OUR STORY
Initiative Surf was founded in 2010 and evolved into its current standing by us, Alex and Ane. It has grown with us part of our lives.We run our base out of our home in Nosara in Costa Rica, but also spend much time travelling to various locations. Alex, having worked and developed for over 10 years as a performance surf coach mainly throughout Europe and Central America and the US, founded Initiative Surf to offer multiple services based around helping clients to evolve their surfing. Alongside his wife, Ane this evolved into setting up one of the worlds only residential long term performance coaching program for young surfers. Coaching and a belief in life-long learning lies at the core of Initiative Surf. A such our dedication combined with a wealth and variety of experience, qualifications and credentials allows us to offers tailor-made programmes for clients both at home and all over the world.
WHY WE ARE GOOD AT WHAT WE DO
We are life long surfers and now we can proudly dedicate our time and experience to ensure that our students get the absolute most out of the process. We draw an absolute wealth of experience not only with the variety of students but in hospitality, travel planning, local and international guiding, family life, language and passion. We constantly evolve oursleves both our study of these aspects and with each student as well, learning straight back from them. Almost as much as they learn from us !
WHY WE ARE DIFFERENT
The name “Initiative” was chosen for several reasons; Firstly, because of the belief that more surfers should take the initiative to improve their performance rather than falling in line with the unfounded perception that surf coaching is only for beginners or professionals. There is always something that every surfer could be doing to surf better, at any level. Secondly, our coaching is based on the principles of performance sports coaching, of the three principles of training, mind, body and craft. Craft being our technical step by step framework. We also employ the correct psychological theory and emotional input that facilitates a solid development environment for our students
Initiative Surf provides a fantastic platform for small-scale social initiatives. Many of the locations that we work in can benefit enormously from the donation of surfing equipment to local surfers to help them surf to their full potential all of which we love to involve with our students.
ALEX
Alex is a higher-level surf coach with a decade of experience. Since the age of eighteen he has travelled, surfed and worked across sixteen different countries and all four major oceans. He has a Bachelor of Science degree (with honours) in Surf Science and Technology, and a Masters degree in Applied Marine Science. He qualified as a Level 4 coach, the highest level possible, with the British Surf Association in 2006, and as a current NARS Beach Lifeguard and Advanced First Aider since 2001.
For the past three and a half years Alex has split his time between bases in Central America, the USA and Europe.
ANE
Ane is from Costa Rica, she too is a life long surfer and spent most of her formative years living within a few metres of the Costa Rican coastline. Ane has a degree in Hotel Management and tourism and has worked in this field throughout Costa Rica.
She is the organizational engine behind Initiative Surf, she is great with a video camera and has been working along side Alex as assistant coach for a few years. When she is not ripping apart Costarican beachbreaks, she travels extensively with Alex on their various trips around the globe.
