Surf Coaching Gold Coast – About our Team
Our coaches must also renew their Bronze Medallion or at minimum their Surf Rescue Certificate and every year ensure they are up to date with first aid, Advanced resuscitation, their Surf Coaching Gold Coast standards, and surf rescue techniques.
Each coach must obtain a Working with Children Check. This is a comprehensive criminal record check for people in child related work in Queensland.
Mark Richardson
Advanced/High Performance
- Years Coaching: Since 1999
- License: Surf Coaching Gold Coast; Surfing Australia; APOLA
- Stance – goofy anywhere that’s hollow
- Fav surfer – Joel Parkinson
- Fav Manoeuvre – Barrel or Backhand snap
- Achievements – 5 times Aus Champ – Aust Jnr team coach winning 6 consecutive gold medals
- Coaching the world’s best – Joel Parko
- Coaching from groms up to the World Surfing League Isabella Nicholls, Liam O’Brien, Callum Robson
Gary Cruikshank
Advanced/High Performance
- Years coaching: Since 2003 with 10 years coaching at the HPC
- License: Surf Coaching Gold Coast; Surfing Australia; APOLA
- Stance: Natural foot
- Favourite Surf Break: North Narrabeen, Uluwatu
- Favourite Surfer: Mick Fanning
- Favourite Manoeuvre: Turn – Fins out snap
- Career Highlights: Contest results – A Dozen 33rds in ASP contests throughout the world
- What inspires you to teach people to surf: Why teach surfing: To make the young and old surfers of Australia to reach their full potential in the sport of surfing
Jay Phillips
SurfGroms/Advanced/High Performance
- Years coaching: 5yrs
- License: Surf Coaching Gold Coast; Surfing Australia; APOLA
- Goofy or Natural: Natural
- Favourite Surf Break: Kirra // Padang Padang
- Favourite Surfer: Tom Curren // Occy
- Favourite Manoeuvre: tube ride
- Career Highlights: 30 plus victories at a teams challenge level for Snapper Rocks Surfriders Club
- What inspires you to teach people to surf: giving the surf knowledge that surfers need to succeed to be a better surfer
Eddie Read
SurfGroms / beginners/ Intermediates
- Years Coaching: Coached since 2012
- License: Surf Coaching Gold Coast; Surfing Australia; APOLA
- Stance: Natural
- Favourite Surf Break: South straddie
- Favourite Surfer: John John Florence
- Favourite Manoeuvre: Big barrel riding
- Contests –
- Finals at 2012 Body Board Pipeline pro
- What inspires you to teach people to surf: Surfing has given me so much. It keeps you fit. Is extremely enjoyable. Connects you with nature and the elements. And is the most relaxing and calming sport you can participate in. To share that is a pleasure!
Andre De Castro
All Levels
- Career Highlight: Helped Coach Adriano De Souza to win the World Title
- License: Surf Coaching Gold Coast; Surfing Australia; APOLA
- Favourite Surfers: Tom Curren, Occy, Fabio Gouveia, Mick and Parko
- Favourite Manoeuvre: Barrels, carves, fin bust
- Best place you have ever surfed: Scar Reef (Brazil), Nias (Indonesia) and Kirra
- What inspires you to teach surfing: New challenge now to pass on the knowledge acquired during these years for the young talent emerging and intend to pursue a career as a professional surfer.
- Andre Best Competition Results: 4th JR Open 2008; 5th Boardmasters WQS 5stars -England 2010; 3rd Chiko Burleigh Pro 2014; 9th Scoot Burleigh Pro 2015 – WQS 1000; 2 x Open Champion Kirra Surfriders 2013-2014
Mae Occhilupo
Yoga Instructor
- Years practicing yoga – Started in 2000
- Types of yoga taught – vinyasa, yin, kids yoga, pre-natal
- Favourite pose – virabhadrasana 2,
- How has yoga benefited you – yoga had given me balance and to be gentle with myself. It’s been an amazing tool to quieten the mind and connect my body with my breath, reminding me to be present in all that I do, not just while I’m practicing.
- What inspires you to teach yoga – sharing how I feel after I’ve been to a class and I want my students to be able to feel the same calmness, blissfulness, release, balance and all the other positive benefits yoga has besides the physical benefits of strength and flexibility.
Chase Hyland
SurfGroms / beginners/ Intermediates
- Years coaching: since 2014, surfed since I was a grom
- License: Surf Coaching Gold Coast; Surfing Australia; APOLA
- Stance: goofy
- Favourite break: Restaurants
- Favourite surfer: Clay Marzo and Bethany Hamilton
- Favourite Manoeuvre: Getting barrelled
- Why teach surfing: I get to do what I truly love. It’s the best feeling to see them stoked after riding a wave all the way to the sand.
Andre Anwar
SurfGroms/intermediate/advanced
- Years coaching: since 2008
- License: Surf Coaching Gold Coast; Surfing Australia; APOLA
- Stance: Natural
- Favourite Surfer: Steph Gilmore
- Favourite Manoeuvre: Backhand Reo
- Best place you have ever surfed: Mexico
- What inspires you to teach surfing: I love sharing my knowledge of the ocean and the joy of surfing to all skill levels & abilities, knowing it can improve many areas of our lives.
Taylor McNeill
SurfGroms/intermediate/advanced
- Years coaching: since 2008
- License: Surf Coaching Gold Coast; Surfing Australia; APOLA
- Stance: Natural
- Favourite Surfer: Steph Gilmore
- Favourite Manoeuvre: Backhand Reo
- Best place you have ever surfed: Mexico
- What inspires you to teach surfing: I love sharing my knowledge of the ocean and the joy of surfing to all skill levels & abilities, knowing it can improve many areas of our lives.
Kara Webber
SurfGroms/intermediate/advanced
- Years coaching: since 2008
- License: Surf Coaching Gold Coast; Surfing Australia; APOLA
- Stance: Natural
- Favourite Surfer: Steph Gilmore
- Favourite Manoeuvre: Backhand Reo
- Best place you have ever surfed: Mexico
- What inspires you to teach surfing: I love sharing my knowledge of the ocean and the joy of surfing to all skill levels & abilities, knowing it can improve many areas of our lives.
Hinata Aiwaza
SurfGroms/intermediate/advanced
- Years coaching: since 2008
- License: Surf Coaching Gold Coast; Surfing Australia; APOLA
- Stance: Natural
- Favourite Surfer: Steph Gilmore
- Favourite Manoeuvre: Backhand Reo
- Best place you have ever surfed: Mexico
- What inspires you to teach surfing: I love sharing my knowledge of the ocean and the joy of surfing to all skill levels & abilities, knowing it can improve many areas of our lives.
Stunning Location
Currumbin Alley is one of the more famous breaks on the Gold Coast, a must to visit!
Innovative Coaching
Using state-of-the-art technology, our high performance coaches can include video analysis, iCoach (still photography), video production and more.
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Amazing Feedback
Surfing Services is listed by Trip Advisor as #1 for water sports in this region. This is something we are very proud of for our Gold Coast Surf School. Come and see why!
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