By Elizabeth Goldman
Social Media Manager
Being one of the fastest growing sports in the world, surfing has become significantly more popular among teenagers and late-elementary to middle school-aged kids. This summer especially, many kids and teens sought surfing lessons, creating the perfect climate for senior and Costa varsity surf team member Ethan Mibu to start giving private and group surf lessons to children.
Mibu learned to surf with his dad and brother when he was around seven or eight years old but started surfing regularly in seventh grade when he and his friends were able to join surf P.E. at Manhattan Beach Middle School.
“I used to surf a lot [in Hawaii] but not back at home,” Mibu said. “I feel like I got to the age where it was kind of a social thing. A lot of my friends started surfing, and we all kind of just began together.”
Like many student-athletes, surfing is a safe space for Mibu to relax and forget about the sources of stress in his life, whether it is a final exam or college applications. According to Mibu, when he is in the water, he is able to relax and only focus on surfing.
“[Surfing] is like a therapeutic form of escape from school and just life in general,” Mibu said. “When I am out in the waves, everything just melts away, and the only thing on my mind is riding that next wave. [Surfing] is a great thing to ease the mind.”
For the past few summers, Mibu has worked with foundations, such as the Jimmy Miller Memorial Foundation and Camp Surf, where he helped teach kids how to surf. These opportunities have given him plenty of experience in surf instruction. This past summer, he decided to incorporate those skills into a profitable business, giving middle school aged-kids private surf lessons and starting a camp of his own.
“From my experience with organizations like the Jimmy Miller Memorial Foundation and Camp Surf, I feel like I’ve built up a natural understanding of surf instruction, and this past summer I posted an ad on Nextdoor,” Mibu said. “Parents began reaching out to me for private surf lessons until I couldn’t fit anymore into my schedule.”
Mibu teaches lessons to kids from fifth to ninth grade. He and Costa graduate Kelly Martin also started a summer camp with eight instructors from the Costa surf team, which taught approximately 30 kids in total.
“The sense of growth I can see when I’m teaching these kids [is rewarding] because a lot of them start from a beginner level,” Mibu said. “[They] learn very quickly, [and] it’s great to see that my instruction is helping them. It’s great to see them really happy when they are getting waves and helping others get to that sense of fulfillment from surfing.”
Surfing is highly dependent on the day’s conditions such as weather or waves, so it can become frustrating for beginners. However, according to Mibu, the ups and downs are all a part of the sport, and the occasional low points just make the high points even more exciting.
“Surfing is very dependent on the conditions and the waves. Everybody has their off-days, especially in this sport; I have my off days all the time,” Mibu said. “I would just say keep at it. It’s very easy to get frustrated and give up. There’s this moment where it just clicks and everything you do makes sense, and you get a great ride and it is all worth it.”
Mibu advises that if one wants to take up surfing, it is beneficial to get in contact with someone more experienced, pick a mellow day, use a longboard or Wavestorm, and just go for it. He believes that repetition and practice is the keys to success.
“[Surfing] is a great summer activity,” Mibu said. “If you find yourself at the beach and you have access to a board in the summer, give it a try. It’s not going to hurt, and you could discover something really great.”
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