National Scholastic Surfing Association
Encyclopedia
The National Scholastic Surfing Association (NSSA) is a surfing
association in the United States. It is the highest level for competitive amateur surfing in the country. Founded in 1978 by Chuck Allen, John Rothrock and Tom Gibbons, the association was formed with the purpose of uniting amateur surfers from around the country under one competitive association. Since much of the membership consists of students, one of the prerequisites in joining the association is the maintenance of good grades.
The NSSA is divided into nine conferences nationwide. The Hawaii conference covers the island chain of Oahu, Kauai, Maui and the Big Island. The Southwest conference, Gold Coast conference, Northwest Conference and the NSSA Junior novice program are based in California. The east coast is represented by the Northeast, Southeast, Southeast/North and Florida Gulf conferences. Although it has a special emphasis on student surfers, the NSSA membership is open to anyone who wants to surf competitively as an amateur.
Many well known surfers have competed in the association before turning professional. These include Kelly Slater
, Andy Irons
, Carissa Moore
, Kalani Robb, Cheyne Magnusson
, Bethany Hamilton
and Bobby Martinez
. Carissa Moore currently holds the most NSSA Nationals titles with 11 overall while Kolohe Andino holds the most titles won by a male competitor (9). The association once fielded a national team which competed against a Townend/Cairns team from Australia
.
Surfing
Surfing' is a surface water sport in which the surfer rides a surfboard on the crest and face of a wave which is carrying the surfer towards the shore...
association in the United States. It is the highest level for competitive amateur surfing in the country. Founded in 1978 by Chuck Allen, John Rothrock and Tom Gibbons, the association was formed with the purpose of uniting amateur surfers from around the country under one competitive association. Since much of the membership consists of students, one of the prerequisites in joining the association is the maintenance of good grades.
The NSSA is divided into nine conferences nationwide. The Hawaii conference covers the island chain of Oahu, Kauai, Maui and the Big Island. The Southwest conference, Gold Coast conference, Northwest Conference and the NSSA Junior novice program are based in California. The east coast is represented by the Northeast, Southeast, Southeast/North and Florida Gulf conferences. Although it has a special emphasis on student surfers, the NSSA membership is open to anyone who wants to surf competitively as an amateur.
Many well known surfers have competed in the association before turning professional. These include Kelly Slater
Kelly Slater
Robert Kelly Slater is an American professional surfer known for his competitive prowess and style. He has been crowned ASP World Champion a record 11 times, including 5 consecutive titles from 1994–98. He is the youngest and the oldest to win the title...
, Andy Irons
Andy Irons
Philip Andrew "Andy" Irons was a professional surfer. Irons learned to surf on the dangerous and shallow reefs of the North Shore in Kauai, Hawaii...
, Carissa Moore
Carissa Moore
Carissa Kainani Moore is an Hawaiian surfer and the 2011 ASP Women's World Tour Champion.As of July 2011, Moore has won 6 ASP Women's World Tour events, 2 ASP WQS 6-Star events and an unprecedented 11 NSSA Titles....
, Kalani Robb, Cheyne Magnusson
Cheyne Magnusson
Cheyne Magnusson is a professional surfer and one of the stars of MTV's reality show Maui Fever.He was born in Southern California and moved to Hawaii with his family at the age of seven. His father, Tony Magnusson, is a professional skateboarder...
, Bethany Hamilton
Bethany Hamilton
Bethany Meilani Hamilton is an American professional surfer. She is known for surviving a shark attack in which she lost her left arm, and for overcoming the injury to ultimately return to professional surfing. She wrote about her experience in the 2004 autobiography Soul Surfer: A True Story of...
and Bobby Martinez
Bobby Martinez
Bobby Martinez is a professional surfer from Santa Barbara, California.-Career:Martinez began surfing at age 6. When he was old enough, he joined the National Scholastic Surfing Association where he went on to win a record seven national titles. After several injury prone years he joined the...
. Carissa Moore currently holds the most NSSA Nationals titles with 11 overall while Kolohe Andino holds the most titles won by a male competitor (9). The association once fielded a national team which competed against a Townend/Cairns team from Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.