New Teen Surf Team Started at Imperial Beach Charter School

A new surf team has emerged at Imperial Beach Charter School, according to head coach Matthew Lord.

Lord has spent more than 30 years surfing local waves and started the team with help and support from Mar Vista High School surf team coach Terri Johnson.

The team of about 20 middle school-aged surfers held their first practices in the beginning of October and finished third overall in their first ever competition Sunday on the south side of the Oceanside Pier, Lord said.

"We have a fair amount of kids that are beginners but we also have some kids that are a bit more advanced so they're the ones competing," he said.

Standout performances on 3-4 foot, glassy waves Sunday:

• Dakotah Hooker 1st Place in Boys Shortboard and 2nd Place in Longboard
• Paul Kincaid, 2nd Place in Bodyboard
• Diego Lazarraga, 4th Place in Bodyboard
• Maxine Scharr, 6th Place in Girls Shortboard

Sadly, almost all members of the team were unable to compete in the 4th Annual Katy's Endless Summer Classic Surf Contest that took place at the same time in Imperial Beach.

The IB team faces off against other 6th, 7th and 8th grade students from Encinitas, Cardiff and other parts of coastal San Diego. Practices are held twice a week through March for the six-contest season. The team will next compete Dec. 23 at La Jolla Shores. 

There is limited space for surfers in contests in Shortboard, Longboard and Bodyboard categories so every member of the team doesn't compete, but practices held twice a week help young surfers learn the basics and give the opportunity to advance, Lord said. 

"With surfing its like repetition so the more you learn the more you get," he said. "Yeah it's good for them because there's a lot of kids on the team that are interested in surfing and bodyboarding but their parents aren't into it so they don't get as many opportunities to try. So they can show up and get opportunities to learn."

Middle school-aged students still interested in joining the team may download forms from the Scholastic Surf Series website.