PRACTICES
PRACTICES
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2025-26 PRACTICE SCHEDULE AND JR. LIFEGUARD CERTIFICATION DATES COMING SOON...
SURF PRACTICE AT KEWALOS
'Iolani Surf practices will be held at Kewalos on Sundays from 9:00 A.M. - 11:30 A.M.
Please see the surf breaks below:
Shortboarders - The Point
Bodyboarders - Rennick's
Longboarders - Straightouts
OCTOBER SURF PRACTICES AT ALA MOANA BOWLS
(Sunday, October 13th & 20th, 2024, 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM)
Please sign up for surf practices at Ala Moana Bowls scheduled for Sunday, 10/13 and 10/20 from 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM. Meet at the shower near small beach. All surf practices are optional and not mandatory, however if you would like to compete in contests we recommend attending at least one practice. All school work, sports, performing arts, and other club activities take priority over surf practice. ADVANCED SURFERS ONLY - NO BEGINNERS
REQUIREMENTS FOR COMPETITIVE SURFERS
Completion of a Jr. Lifeguard Certification class
Register for AAU Membership (Athletes - Individual). Click "Join AAU" then "Get a Membership". Click "Apply for Youth Athlete Membership" and "Sport - Surfing" ($20 for student surfers), or "Non-Athlete Membership" ($55 for Coaches). Use Club Code W3DFCT (Hawaii Surfing Association/HASA/HSP 2024-2025)
**Email all docs to Coach Ted Churchill (tedchurchill@icloud.com). Please complete all requirements ASAP.
SURF TEAM AERIAL TRAMPOLINE PRACTICE
(April 2024)
'Iolani Surf Team held optional aerial & body awareness trampoline practice sessions with former Diving Coach Cate Waidyatelleka. During these session, surfers learned how to improve aerial maneuvers, body awareness, 360 spin rotation speed, arm position, balance, flips, spotting the landing, etc.
Get your air game like Gabriel Medina and Griffin Colapinto and sign up for the next Surf Aerial Trampoline practice in the Upper Gym.
SURF PRACTICES AT KEWALOS
(Sundays from 1:00 PM until 3:30 PM)
'Iolani Surf practices will be held at Kewalos on Sundays from 1:00 P.M. - 3:30 P.M. All alumni surfers and experience parents can join the team during practice/free surf expression sessions.
Please see the surf breaks below:
Shortboarders - The Point
Bodyboarders - Rennick's
Longboarders - Straightouts
Intermediate and Beginners can surf inside white water waves at Straightouts or Marinelands. BEGINNERS CAN ONLY SURF IF A SURF COACH OR WATER PATROL ARE PRESENT IN THE LINEUP! SAFETY IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PRIORITY!
SURF PRACTICE AT TURTLE BAY (STABLES)
(Sunday, November 19th from 1:00 PM until 3:30 PM)
'Iolani Surf practices at Turtle Bay (Stables) on Sunday, 11/19 from 1:00 PM - 3:30 PM.
Experienced surfers only (No beginners or 7th & 8th grade club members.
All surf practices are optional and not mandatory. All school work, sports, performing arts, and other club activities take priority over surf practice.
TRANSPORTATION: We are working to arrange for a 15-person van to give surfers a ride from 'Iolani School to Stables and back.
If you plan to attend or need a ride, please complete this sign-up form.
KEWALOS SURF PRACTICE
(Friday, November 10th from 1:00 PM until 3:00 PM at Kewalo's)
'Iolani Surf practice for experienced surfers only at Kewalos on Friday, 11/10 from 1 pm - 3 pm. Meet at the showers/bathrooms. NO BEGINNERS OR 7TH & 8TH GRADE CLUB MEMBERS.
In order to attend surf practices, contests, or expression sessions, surfers must complete AAU registration, turn in the parent's liability waiver form, and must have passed the Jr. Lifeguard certification or swim test. Competition surfers must also complete the HSA waiver to surf in high school surf contests.
Shortboarders - The Point
Longboarders - Straightouts or Marinelands
Bodyboarders - Point Panic or The Point
MAKAHA SURF SESSION/PRACTICE
(Monday, February 6th from 9:00 AM until 11:30 AM at Makaha Beach)
Thanks to all the surfers who attended the super fun surf session/practice at Makaha Beach on Monday, 2/6 from 9:00 AM - 11:30 AM. Maili Point was flat so we all drove up the coast and had Mahaka almost all to ourselves. Great session!
NO SURF PRACTICES SCHEDULED DURING CHRISTMAS VACATION
(December 15th - January 2nd)
All surfers are encouraged to surf for fun or coordinate sessions with other surf team members. Have a great vacation.
'IOLANI SURF PRACTICE -EXPERIENCED SURFERS ONLY
(Friday, December 2nd from 3:30 PM until 5:00 PM at Ala Moana Harbor - Bowls, Rockpiles, Kaisers)
All surfers had a great practice on Friday, December 2nd at Rockpiles Left and Bowls. The waves were small but the fun times were huge.
COACHES' NOTES:
Shortboarders are encouraged to continue to work on bottom turns, practice generating speed and navigating turns to keep moving with the open face of the wave, pump with your entire body, link turns together pm the critical part of the wave, surf rail-to-rail, and successfully stomp final maneuvers before kicking out.
Longboarders should continue to perfect wave selection, improve paddle technique (elbows high), practice taking off on the peak of the wave, execute proper bottom turns, bring the board back to the power pocket of the wave, surf from rail-to-rail, and work on cross-stepping to the nose with style. Remember to kick out or go to your knees without falling off the board to finish the ride strong (judges take off points if you fall off the board).
Remember your head is your steering wheel and where you look is where your board will go next. Keep your head centered over your board, look down the line, and set up your turns.
Each practice try to give yourself a goal before entering the water and work to achieve it during the session (i.e. bottoms turns, landing maneuvers, generating speed, cross-stepping to the nose, etc.)
The most important thing to remember is to always have FUN!
SURF PRACTICE IS CANCELED
(Experienced Surfers Only - No Beginners)
Friday, November 4th at Kewalo Basin (3:30 PM - 5:00 PM)
Surf practice is scheduled for Friday, 11/4/2022 at Kewalo Basin (The Point, Rennicks, Marineland's/Straightouts). This optional practice is for experienced surfers only and not mandatory. All school work, sports, performing arts, and other club activities take priority. Practice is tentative and could be postponed or canceled if weather, surf conditions, wave height (too big or too small), swell direction, wind speed, tides, crowds, parking availability, and other considerations are not ideal.
All surfers and coaches please meet at the statue of Mother Marianne Cope at 3:30 PM.
IMPORTANT PRACTICE NOTES:
All surfers who are planning to attend this practice, please sign up on this Google form.
All surfers and coaches must register for AAU membership, pass the swim test, and return the parent's liability waiver form in order to participate in practice.
Surf practice is optional, not mandatory. If you would like to compete in HSA high school team contests, you may want to consider attending the practice prior to the contest.
We will need at least three (3) lifeguard-certified coaches to help supervise practice. The more surf coaches and parent volunteers to help, the better.
Due to liability issues, coaches do NOT provide rides to and from practice in non-school-affiliated, personal vehicles. It is the responsibility of parents, guardians, and Residence Life program staff to coordinate rides to and from practice.
Kewalo Basin is one of the potential locations for 'Iolani Surf Team practices.
The Point - Advanced. This spot is for high-performance surfers. Great left and right for shortboarders. NOTE: There is a heavy local order and this spot can get crowded at times.
Rennicks - Intermediate to Advanced. Originally was called "Right Next" because it is next to The Point. NOTE: It is really shallow. Do not surf Rennicks at low tide to avoid damaging your fin box on the reef.
Straightouts - Beginner & Intermediate. Left break. Located straight out from the pavillion and parking lot. Softer wave and is a good longboard spot during high tide.
Marinelands - Beginner & Intermediate. Left break. Good longboard spot during high tide. The inside break at Marinelands is good for beginners and soft tops.
Ala Moana Beach Park has three surf spots and roadside parking. Also a great location for paddle practice, swimming, fitness & conditioning training, and running on the beach.
Big Rights - Intermediate to Advanced. Right break is good on big swells. High performance. Good for shortboarders.
Concessions - Intermediate. Mostly left. Right closes out fast. Fun wave for shortboarders and mostly longboarders.
Courts - Intermediate to Advanced. Right-hand point break. The location is straight out from the tennis courts. One of the longer rights that is good for both shortboarders and longboarders. Needs a solid big swell to break best.
Ala Moana Harbor/Bowls has lots of breaks for beginner to advanced surfers.
Bowls - Advanced. High-performance, mostly a left. Good for shortboarders. On big swell days this wave can barrel. During small swell, it has a mixed crowd of advanced and intermediate surfers.
Rockpiles Left - Beginner & Intermediate. A fun left break. Mostly longboarders. Fun wave for beginners and intermediates.
Rockpiles Right - Intermediate. This short right break is great for getting in a few quick turns and practicing going down the line. Tight, compact take-off point and surfers are close together in the line-up.
Kaisers - Intermediate to Advanced. Mostly a right but also has a left. High- performance short wave with a heavy pecking order. Wait your turn.
Waikiki Beach has great breaks for beginners and longboarders. Street parking is very difficult. PARKING NOTE: You can park at the International Market Place garage and purchase coffee at Kona Coffee Purveyors or lunch at the food court to validate parking at a discounted rate.
Threes - Intermediate. Mostly a right. Needs a big South swell to break. Best at low tide. Almost all longboarders. Very long paddle. Less crowded in the afternoon.
Pops (Populars) - Beginner to Intermediate. Both right and left break. Best on big swell and low tide. Very long paddle. Sometimes crowded.
Canoes - Beginner. Best spot for beginners to learn and take the first lesson. Extremely crowded.
Queens - Intermediate to Advanced. One of the best rights for longboard surfers. One of the top longboard spots on Southshore. A mix of local amateur and professional surfers. "Baby Queens" on the inside is good for beginners. Extremely crowded.
Diamond Head has two main spots but lots of dfferent peaks and take off points. Catches a lot of East wind and can be choppy at times. Catches south swell really well so almost always waves. Roadside parking on Diamond Head Road can be difficult during crowded summer months.
Lighthouse - Advanced. High-performance right is great for shortboarders. It can get windy and choppy. Great waves on big South swell days. Can get crowded during the summertime.
Cliffs - Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced. Mixed crowd. Lots of peaks to choose from. Both rights and lefts. Inside breaks are best for beginners. Almost always waves. Best during low to mid tide, low wind, and big South swell days. Very crowded during the summer months.
'Iolani surf practice locations will be determined by a number of factors including surf conditions, swell direction, wind speed, tides, crowds, parking availability, surfer and coach preferences, and other considerations. There are lots of other great surf spots on the Southshore including Publics, Castles, Old Mans, Sui's, Tongs, etc. If you have a surf spot recommendation for practices and expression sessions, please let your coaches and team captains know.
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