Want to spend your summer learning how to better ride the waves and have fun at the same time? Look no further than La Jolla’s own Menehune Surf Camp.
Founded and owned by Darren Fulhorst, the camp opened this week (June 16) and runs through late August.
“We run our surf camps for 11 weeks throughout the summer in weeklong increments,” assistant office director Melissa Myers said. “The first week of camp started on June 16 and runs through June 20. The last week of camp is August 25 to 29. We have three different age groups: Super Groms are for 5- to 7-year-olds, Menehunes are for 8- to 12-year-olds and Teens are for 13- to 17-year-olds. People can register all summer long, but spots fill-up fast, so the sooner the better.”
Myers said the summer camps have been running for seven years.
“We have a lot of participants who are local children, but there are many kids attending who are visiting their families,” Myers said. “We also get many people who are on vacation and want to have their children attend a surf camp. We accept kids from anywhere. Quite often we get participants from all around the globe.”
Myers noted that the goal of the camps is to educate and inspire while sharing a passion for surfing and love of the ocean.
“We intend to provide children with the opportunity to learn in a safe, positive and encouraging environment,” Myers said. “We focus on teaching children, families and friends about the art and discipline of surfing while helping them connect with themselves, their peers and the ocean."
Asked how they combine learning and fun for the kids, Myers said the smaller group sizes, of no more than eight students, enable instructors to create learning environments in which kids receive more personalized attention, feel comfortable and have fun while mastering the art of surfing.
“Our instructors integrate games into their lessons to keep kids focused and motivated. Our instructors tailor their lesson styles based on the groups age in order to help them understand on their level. Surfing, in general, is a fun activity that most everyone has fun participating in,” Myers said.
All the primary instructors are San Diego schoolteachers. All are CPR-, first aid- and lifeguard-certified and all go through an intensive three-week training process.
Last year Menehune had about 1,100 participants throughout the summer. Based on the trend throughout the years, the camp has increased its numbers every year.
“We definitely expect to increase our numbers this year as well,” Myers said. “We give all our prices up front, there are no hidden fees.”
For more information, visit www.menehunesurf.com or call (858) 663-7299.
(Ed.’s note: If you have a summer sports camp in the La Jolla or University City area, please contact Dave Thomas, [email protected].)