Signed in as:
filler@godaddy.com
NSSA Puerto Rico Conference Directors
Ernesto "Ernie" Alvarez
Ernesto "Ernie" Alvarez
Ernesto "Ernie" Alvarez
Conference Director
President of the Board
Suheily Rivera
Ernesto "Ernie" Alvarez
Ernesto "Ernie" Alvarez
Director
Secretary of the Board
History of the National Scholastic Surfing Association
America's Surfing Little Leagues
Peter “PT” Townend was fresh off becoming surfing’s first world champion when he judged the event in 1979, the year after Huntington Beach local Bud Llamas earned the first NSSA championship title. Townend and fellow Australian Ian Cairns founded a company called Sports and Media Services to help bring professionalism to the sport. They took on the NSSA as clients, becoming the executive team that ran the events.
“That period in the ’80s had an incredible effect on surfing’s image in California and the US,” he said. “Kids get through the system and they are actually educated. We don’t need any more dumb surfers.”
World champions
The list of surfers who would go on the World Champion Tour is long.
Back in the time, the hot surfers to watch were Tom Curren and Kim Mearig, who would both become world champions.
Eleven-time world champion Kelly Slater came up through the NSSA ranks, as did his biggest rival, three-time champion Andy Irons.
There was Hawaii’s Carissa Moore, holder of several world titles and the record number of NSSA national titles — 11. Florida’s Caroline Marks, who now lives in San Clemente, came close with nine NSSA titles.
San Clemente’s Kolohe Andino also holds 9 national titles, a record for the male division.
One athlete Aragon will never forget – a determined Bethany Hamilton, who had her arm bitten off by a shark, but came back to compete.
“She won the explorer division of the national championships,” Aragon said. “Everyone on the beach — I’ll never forget that — everyone was just to their feet when she won.”