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Posted by Rick Civelli | 11.01.2011 | Employment, WB Surf Camp News

WB Instructor of the Week for 10/31/11: Jen Young

She is an English teacher in the off season, a surf instructor in the summer, she runs Ironman triathlons in less than 12 hours, and has had a huge positive impact on hundreds of students over her seven year history with WB Surf Camp. In addition to leading our Teen Hawaii Adventure Camp in the summer, Jen instructs locally here at Wrightsville and Kure Beach, and drives the downtown trolley while continuing to train for her next big competition. She’s  has a great sense of humor, and is an amazing instructor. We’re super blessed and super lucky to have her as a part of our team! We’re also incredibly proud of her recent finish in the local Beach to Battleship full Ironman/Ironwoman…11:58:09! That’s what we call crushing it. Way to go Jen!

1. What drew you to a position at WB Surf Camp? I am getting paid to teach what I love to do. It doesn’t get much better than that. I get to teach English all year, and surfing all summer. How did I get so lucky?

2. Who is your favorite surfer and why? This one changes for me. Right now I would have to say Robert August. I love his suave, debonair style. He always looks so smooth on the board and he is still surfing and having fun. He has a great smile on his face while he rides.

3. When did you start surfing and where? I first started by standing on my boogie board in Florida. I got my first surfboard my freshmen year in college and taught myself at Folly Beach, SC.

4. What is your favorite surf break? Ollie’s Point, Costa Rica. It is a long right, it barrels at the beginning if the conditions are right, and then there are huge sections for turns and nose rides. Very fun wave!

5. What inspired you to start surfing? I love the ocean, love playing in it, and love harnessing the power that it has to offer. I love the feeling of salt on my skin after a session, and the sun wrapping its warmth around me. I love having my feet dangle off into the water. I love sunrise, dawn patrol, and morning glass. It is something I’ve always wanted to do and I think having waited so long to do it has made me appreciate it more.

6. Where was your most memorable session? Probably at Ollie’s Point in the year 2000. I was with my best friends on this 12 day trip.  When we got to Ollie’s, it was about 7 feet, with perfect offshore conditions. The wave was amazing. You take off right off of the rocks, pop up, make a bottom turn, stall and get completely covered up, then shoot out of the barrel and ride for a good 300 yards, Kick out of the wave, paddle back out in a nice calm bay and do it again. We surfed for hours and got so many great rides. The wave was perfect, the company was great and it was the first time I had traveled to surf.

 7. What is the worst wipeout you’ve ever had? Santa Catalina, Panama. Hands down, this was the worst wipeout. We had just arrived in Panama and were so excited to paddle out. From where we were staying, it was about a 20 min paddle out to the break.  It didn’t look so big as we started out, but as we got to the line up we realized it had some punch to it. So, here we are, fresh off a plane, over a reef, with tons of unknowns, and a 12 foot solid wave screaming through. Well, somebody had to take off, and it was me on my longboard. I chickened out, pulled back, but the wave had its way with me. I came up, laughed a bit and got back to the line-up.

Next set came rolling in, I tried again. This time I committed, made the drop, made the bottom turn, and was set to go. Then I met a rock name Smiley. Now, what this guy does is makes a disturbance in the otherwise perfect wave (also known as a boil). So, if you don’t have a nice high line, he reaches out and trips you. Of course we learned this as the trip went on. It would have been good to know on this big day. So, tripped I got, and ended up getting sucked over the falls. Then the other set waves came. My board kept pulling back into the waves and I kept getting worked. Finally, the sets eased up, I got back on my board, and saw black spots. I was so scared, out of breath, and far away from my pals.  I thought I was going to loose it, then a sea turtle poked his head up near me.  This gave me something to smile about and I paddle back in.

8. What are some of your interests outside of surfing? Triathlons, reading, gardening, playing with Scout (my most adorable dog), and writing.

9. What is your favorite movie? To Have and Have Not- Humphrey Bogart

10. What is your favorite music? U2, The Beatles, The Who, 1940s

11. What is your favorite food? Mangoes, Ceviche, seafood

12. Where do you see yourself in five years? Probably in Wilmington teaching high school, surfing, and doing triathlons

13. In your eyes, the three things you value most are: God, Family, Friends

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