Surfers learn their ABCs… (From Bournemouth Echo)

Surfers learn their ABCs…

5:00pm Saturday 8th August 2009 in

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SURF will soon be up for more than 30 new students who have enrolled on a new course in the subject.

Bournemouth and Poole College has set up two new sports academies and pupils are gearing up to hit the waves at Bournemouth beach for the first time at the start of September.

When it announced it was setting up The Surf Academy and Watersports Academy, the college came in for some stick from those who said it would be something of an easy ride.

But now 32 students have been offered places and college principal Lawrence Vincent defended the courses, particularly with the 2012 Olympics on the horizon.

He said: “When we announced the launch of these new academies we had a few sceptics.

“As far as I am concerned, the students will work towards bona fide qualifications and will learn transferable skills to help them with their future careers.

“Being located in one of the most beautiful parts of the country, it seems appropriate to be maximising the resources and job opportunities in the tourism and leisure industry.

“Not only that, but Dorset is an up and coming location for all watersports, especially Boscombe with the new surf reef.”

The courses will combine classroom-based academic learning with outdoor practical sessions, and students in both academies will work with both college tutors and outside specialists such as Terry Crump, who is Wessex Surf Club chairman and a four-time south coast surf champion.

Mr Vincent added: “Sports studies are proving to be very popular with young people this year.

“Our football coaching course run in partnership with AFC Bournemouth has been an outstanding success, and we have seen a 63 per cent increase in the number of candidates applying for the sports access courses this year, in readiness for degree-level study.”

Click here for more news on the surf reef…