Sommers Surf Lessons

Ocean City, Maryland MD
Fenwick Island, Delaware DE

ph: 410-251-8583
sommerssurf@comcast.net

Michelle Sommers - Surf Instructor

Let me tell you a little about myself......

I did not begin surfing until my late-20s and before my husband and I had our two boys, we traveled to the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii several times a year to indulge in our passion of riding waves.

After several girlfriends asked for surfing instruction I figured there is a need for a woman surf instructor to teach women one-on-one. The response has been amazing and there has been so much interest that even our local surf shops have been passing out my cards to moms, college students and other women. Everyone says that they have always wanted to learn to surf but just didn't know how to get started or felt too intimidated. I felt the same way!

When I started surfing, I could not find one female surf instructor who I could call. I surfed with a few guys I knew but wasn't really taught the basics regarding safety, technique and proper surf etiquette. It took me a long time to feel comfortable out in the water on my board.

I decided to attend an all women surf camp in Hawaii with an experienced female surf instructor, Karen Gallagher. It was the best vacation I ever had and I came home feeling more confident than ever to go out and surf locally. I finally had the information I needed and felt more comfortable with a woman teaching me one-on-one.

I met my husband who has surfed his entire life and my surfing just progressed from there. Our lives revolve around surfing - checking waves, surf forecasts, tides, weather.

As parents, we cannot wait until our boys are old enough to surf with me. They are now 7 and 5 and are already standing on their boogie boards, riding waves! It's something we will be able to do as a family for our entire lives.

Surfing is also a great way to stay in shape and I am so much happier when I am able to catch some waves & have some "me" time. It's also fun to get together with other women who surf for a ladies session! Come join us!

Being selected as one of Athleta's 2011 Featured Athletes was such a great experience and I continue to contribute to their blogs. I was also named one of The Dispatch's (our local newspaper) Young Professionals for 2011 for my business of teaching surf lessons for women.

I have just recently been selected as the Eastern Surfing Association's (ESA) new Executive Director. The ESA is the largest amateur surfing organzation in the world and I hope to increase the number of women participants in the ESA's contests. I will continue to offer surf lessons and camps each summer while working with the ESA.

It's been a remarkable few years and I am excited to see what the future will bring teaching women something that I am so passionate about!