#InTheLoop | Surf Therapy on July 10; Other Surf Programs Year-Round – QEDC

#InTheLoop | Surf Therapy on July 10; Other Surf Programs Year-Round

BY QEDC It's In Queens

AmpSurf facilitates surf therapy and other outdoor activities for people with disabilities. The nonprofit has four chapters in the United States, including one off Beach 67th Street in Rockaway which will host a free clinic on Saturday, Aug. 28, starting at 8 am. It’s also one of many high-quality Queens surf schools that are described in this article.

First, the upcoming free clinic. A certified instructor and at least one water assistant will work with each participant, and AmpSurf provides equipment, gear, and beach-access wheelchairs. (Amputees, those on the Autism spectrum, and veterans with PTSD are among the diverse group of students.) The program, which mixes dry land and in-water instruction, runs from 8 am to lunch at noon. Click here for information about AmpSurf clinics in August.

Other Academies

Rockaway gets some of the Eastern Seaboard’s best waves, so it follows that the peninsula is home to a joyous surf culture with some great schools. Here’s a primer.

Skudin
Will Skudin was the first East Coast dude nominated for a World Surf League Big Wave Award for best performance. He rode one of the biggest and most critical waves ever off Portugal’s coast. His brother, Cliff, saved three drowning teenagers off Long Island’s Long Beach over Memorial Day Weekend 2012. He reportedly paddled a surfboard into the water to grab one boy about 50 yards from shore and then got the other two about 100 yards out. The Skudin brothers teach the trade off Beach 67th Street in Rockaway as well as Long Beach and Puerto Rico.

Conatus
Conatus founder and lead instructor Dion Mattison was born on a sailboat. He started surfing at age one and later competed professionally. His philosophy is to teach about the ocean and sand, and his initial classes focus on basics like paddling and maneuvering. He also runs a clubhouse/hotel/co-work facility on 68th Street.

Locals
Rockaway natives Mike Reinhardt and Mike Kololyan are best buddies. They’re also lifelong surfers and skateboarders who teach both sports at Locals, which they founded in 2011. They can also be hired for contests, festivals, and parties. Check them out on the sand off Beach 69th Street.

New York
Frank Cullen offers the standard programs — private and group lessons, camp, etc. — but he also organizes singles and women-only classes off Beach 69th Street.