Kids Stoked after a Day with Dominique

There is only so much that Dads can do. In my case, as a surfer whose best days are only ever average, it seemed logical to hand over the task of getting my two sons up and riding to an expert. Given the upside to this delegation of responsibility (I could swiftly paddle out the back and have some waves myself), it made eminently good sense to entrust the boys to British Longboarding Union female champion Dominique Kent, who runs a surf school on the north Cornwall coast.

“What, we’re going to be taught by a lady?” said Harry, 11. His confusion was amplified by Elliot, 8, who is that age when the thought of any contact with the female of the species is extremely hard to comprehend. “Why?” he said simply, following this with a “not doing it.” I explained that Dominque had been surfing for 18 years; was as good as, if not better, than many men (and certainly better than me); and that if they didn’t agree to have the lesson I would stop their pocket money, ban Playstation and ground them for the next three years.

None of this appeared to do much good, especially in Elliot, but come the day I hauled them down to Porthtowan beach where we met Dominique. The sun was shining, it was midway through the Rip Curl Boardmasters, and something seemed to click in the boys as they talked to Dominique. Perhaps it was the omnipresent surfing vibe, as ever even more evident during the Boardmasters, or maybe it was the ease with which Dominique handled my progeny who, if I am honest, can do a more than passable impression of a couple of apprentice hooligans. But whatever the precise reason for their sudden change of heart, it was plain to see: they couldn’t wait to start the lesson, get into the water and surf.

Dominique began with a talk on the beach about safety. This is a bugbear of mine. Some surf schools take children into the sea in ratios of 1:20, and you can bet that no one has been told what a rip is and what to do if they’re caught in one. Dominque carefully explained rips, drawing a diagram in the sand to illustrate their sneaky ways. The boys were impressed: they had learned something that I have tried to explain but never in so simple a manner.

On the day, the waves were messy and little too big for the children to be going anywhere near the line-up, so after some warm-up exercises and preliminary tips on technique on the beach, Dominique took the boys to the white water. She had them jumping to their feet within just a few waves; even better, they were soon turning to the right and left, surfing along the thin wisps of white water. To keep them from getting board – “children tire if they’re doing the same activity again and again,” as she put it – Dominique had them riding in on their backs, crossing their legs, and, in Elliot’s case, surfing in backwards (though I think this may have been accidental). They were so clearly stoked that it brought a tear to my eye, and also put paid to any thoughts of paddling out myself. After all, the surf wasn’t up to much, and I was having more fun watching them.

Mind you, back on the beach they got back to normal. As Dominique and I discussed her work – she specialises in coaching girls to competition level, as well as beginners and intermediates of either sex – Harry hurled a stone at Elliot, who responded by finding a stick and whacking his elder brother with it. “You should get those boys in the water as much as possible,” said Dominique, “surfing is perfect for channelling that kind of energy.” She is right – but surfing is not just for boys. “There are more and more women taking up surfing now,” says Dominique, who counsels extra aggression among women in the line-up. “Too many girls get to intermediate level but can’t seem to make the jump beyond,” she says. “They sit on the shoulder and don’t take enough waves. They need to be assertive, sit on the peak and paddle into waves as aggressively as the guys. I spend a lot of time coaching girls to do this.”

Anyone whose daughters want to learn at the hands of a woman who surfs as well as she teaches can join Dominique on 28 August, when she will be hosting a day’s tuition with the Freespirit English Surfing Federation surf school in Newquay. At other times Dominique runs surf schools at north Cornwall spots including Porthtowan, St Agnes, Gwithian and Portreath.

For more information see www.englishsurfschool.com and www.purebluewater.com