He also has lifeguard cpr and 1st aid cert. 10% of all proceeds will be donated to the public library. Instructor Bio
Zac has been surfing for over a decade, but is in very few ways your traditional surfer or surf instructor. Zac grew up in rural Ohio in the foothills of the Appalachians as the son of tobacco farmers and with 8 siblings. Zac excelled at traditional sports, but had never even s
een the Ocean until his Senior year in High School. Always curious and with a shot of rebelliousness Zac slowly began making his way to the life of a surfer. Zac went to college (through the absolute demand of his mother—He says thank you Mom) and studied education almost in a form of mocking the educational system, but found himself in a Quaker College that transformed his mindset and opened him up to viewing the world differently. He discovered once in education that he could fight the system from within and became a staunch advocate of educational equality. He spent 17 years in the deep south teaching and coaching grades 6-12 in urban and rural settings. Zac retired from public education in January 2021 essentially unable to continue to tolerate the segregation and racial intolerance he witnessed teaching in the region. So where does surfing fit in? Well, Zac never lost his desire to be active. He also always had a special place in his heart for the aesthetics of surfing simply from what he had seen on television and while visiting the beach. Upon a move to coastal Georgia in 2011 he took his first lesson, and the rest is history. Zac loves most every aspect of surfing, and has found a way to make it a central part of his life. Just months after retiring from teaching, and with no intention of returning to public education, Zac found a position that intrigued him… in Tillamook, Oregon. The position was at Wilson Alternative High School and there was a proposition of beginning a surf program as a retention initiative for students. The program quickly found success, so in order to further legitimize it, Zac went through Safety Certifications, an official lifeguard course, and became Internationally certified as a surf instructor through the ISA. Zac’s main purpose through teaching surfing is expanding opportunity, promote self confidence, personal fitness, and mental health. He also wishes to build cultural awareness through leading international surf travel. Zac has very strong Spanish communication skills and a relationship with folks in many surf destinations within Costa Rica. For more information on this please visit the surf retreat section of the website. Zac’s surf instruction style is based around safety and fun. When you take an initial lesson with Zac he wants comfort, laughter, smiles, and an experience that is memorable. He wants all this done with the absolute highest standards of safety, in what is inherently a high risk activity. Zac has taught students with disabilities for the better part of 20 years, and he holds a Master’s Degree from Purdue University in the field of teaching students with special needs. Zac will comfortably and happily try to accommodate whatever experience you wish to achieve. Zac hopes to see you at the beach soon!
