(excerpt from The Orange County Register)

Surf's Up for Novices; Surf Camps Put Beginners at the Crest of the Waves

Corky Carroll's camp, at Bolsa Chica State Beach, is more like a surf school, according to owner Rick Walker of Fountain Valley.

Walker said the main reason for starting Surfing 101 was to give youngsters a chance to learn the basics before they take to the waves on their own.

"Unlike soccer, baseball and roller hockey, there is no league for surfing," Walker said.  "There's the NSSA, but that's competitive.  The only organized surfing around is for competition...

Many of the students at the camp are learning to surf for the first time.  Brad Young, an 11-year-old from Santa Ana, spends a lot of his time during the summer playing Little League baseball.  Brad and his parents saw the advertisement for the camp and decided to give it a shot.

"I've always wanted to learn how to surf," Brad said.  "For the first two days I didn't want to get into the water because the waves were too high.  But the instructors took me out gradually and never really rushed me until I was comfortable.  Nowthey can't get me out of the water. "

Parents are also encouraged to watch and join their children in lessons and classes.  What parent wouldn't want to spend a day lying on the beach?

You can often find Deanna Kimmitt of Costa Mesa soaking up some rays as she watches her 9-year-old son, Shaun, do his best impression of Kelly Slater or Shane Beschen.

 "I'm really impressed with how they run the camp.  They have a lot of patience with the kids and teach them all
the bare necessities of surfing. "