The best surfers from the Royal Navy Royal Marine Surf Club visited Newquay Activity Centre to undertake elite level surf coaching tuition from the UK’s best instructors.
A blustery day in late October saw a selection of the best surfers in the Royal Navy Royal Marines (RNRM) Surf team visit Newquay Activity Centre (NAC). Using the Centre’s facilities the aim was simple, to improve each members surfing ability, style and technique. This was to be achieved through goal setting, surf assessment, in-water performance analysis, video instruction, equipment review and feedback sessions. Guest instructor and three times British surfing Champion Sam Lamiroy headed up the coaching team.
Newquay Activity Centre continued sponsorship of the Royal Navy Royal Marine Surf Team.
The NAC has pioneered Surf Boot Camp coaching weekends, Surf Coaching Holidays and holds daily surfing lessons for all abilities. The delivery of this course to the best surfers in the RNRM Surf Club was part of the ongoing sponsorship that NAC supply to the Navy and Marines Surf Club. The results came fast even though the tricky surf conditions were in the four foot range with strong winds and choppy conditions. Rob Barber, NAC director commented “It was great to see the Navy and Marines rise to the challenge. Each surfer received individual tuition within the group to achieve focused goals, our developer surf coaching packages really see results, with the video feedback and technique analysis offering surfers the chance to clean up their style and analyse the movements that will see their surfing step up to the next level”.
Sam Lamiroy introduces iAM Bands
Guest instructor Sam Lamiroy used the new iAM Bands ‘Ability Measure’ system to asses and categorise the ability level of each individual surfer. This system is much like being awarded a specific coloured belt in Karate or Judo. But instead of a belt, a coloured wrist band identifies each surfer’s ability level. NAC was the first surf school in Newquay to adopt the iAM Bands system and has successfully been trialing it throughout the summer as a way to help surfers follow a logical pathway to improvement. This ongoing development system was an invaluable tool throughout the weekend for the surfers to reflect on their progression and achievements. Sam commented “It’s been really helpful to have fixed reference points and surfing milestones around which to structure my coaching. By the end of the coaching session it felt like the surfers had a much clearer understanding of exactly where they are at in their surfing and what they need to achieve in order to step up their riding to the next level. It was great to see each surfer really engaging with the coaching and pushing themselves to get the most out of their performance – as a group they were a credit to the Navy and a joy to coach. ”
James Jervis of the RNRM Surf Club commented “We all had a great training session with Sam Lamiroy and resident coach Jorrin Massingham. Video analysis is a great tool for instruction and we have all benefitted greatly from advice from a professional surfer. The Navy surf club team is due to have their interclub champs in February 2015, this training session will help those that attended to progress in and out of competitions and furthertheir surfing standards. The NAC is a very welcoming training centre, very knowledgeable and an amazing resource for us to tap into”
The surfers from the RNRM Surf Club were so impressed with the results that they gained from the highly experienced instruction and guidance from the NAC team that they have asked to visit again in three weeks’ time. The coaching that the team receives is part of their preparation for the inter club champs in February as well as the Tri Services event where they hope to retain their title and continue their reign as the best surf team across all of the services.
For further information about the Newquay Activity Centre’s daily surf coaching sessions, the Boot Camp Surf Coaching Weekends or international Surf Coaching Holidays please see the following websites:
