Our Vision
Welcome to the Ohana Surf Project! We are excited to have you visit us. We have a passion for surfing and believe it can have a transformative impact on people’s lives. At Ohana Surf Project (“OSP”), we believe that not all surf instruction is the same. We tailor our method of instruction to the whole person and the entirety of the experience. Our team values respect for the ocean, our sport, and every single customer. These values drive OSP’s vision: To improve surfers, the surfing community and the surf industry by reinvigorating the fascination, reinforcing the aloha and reconnecting us all to the essential magic of the waves. Our Project strives to help non-surfers become surfers and to motivate existing surfers to higher levels all with the joy of the journey.
OSP was founded to make surfing accessible to women and men, young and old. We measure our success by the number of people who find or rediscover the power and beauty of surfing. We will not leave behind those with physical or mental disabilities who dream of riding on the ocean. We know that whatever levels we achieve in our goals that the Project is a journey, an ongoing quest to improve – in our surfing, our company and our lives.
We view our company as “ohana” and strive to treat everyone with mutual respect and gratitude. We are not simply employees, but part of a team working together with a common vision and towards common goals. We value our team’s opinions and encourage respectful, creative, and constructive disagreement. We seek new ways to improve the experience for our clients, new ideas to broaden our footprint, and new perspectives that will bring change and improvement to the style, service, and technology of the Ohana Surf Project. We know that teams acting together are exponentially stronger than individuals acting in parallel, and with our camaraderie and collaboration, we will prove that OSP is indeed “more than a surfing lesson…”
Ohana Surf Story
Ohana means Family, and at the Ohana Surf Project, we pride ourselves on our family-oriented approach. Whether you’re a first-time surfer, a return customer or one of our professional surfing coaches and guides, the Ohana Surf Project aims to improve the lives of those we care about and those who come to us for care – Just Like Family.
Why Choose Us
In addition to his extensive experience in management and operations, Sean surfed professionally, coached, and has taught surfing for over 30 years. He also practices and teaches Kung Fu and other martial arts. He incorporated his martial arts-based philosophical and technical approaches into his surfing and coaching fundamentals to develop a system of surf instruction called “Level Up”. Having managed and operated surf schools for the last 20 years, he saw the demand for a higher quality, personalized surf instruction experience.
The key to that is creating a true and sustainable profession for the instructors by offering better pay, benefits and work atmosphere. Ohana Surf Project was created to provide such an environment. As a result of this, all of our staff are passionate about surfing and coaching others and teach with the goal of creating a love for our sport, our environment, and each other.
It is a long way from Wall Street to the beaches of Oahu, but after 38 years, Susan found herself surfing for the first time on the beautiful waters of Waikiki. Having graduated from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, working on Wall Street for many years and then operations in nonprofit institutions, surfing was not even a thought until she arrived in Waikiki.
On those waters, she discovered an outlet and therapy she never knew could be so powerful. After being in the 9/11 attacks at the World Trade Center, she dealt with mild PTSD for many years, not realizing how much it was impacting her life. The sense of strength, serenity and release from anxiety she experienced while out on the water helped heal her spirit. Through Ohana Surf Project, she wants as many people as possible to experience the healing nature of the water and the power of surfing.
fun with just anyone.
Your generosity fuels our mission. Donate now, impact lives.
Ohana Surf Project, our vision goes beyond teaching people how to surf; it's about creating a community where the ocean is accessible to all. Ohana Surf Project’s Foundation’s mission is to make surfing accessible to women and men, young and old, regardless of any limiting factors they may encounter such as resources or physical or psychological barriers. Through surf instruction, apprenticeship, and mentoring, we aim for as many people as we can to experience the ocean and the surf in a way that is safe, inspiring, empowering, invigorating, and fun. One of the most important and exciting aspects of our mission is to provide youth with not only the ability to be competent and confident in the surf but also the ability to give back by teaching others to do the same through our surfing instructor apprenticeship program, which will allow them to earn income for themselves and for their development education fund.
Donate NowWHAT WE OFFER AT OSP
discover the difference, experience the excellence
Learn from top-rated, professional surf instructors, ride in style in our Surf School Bus, and experience our commitment to safe, quality surf lessons and exceptional customer service.
Our instructors' extensive experience and our commitment to customer service make us a leader in our industry.
