DEAR SURFERS – FALL 2021

Dear Surfers,

Things are rapidly changing in our beloved surfing universe.  And while these changes are positive, they come with a healthy dose of fear.  Can you relate?  Did you and your loved ones have to face fears to make progress on your personal surfing journey?

This year’s biggest change occurred on the world stage, when surfing made its debut at the 2021 Olympic games.  The popularity that has come with this spotlight is unprecedented, and it’s a bit scary to think just how many new people will be surfing before the 2024 games.  

Our olympic debut was a vision realized after over 100 years of dreaming.  At STS, we have long-celebrated our sport’s founding father, Duke Kahanamoku, the Hawaiian waterman who introduced surfing on Belmar’s beaches 102 years ago.  A gold-medal-olympian himself, Duke’s dream was that surfing would one day become an olympic sport.  Can you imagine the pride he would have felt when the anthems were played this summer on the beaches outside Tokyo, Japan?

Summertime’s vision today is to help manage the recent surge in surfing’s popularity by offering an authentic representation of this “sport of kings and queens” to the uninitiated.  While there are many ways in which our programs attempt to preserve what is special about surfing, one core value of surf culture remains self-evident:

To be a true surfer, you must embrace your fears and go out and surf for the love of surfing!  Sharing that love with family and friends is what makes you a part of the Summertime Community, and we thank you for your support of our mission.  See you out there!

With Aloha,

Shaun McGrath, Founder