About UP Surf Coaching Raglan

It doesn’t matter what level you’re at, when your surfing improves, you end up having more fun. You get a sense of personal accomplishment, you unlock something that means you can take on bigger waves, or you fix your technique and finally do that move you’ve been working on…

Improvements come in many ways – increased ocean knowledge, better physical preparation, awareness of technique just to name a few.

We help beginners and experienced surfers to tap into their surfing potential and experience more surfing freedom.

UP Surf Coaching was started here at Ngarunui Beach in Raglan by Andrew Lucas back in 2012.

After working for schools in New Zealand, Australia and Panama, he realised how quickly beginners can learn when given a comprehensive course, so that was the main motivation, to offer beginners in Raglan something similar.

Now, more than 10 years later, the 3 day ‘Become a Surfer’ course has become more and more popular and it’s cool to see people progress so fast. There are now experienced surfers all over the world who have started on this course and they often come back for more advanced coaching or join us on trips.

Providing something for the intermediate or average surfer was also a major goal, so Andrew spent time learning off some of the best coaches in the World like Martin Dunn and Matt Griggs (coached Mick Fanning when he got his 1st world title). He found out what they do with the Pros and then tweaked it to meet the unique needs of the average surfer. Since then, the coaching method has been continually honed and improved over thousands of coaching hours.

Our main strength at UP Surf Coaching is our understanding of the average surfer, especially those that didn’t start surfing at a young age.

We ourselves got into surfing later than we would have liked, we get what it’s like being a weekend warrior, missing out on the teenage golden years of learning. We also know that doesn’t mean you can’t become a solid all round surfer and dive deep into the surfing lifestyle.

If you have a background at all similar, once you realise that any lack in your current surfing skill isn’t due to a deficiency in talent, but more that you’ve had a lack of opportunity and practice, you can start doing things to overcome the negative effects of your non-surfing lifestyle and enjoy new experiences and momentum.

Whether the barrier for you is a physical issue like tight hips and limited movement patterns, a mental one like unawareness of correct technique, chances are we’ve been through it ourselves or have seen it in many of our customers and can help you fix it.

Aren’t we all just wanting to feel freedom in our surfing?

Freedom to go beyond our limitations.

To move differently in the water, to evolve, to feel some momentum, self-sufficency, confidence, expansion, new moves, new experiences.

And the freedom of adventure. To go on trips, surf in deep blue waters with friends. And just enjoy the whole journey.

There are a lot of great teachers out there these days and our way is not the only way, but if any of this website resonates, we’d love to help you enhance your experience of Surfing.

So check out the various ways we can work together. Enjoy your surfing!

Our Team:

There are now 3 of us coaches on the UP Surf Coaching team.

These guys are not only experienced surfers and coaches with all the necessary quals, they’ve also been through detailed training on how our beginner courses, trips and other lessons are run.

Rod
A lifetime surfer and photographer by trade, Rod has been our chief photographer/surf coach on several intermediate coaching trips to Indonesia and Taiwan.

He has a photographers eye for detail and that makes him a great technique coach too. And if you want tips on longboards, twin fins and retro boards, he’s your man.

Willow

Willow started surfing in Cornwall, UK, when he was 17, falling in love with it instantly. Now that he is in the coaching world he loves sharing something that has helped him so much in life and he is very passionate about it.

He has surfed and coached in a variety of different places around Europe, Africa and now NZ and has been doing so for the last 9 years, Coaching everyone from beginners to high performance shredders. He has a friendly nature and is very articulate and concise with his coaching advice.

“I feel so lucky to have found myself in this beautiful place known as Raglan with world class waves on offer and look forward to helping you enjoy surfing and progressing beyond what you thought you could do.”