I get incredibly close with each of my pods, and we spend a week getting to know each other. What’s better than learning about someone while catching wave after wave and being in the ocean? Your pod-members become a small family, and cheer each other on no matter what! I also like to have my pods name themselves. This promotes teambuilding, and also helps me remember who was in my pods months later. The Hammerheads were my first pod, and I’ve coached The Sharks, Charlie’s Angels, Kelly Slaters, etc. You can get really creative with your pod name, as you can see! Although, I must say, yelling “Go Sharks!” one morning on the beach had a lot of bystanders looking curiously at me and my pod! Of course, all of our Surf Campers know that sharks are nothing to be afraid of at our camps!

Watching my pods transform into talented surfers throughout the week is an indescribable experience. I am with them when they catch their first wave, and the feeling is electrifying for all of us. The smile on someone’s face and excitement they feel after they catch their first wave is amazing. If you haven’t experienced this, you’re truly missing out and you should sign up for one of our camps and get in the water with us! J Our pods then continue to practice pop-ups and work on basic surfing skills together. As the week progresses, the campers learn even more advanced techniques. I have seen people who were afraid of the ocean on the first day of camp turn into fearless and talented surfers by the last day. I have also had the joy of seeing shy and unmotivated individuals embrace this “sport of kings” and come completely out of their shell. Surfing is truly a magical experience!

Lastly, if you are wondering which of my pods made me my ankle bracelet, it was my Charlie’s Angels pod. A talented group of teenage girls who had a blast at one of our Wrightsville Beach Teen Overnight Camps, and shared with all of Surf Camp the art of hemp jewelry making! Each pod is special at Surf Camp, and all of the instructors love getting to know their campers. So, sign up for one of our camps and come be part of a pod, and experience the greatest sport in the entire world! J

-Julie

     The weather was getting warmer, I only had a couple more weeks left of school, and I was stuck inside at my current job. I love the outdoors, especially the beach, and here I was spending the majority of my time indoors. I knew I needed a change and suddenly, I remembered one of my friends had worked for WB Surf Camp one summer and had a great time. I couldn’t believe I hadn’t thought of applying to Surf Camp earlier. I sent over my resume and required applicant information, got called for an interview and received the position of Surf Instructor! I was beyond excited (and a little nervous because there was A LOT of training involved).

    I showed up at the first day of training unsure of what to expect, but was pleasantly surprised when I found out how nice all of the other instructors were.  Everyone hit it off instantly. Half of our training was spent indoors and the other half was spent at the beach where we gained valuable lifeguard training techniques and participated in team building activities. By the final day of training, it felt like I had known the other instructors for much longer than a week.  We were all having a great time and couldn’t wait to start working together.

    The first camp that I was scheduled to work was a Wrightsville Beach Kids Surf Camp, and I was both excited and nervous when I showed up on the first day. I was so excited to get to share my love of surfing with the campers, but was also a little nervous just because it was a new experience for me. Luckily, Rick, the founder of Surf Camp, was there to put everyone at ease and make sure that both campers and instructors were having a great time. That first week of camp turned out to be such a rewarding experience because of how much the kids got out of it. They would come back each morning that week, stoked to get back on their boards and start a full day of surfing again. I will never forget that first week of Surf Camp.  It was the first time I was able to help someone who had never surfed before experience how great surfing can be. It was almost as if I was catching my first wave all over again.

    That first week of camp really set the tone for the rest of the summer as it was equally as fun and rewarding. I never imagined that I could have a job that allowed me to work with my friends, meet people from all over the world, spend my days in the warm ocean water, and help others catch that first magical wave on a surfboard. This past summer was by far the best summer I have ever had here in Wilmington and I consider myself lucky that I got to be a part of the Surf Camp Team. Summer 2009 is right around the corner……..I hope to see you in the water!

-Jess