NSSA - National Scholastic Surfing Association

The National Scholastic Surfing Association (NSSA) is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to encourage and assist its members in their interest to learn and develop the fundamentals and skills of surfing competition while competing in structured and quality events. The NSSA promotes the qualities of discipline and competitive excellence while supporting the merits of academic achievement to young surfers. The NSSA strives to provide a fun surfing experience for all of its members.

The NSSA is one of the few national youth sports organizations that require its participants to maintain academic standards in order to compete. Since 1978, the NSSA program philosophy has been that athletics and scholastics go hand in hand. More than 80 NSSA events are run nationwide that culminate with the annual National Championships which is regarded as the highest profile youth surfing event in America.


NORTHWEST OPEN #4 AND #5 IN SANTA CRUZ: We scored in Norcal!

Thursday, December 13, 2007 | Written by Janice Aragon

NSSA NORTHWEST CONFERENCE

OPEN SEASON EVENT #4 AND #5

PLEASURE POINT & STEAMER LANE, SANTA CRUZ

DECEMBER 8-9, 2007

CONDITIONS: Good 3-6 foot rights at Pleasure Points “First Peak” for event #4 and superb 4-8 foot Steamer Lane for event #5!

 

BEAUTIFUL STEAMER LANE.

 

The NSSA Northwest Conference hit the chilly waters of Santa Cruz for the 4th and 5th events of the 2007/08 regular season schedule and it was perfect timing.  Event #4 was held on Saturday, December 8 at Pleasure Point in good 3-6 foot rights.  But it was Sunday’s event #5 on Northern Cal’s most celebrated stage at Steamer Lane where the NSSA competitors scored fantastic 4-6 foot waves with some 8 footers rolling through and picturesque, glassy conditions prevailing throughout the day.  Sunday’s perfection was credited to an amazing sandbar which formed just days prior from a huge, powerful swell that pounded the northern California coast.  Fortunately, the NSSA reaped the benefits of the tail end of that mammoth swell which made for beautiful conditions for the contest, especially at the Lane.  In heats, surfers could take their pick of three excellent wave situations at the Slot, the swing wide rights at the “Slot Bowls” or the Middle Peak.  “These are perfect conditions for a contest at the Lane,” exclaimed local contestant Jason H'dez.  Santa Cruz phenom Nat Young was in dazzling form throughout the weekend in the Men’s division as was Santa Barbara’s Demi Boelsterli in the Women’s. 

 

THE PRIDE OF THE WEST SIDE - NAT YOUNG.

 

WEEKEND WRAPUP

16-year-old Nat Young continues to sizzle in Northwest Conference comp taking the victories and both Pleasure Point and Steamer Lane.  Young’s backside attack on the “First Peak” rights at Pleasure Point was invincible as he racked up the big scores throughout the day including a perfect “10” in the Men’s semifinals.  The spotlight continued on Young the following day at the Lane where he was demolishing the rights with his dynamic 12 o’clock off-the tops.  The double triumph improves his record to 4-1 with one event remaining in the six event regular season. 

 

In the Juniors division, San Clemente’s Riley Metcalf shook off the chill and put on a solid performance at Pleasure Point to take a convincing win over local John Wilson.  “I’m stoked,” Metcalf said after the final.  “I just sat there stiff in the Men’s quarterfinals because I’ve been like an ice cube all day.  So I really wanted to win this one.”  But day two at the Lane brought another Santa Cruz Westsider into the Junior’s limelight.  Former football star Shaun Burns traded in his cleats for a surfboard and mowed down his opponents in the surf, not the turf.  The 15-year-old  Burns claimed his first career NSSA win and also put on an impressive performance in the Men’s division where he finished runner up to neighborhood pal Nat Young. 

 

DEMI TOOK COMMAND IN THE WOMENS.

 

Women’s competition saw Demi Boelsterli maintain her relentless run nailing her fourth victory of the season.  The reigning West Coast Champion set the pace with a strong frontside attack at both Pleasure Point and the Lane.  She positioned herself on the meatier waves and was annihilating the lip at both venues.  At the Lane, she posted the division’s high wave score of 9.0 in her semifinal. 

 

ANDREW JACOBSON SCORES THE WIN AT THE LANE!

 

In the Boys division, local Eastsider Nic H'dez was in the comfort zone in his home turf at Pleasure Point.  The 11-year-old First Peak specialist put up big wave scores including an incredible run in his semifinal where he posted a near perfect 9.75 wave score and amassed the high heat totals of 18.5 out of 20.  Day two at the Lane, Malibu local Andrew Jacobson hunted out the mid-sized waves and ripped them apart taking the victory over H'dez who sat outside on the bombs but couldn't find the ones with the better scoring potential.  In the Mini Groms, the waves were double overhead to the 10 & unders and Kei Kobayashi was charging.  He dominated both finals sealing double victories which will move him into a hefty 1,200 point lead in the rankings. 

 

Kevin McNicol enjoyed a stellar performance in the Longboard division at both locations.  In the incredible conditions at the Lane, he came close to pulling off a perfect final heat posting a perfect 10 ride and backing it up with another excellent 9.0 second wave score. 

 

SCORING LEADERS

Nat Young – 10.0 Mens Semifinals at Pleasure Point

Kevin McNicol – 10.0 Longboard Final at Steamer Lane

Nic H'dez – 9.75 Boys Semifinals at Pleasure Point

Riley Metcalf – 9.5 Juniors Semifinals at Steamer Lane

Kevin McNicol – 9.0 Longboard Final at Steamer Lane

Demi Boelsterli - 9.0 Womens Semifinals at Steamer Lane

 

SPECIAL THANKS

Santa Cruz’ own Ryan Buell for providing his local knowledge, informative facts and entertaining color commentary at the Lane. 

 

COMING UP IN CALI:  The Southwest Conference Explorer Season will resume with event #5 at Church followed by the Gold Coast Conference double header events #5 and #6 at Ventura’s C Street.

 

 

KEI GETTING SOME BIG WAVE SCHOOLING  IN THE NORTHWEST.

 

THE SCOREBOARD

RESULTS NORTHWEST OPEN SEASON EVENT #4

PLEASURE POINT

 

OPEN MENS

1.  Nat Young-Santa Cruz 15.5

2.  Conrad Carr-Malibu 10.5

3.  Ashton Madeley-Aptos 9.0

4.  Brandon Barnes-Aptos 7.5

 

OPEN JUNIORS

1.  Riley Metcalf-San Clemente 12.0

2.  John Wilson-Santa Cruz 8.5

3.  Shaun Burns-Santa Cruz 7.5

4.  Shaw Kobayashi-San Clemente 7.0

 

OPEN BOYS

1.  Nic H'dez-Santa Cruz 12.5

2.  Andrew Jacobson-Malibu 10.5

3.  Brogie Panesi-Pacifica 9.5

4.  Kadin Panesi-Pacifica 8.5

5.  Jake Logan-Santa Cruz 8.0

6.  Ricky McDevitt-Pacifica 3.5

 

OPEN MINI GROMS

1.  Kei Kobayashi-San Clemente 9.5

2.  Noah Cooper-Brisbane 5.0

3.  John Mel-Santa Cruz 4.5

4.  Aldo Chirinos-San Luis Obispo 3.5

5.  Cousteau Christopher-Santa Barbara 2.0

 

OPEN WOMENS

1.  Demi Boelsterli-Santa Barbara 15.0

2.  Bo Stanley-Carpenteria 10.5

3.  Sahara Ray-Santa Cruz 8.5

4.  TJ Pingle-Santa Barbara 3.5

 

OPEN LONGBOARD

1.  Kevin MicNicol-Moorpark 13.0

2.  Kai Medeiros-Capitola 11.5

3.  Samson Anderson Magazino-Santa Barbara 10.0

4.  Zack Abbriscuto-Ventura 8.5

5.  Kirra Kehoe-Santa Monica 7.0

 

THE SCOREBOARD

RESULTS NORTHWEST OPEN SEASON EVENT #5

STEAMER LANE

 

OPEN MENS

1.  Nat Young-Santa Cruz 14.5

2.  Shaun Burns-Santa Cruz 10.5

3.  Conrad Carr-Malibu 9.5

4.  Shaw Kobayashi-San Clemente 9.0

 

OPEN JUNIORS

1.  Shaun Burns-Santa Cruz 13.5

2.  Riley Metcalf-San Clemente 13.0

3.  Bjorn Temple-Santa Cruz 10.5

4.  John Wilson-Santa Cruz 5.5

 

OPEN BOYS

1.  Andrew Jacobson-Malibu 12.0

2.  Nic H'dez-Santa Cruz 9.5

3.  Garrett Colfer-Aptos 9.0

4.  Brogie Panesi-Pacifica 7.5

5.  Jake Logan-Santa Cruz 4.0

6.  Kadin Panesi-Pacifica 3.0

 

OPEN MINI GROMS

1.  Kei Kobayashi-San Clemente 11.0

2.  Noah Cooper-Brisbane 5.5

3.  Cousteau Christopher-Santa Barbara 4.5

4.  John Mel-Santa Cruz 2.5

5.  Aldo Chirinos-San Luis Obispo 2.0

 

OPEN WOMENS

1.  Demi Boelsterli-Santa Barbara 14.0

2.  Sahara Ray-Santa Cruz 10.5

3.  Rachel Harris-Carpenteria 7.0

4.  Kirra Kehoe-Santa Monica 5.0

 

OPEN LONGBOARD

1.  Kevin McNicol-Moorpark 19.0

2.  Kai Medeiros-Capitola 13.5

3.  Samson Anderson Magazino-Santa Barbara 12.0

4.  Zach Abbriscuto-Ventura 9.5

5.  Kirra Kehoe-Santa Monica 2.0