When a child takes a fall, the first thing they do is look to an adult to gauge their reaction.
If the adult responds with a worried look, going in for the comfort hug, the kid nine times out of ten will take that as a sign to burst into tears and get upset.
On the other hand, just as we have seen time and time again at Skyla’s Surf Camps, when a kid gets hit by a wave or falls off their board and turns to the instructor to gauge a response, Skyla’s has always taken the approach of cheering, congratulating and praising the wipeout.
This approach stops the kid from crying and maintains their confidence knowing that it’s okay to fall, it’s okay to stuff up, and it’s okay to get thrown about by the waves, which is all part of surfing.
The world surfing industry, as well as the surf community of Phuket, recognises safety as paramount and surf safety is taught especially when beginners are learning this awesome sport. In reality though, a surfer is going to get thrown about in the surf but this is all part of the fun.
On an elite surfing level, Billabong, one of the industry’s leading brands, gives awards to the biggest wipeouts of the year. Call us crazy but taking a wipeout from time to time keeps you humble and makes you respect the ocean properly.
It also shows that you are not scared to take the waves on, which in the surfing world would give you the nickname of a ‘charger’.
Falling and getting smashed is all part of life, it’s how you react to this and move on that counts.
Tim’s Tip: When you start surfing bigger waves always go with someone more experienced.
Tim Campbell
