Surf’s next wave
MEG Brewer, 10, was one of 60 young surf groms who hit the waves around Tasmania this weekend as part of a new Surfing Tasmania coaching program.
She is among a wave of young talent undertaking the entry-level pathway into surfing with basic coaching and encouragement.
MEG Brewer was one of 60 young surf groms who hit the waves around Tasmania this weekend as part of a new Surfing Tasmania statewide surf coaching program.
The 10-year-old from Broadmarsh got the surfing bug more than a year ago.
“She got a surfboard from Santa when she was nine and we went camping and surfing at Bicheno and she just loved it,” Meg’s mother Sharon Brewer said.
“The board was a little bit small for her so in September-October last year she bought herself a long foam board with her own pocket money.”
Brewer and other young surfers at Park Beach in Dodges Ferry, Scamander and Midway Beach on the North-West Coast this weekend participated in The Let’s Go Surfing Program, which provides basic coaching and encouragement from accredited surf coaches.
Surfing Tasmania executive officer Shayne Clark said surfing had become more popular in Tasmania.
“Junior numbers are strong at the two main surf beaches in the South, Clifton Beach and Carlton Park beach,” Mr Clark said.
“That’s where the population centres are. There are plenty of other surf beaches in Tasmania, but they are the two beaches where historically surfing started in Tasmania.”
Mr Clark said social media had helped generate interest in surfing, which will feature in the Olympic Games in Japan for the first time.
“There’s more exposure for surfing than ever before and the kids pick up on this through social media.
“Our Facebook page is the fifth most popular recreation sporting page in Tasmania.”
There are currently five surf schools and six board riding clubs in Tasmania.
The new surf coaching program is an entry-level pathway into surfing.
“It’s a taster session so if they like it they might sign up to the SurfGroms program and then they can take it further,” Mr Clark said.