“I want you to believe you’ve been doing this your whole life. You are an athlete. You can do this,” said Kainoa McGee, my Oahu surf and waterman coach, as he held my board to keep me from being swept away by the waves. I was 30 minutes into my first surf lesson at Waikiki Beach and the taste of sea water was starting to get overwhelming – my attempts to stand up on the board for the last half hour had me falling back into the ocean with every effort.
We’d only just met, but somehow McGee could tell I was the over-ambitious, judgmental, over-thinking type. As I rowed after (another) failed attempt, he told me “Get out of your head.” And he was right. My fear of falling off the board literally caused me to fall off the board. At that moment McGee felt like more than just a surf instructor and closer to a life coach they could easily be applied to so many areas of my life get out of my head.
Trying surfing for the first time
Before a family vacation at the end of summer in Hawaii, I had never surfed a day in my life. I also had never even dreamed of trying the sport until the trip was planned. There aren’t a ton of black surfers to look up to (at least none that I’ve heard of or seen before), so it was never an activity I saw myself doing. But I’ve always been drawn to new experiences and you can count on me for anything fitness related. I had my first chance in a week in Waikiki and became one with the water and the waves.
I’m not particularly o stronger swimmer. I know a few survival basics—I can tread water, dog paddle, and I can float on my back…so basically, I know how not to drown! But swimming “athletic” and efficient is not my strong suit. But I’m a six-time marathoner, personal trainer, running coach, indoor cycling instructor, and yoga practitioner—there has to be some transferable athletic skills, right?
Surfers look so cool, confident and strong. In my mind, I felt like I could repeat it.
My inexperience (and burgeoning confidence) with water sports didn’t stop me from the challenge. Surfers look so cool, confident and strong. In my mind, I felt like I could repeat it somehow. I’m a Virgin after all! Trying new things and learning to master them is kind of my thing. In addition, research shows that new experiences are good for our emotional health, according to UW Medicine. They can give us a shot of dopamine (those feel-good chemicals) and give us a sense of satisfaction. So I knew it would be hard — but I also knew that if I could pull it off, it would be worth it.
He surfs at the surf school
Anytime you want to try something scary for the first time, it’s best to set yourself up for success. So for surfing, the first step was finding the perfect place to take a lesson. On Oahu there are abundancebut finding the right fig was important to me: I’m a very hands-on learner, so I was looking for an instructor who would be patient with me and happy to answer the barrage of questions I knew I’d have. During my first day in Hawaii, I went for a run and ran past a bright, eye-catching yellow school bus labeled “surf school bus.” Yes, please. I wanted to know which surf school in Waikiki was going to take me back to the days of riding a yellow school bus (I loved the nostalgia!).
It turned out to be the Ohana Surf Project— an organization that prides itself on having a “family-oriented approach” and aims to improve the lives of others as well as the family. they sold me I booked a two-hour private lesson for the next day (my birthday) and packed the essentials: bathing suit, towel and a good attitude for a day of trying something new, with a very high chance of failure.
I arrived at the Ohana Surf Project homebase 15 minutes before the start of my lesson. I was given a long sleeve shirt to throw over my bikini and some water shoes to protect my feet from rocks and the reef on the ocean floor. A group of us sat down for a quick orientation and presentation on water safety. Turns out you don’t have to be a strong swimmer to surf (according to one of the instructors) and I was stoked. Things you need: balance, upper body strength and aloha posture. We then loaded onto the surf school bus to head to the beach.
The water at Waikiki Beach is so beautiful it looks fake. Crystal blue, white sand and gentle waves crashing into the Pacific Ocean…an absolute dream. I couldn’t wait to jump in. But first, it was time to meet the man who was going to make my surfing dreams come true.
Meet my coach, Kainoa McGee
After I got off the bus, they introduced me Kainoa McGee. Born and raised in Hawaii, McGee has been a surf instructor and competitor for over a decade. I could tell he knew what he was doing: McGee has look, like yes, this man can dominate some waves.
When he was assigned to me, another instructor leaned over and said, “You’re in good hands,” and my insane confidence felt a little stronger. McGee gave me a warm, friendly greeting and we moved to a shady spot on the grass before heading down to the water. The first thing we did was some exercises to activate the surfing muscles. Warming up? Now that’s something I know how to do! We did arm circles to wake up our arms and shoulders (necessary muscle groups for rowing) and leg curls to get the legs and core ready.
From there it was time to practice my surfing stance. I lay on the grass pretending there was a surfboard under me and McGee instructed me how to stand up. Of almost like a burpee, with a few modifications. Your arms stay close to your chest, tightening your core, then come up, parallel to the board, with your feet wide and knees slightly bent. On land, nail it! But could I reproduce it in water?
On land, nail it! But could I reproduce it in water?
McGee and I each took one end of a surfboard and carried it to the edge of the ocean. It was finally time to test myself — and the only options were to surf, swim or sink. I was buzzing with excitement and nerves. We went in and immediately crashed a wave. I didn’t even get a chance to relax in the water and feel the temperature, but I took that as a sign that it was time to dive in. It was a warm and sunny day. the water was cool and refreshing. I got on my surfboard and got into the water.
More lessons than just surfing
As expected, the first attempts to get up on the board were a complete failure. McGee gave me a lot of push when a wave came so I didn’t have to paddle too hard. Then I would try to do what we practiced on land – push up and bring my right foot to the front of the board, stand parallel and balanced. Easier said than done.
The water felt good, but I was determined to get up on that board. Thirty minutes into my lesson, as I returned to McGee for another try, he spoke the words I’ll never forget: You’re an athlete. You can do this. Get out of your head.
Get out of your head.
The next wave came rushing towards us and pushed me. The sound of water running under my board rang in my ears. I felt like I was floating. Then I heard McGee yell, “Up!” I carefully lifted my chest, swung my leg forward and stood up.
I surfed!
I was riding my first wave all the way. I could hear McGee and the trainers cheering me on. The feeling was exhilarating, and from that first wave until the end of my session, I was catching waves and getting names.
Impostor syndrome also hit me in waves
After my private lesson, I felt encouraged to continue practicing. Additionally, there were many surf shops that offered board rentals. I found the nearest shop on my Airbnb and went in with the intention of picking up a board for the day. Immediately felt the vibes away from. The two men working in the store didn’t acknowledge me walking in or looking at the store equipment. I finally asked how much it cost to rent a board. The clerk looked me up and down and said, “Have you ever surfed before?”
I was shocked. That didn’t answer my question, and what exactly does a surfer “look like”? I told him yes, I have surfed before. He then tried to push me to buy a surf lesson package instead of answering my original question. After explaining to him that I had taken a special lesson earlier in the week, he said dismissively, “Oh. Well, I guess you can rent one,” before walking away.
There was no way I was giving them jobs. I left the surf shop pretty discouraged. Did I belong in this space? Am I in over my head to go out there and try on my own? I felt the impostor syndrome take over and headed back to Airbnb.
Did I belong in this space? Am I in over my head to go out there and try on my own?
I told my mom about the exchange and naturally she went into outraged mom mode. “You’re going back to that water! You’re a surfer!” she exclaimed. She made it her personal mission to help me find another surf shop that was more welcoming. After a short walk, we came across a Billabong board rental stand.
A woman at the front desk greeted us with a friendly smile. I explained to her that I was a beginner but was hoping to rent a board to continue practicing. He spoke with me for 20 minutes to explain which board would suit me best, previewed the wave conditions with me and encouraged me to get out on the water early to have a good session. This it was the kind of interaction I needed.
Catching waves and building confidence
For the rest of my trip, I rented a surfboard from the Billabong stand. Following her advice, I woke up around 8am to eat some breakfast and then hit the water where the more experienced surfers gathered. I made sure to stay out of the way as I watched their technique – the way they paddled, positioned themselves in the waves and so seamlessly got up on their boards.
After “studying” for 30 minutes, I felt ready to catch my own waves solo. There was no push from McGee, but I heard him say, “Get out of your head. You’ve been doing this all your life.”
When a wave came, I paddled hard. I could hear that sad sound and that feeling of water rolling under my board. I carefully raised my body, standing up on the surfboard and holding the position. i did it
I rode the wave until it died and my board became still. Falling back, I could hear a clap from some beachgoers on the sand. Take that, surfing buddy. I a.m a surfer.
