Any Laguna Beach surfing parent will tell you – if you want to have your kid learn how to surf, you take him or her to “Professor Sli Dawg’s Surf School, which takes place on the beach and in the waters of Thalia Street Beach.
That’s right. Pro surfer Steven Chew and right-hand staffer Nicole Naughton (aka: Nicolian Dynamite) head up an all-star cast of professional surf instructors to teach even the most timid child how to effectively conquer the ol’ toes-on-the-nose.
Named O.C. Weekly’s “Surf Coach of the Year,” Steven “Sli Dawg” just has a way with kids. He eases kids through the oft-intimidating thought of surfing with fun, progressive wave riding exercises (first on the beach) and helps them get their first start with Softsurfboards for better safety and easy ridability.
Although every child finds a way to master basic and advanced surf skills in just four days, they learn much greater lessons from Professor Sli and friends on safety tips, surfing etiquette, ocean awareness and even their part in ocean preservation and coastal biology with guest teachers from the Surfrider Foundation. The world’s top professional skimboarders also drop in to help Sli Dawg’s brood with safety tips and beginner lessons on body surfing and skimboarding. And, when Sli’s pro surfer buddies show up unannounced for a teaching session, kids are in for a great and memorable show.
On Fridays (the last day of camp), it’s a pizza party with surf movies and prizes. Seriously, after years of putting the safest, most fun surf camp together, Sli Dawg deserves a prize of his own.