Costa Mesa surf shop owner helps Glendale students sample the waves
Fifteen autistic and developmentally disabled students from Glendale will surf off Santa Monica on Thursday, some riding the waves for the first time.
On Monday, the Tobinworld school students were given the chance to preview the beach experience by hopping on a surfing simulator to test their balance.
The machine was brought to campus by Matt Stone, owner of Costa Mesa’s Buccaneer Board Riders surf wear and nephew of Tobinworld’s founder, Judy Weber.
“[If] you tell somebody who doesn’t surf what’s surfing’s like — you never can explain it unless you do it,” he said.
Last year, as he took Tobinworld students to surf for the first time, he recalled how one person, who only had use of one arm, positioned himself on the board in time to ride the first wave that came his way.
“He was already at a major deficit,” Stone said. “The first wave, he was up and running. That look on his face, I call it pure stoke. That was it. He had it all over his face like he had just conquered the largest mountain. That will never leave him.”
Members of the foundation Project Save Our Surf will also help Stone teach the kids Thursday.
Last year, 9-year-old Laylani Espitia surfed for the first time, and she’ll try it again this week.
“It was very fun,” she said. “It was really cool when you go on. It was scary a little.”
Kelly Corrigan writes for the Glendale News Press.
Twitter: @kellymcorrigan