University of Surfing
5 star rating
I have to admit I was
nervous about trying out surfing for the first time in the fog and freezing
cold water in Pacifica but it turned out to be a truly amazing experience! This
place was AWESOME! Here's what make University of Surfing so great:
1) Early start time (these guys start 30-45 minutes before all the other surf
schools in the area) which meant we had the best section of beach reserved for
our group.
2) Excellent participant/teacher ratio - we have 3 instructors for 5 people =
plenty of 1-on-1 coaching time and lots of opportunities to get practice with
just the coach and nobody else is the water around you (NOTE: all the other
schools there had dozens of people surfing in small spaces with the same number
of instructors - at least 7 or 8 to 1 ratio!)
3) Exceptional Coaches - Kevin was our lead instructor and his knowledge was second
to none - he actually took the time to teach us the fundamentals and he was
enthusiastic, funny and very patient - he didn't have the kind of ego you would
expect for a surfer of his experience and above all he was honest (I told him I
wanted to take a second lesson and he gave me things to practice before coming
back so I would get the most out of my money).
4) Everything was included - top notch gear all ready to go and all of very
high quality and in good shape
I went from never having touched a board to being able to get up and ride small
waves - I'm hooked! I will definitely come back for more lessons and I highly
recommend University of Surfing to anyone thinking about learning to surf!
I am so glad that I decided to try surfing, and I'm even gladder that I got a lesson my first time. The instructor has an insane amount of patience and positive attitude. This made more sense when I found out that he's also a middle school P.E. teacher. Wow. He has many years of experience, so I'm guessing he's good for non-beginners also. He brings the wetsuits and boards -- all you have to do is show up. Five stars, and I am surprised to find myself up for trying surfing again.
Ellie P
5 star rating
5/3/2008
I signed up for a 2-hour lesson with Matt and thoroughly enjoyed the session. Now keep in mind that surfing is probably one of the most difficult skills to learn ever, and so there's not ever going to be any two hours where you'll do more than just scratch the surface of the sport. With that in mind, Matt (and other schools like his) concentrates his teaching time on getting the student to ride at least a few times standing up on the board, which in my mind may not necessarily help build a solid foundation, but will definitely get the student stoked so that he'll want to continue learning. Kinda like learning to learn.
Matt makes it easy too, by getting you to do something, then adding something new on each successive run: First just get on the board at all, then ride prone, then ride in a push-up position, then try to stand up. All the while he'll go on at length about various topics like looking at the wave, knowing the etiquette, knowing the surf spots, a bunch of stuff that you probably won't really hear or understand until well into the second hour.
If there's a drawback to this method of "instant gratification" teaching to stand up right away, it's that you'll miss out on learning the importance of paddling and selecting/catching waves, both of which (I'm told) take much longer to learn and ultimately involve more skill. But then again, if I were made to spend two hours struggling to paddle a board out past that chop instead of just getting that "feel", I'd be pretty bummed.
Four and a half stars for the quality of instruction, plus an extra half star because Matt is a genuinely stand-up guy *rimshot*.
5 star rating
2/23/2009
I had taken an intro surf clinic with Adventure Out that lasted about 6 hours over 2 days. The surf clinic was crap...they took WAY too much time explaining things that really didn't matter and the instructors would often ditch us to go surf on their own. I felt jipped and didn't learn that much at all from them.
After surfing solo for about 8 months, I decided that I could really benefit from a private lesson. I found out about the University of Surfing from the City of Pacifica website. I set up a private lesson with Matt Cole this past weekend...it was a wonderful experience. I learned way more and surfed more with Matt in my 2 hour private lesson than I did at that Adventure Out clinic and my 8 months of solo surfing.
Matt is an excellent instructor...very patient, extremely knowledgeable, professional, and very easy to talk to. I am so glad I decided to take a class from him. I will definitely be taking follow-up private lessons from him. I highly recommend him to anyone who wants to learn to surf or even take their surfing to whole new level.
5 star rating
1/26/2009
The University of Surfing is a great way to learn the basics - or even the more advanced aspects - of surfing! My friend and I really wanted to get some time in the water and have professional guidance and instruction in a "hands on" environment. Our instructor, Matt Cole, was very attentive and professional, and he had a great sense of humor. He also did a great job of reading our skill level and instructing accordingly.
The instruction was both top notch and fun, the equipment was great, and we still remember what we were taught. Additionally, Matt took photos of us which he later sent to us via email or made available online.
Thanks to University of Surfing for a great experience!
Jonny L.
5 star rating
8/1/2007
Wifey and I tried our hand at surfing with Matt's help and we both had a truly great experience. By the time we left, we were both able to stand on our boards at least once. Just email him and he'll get back to you with all the details. The hardest part is getting your ass out of bed, and not being discouraged by the cold morning (water is inexplicably warmer).
Rosemary O.
Berkeley, CA
5 star rating
5/4/2008
I had NO boarding experience - no surfboard, skateboard, snowboard, NOTHING when I came to their group class. Matt, Matt and Keith were excellent at making sure everyone's questions were answered and that everyone knew what they were doing well before we got into the water. They were VERY mindful of the waves and the tide - which did start to get a little out of hand, and made absolute sure that we were all safe. I also appreciated that they were every inclusive - making sure that no one ever felt left out or abandoned or alone. They came prepared with all the gear you could need and they were super enthusiastic, happy, helpful dudes. I had a great time and I hope i can find the time and money to go back again and again, until I feel totally confident on my own - which shouldn't take too long with the experts at the University of Surfing behind me. and yeah, it WAS real damn cold!!!!!