Hanging Ten with the New Surf and Beach Club

Club helps student surfers of all skills catch major waves

Despite being merely an hour away from the beach, Santa Clara undoubtedly lacks the surf culture integral to so many other Californian schools. 

Thankfully, the newly-formed Santa Clara Beach and Surf Club aims to remedy this by bringing the full Californian dream to life on campus.

Co-founded this fall by senior Joe Nefkens, the club’s president, and sophomore Penn Cooper, the treasurer, the club has already recruited 78 members. 

Despite the freezing temperatures and frightening swells of wintertime waters, the university-wide interest persists, making this growth even more impressive. 

To join, prospective members must interact with the club’s Instagram. 

With one direct message to the account, any interested student will be added to the club’s GroupMe, setting them up to receive announcements about the next trip. 

The club strives to avoid discrimination and welcomes members regardless of skill level: from the pros who practically live in their wetsuits to the newcomers who’ve never touched a surfboard. 

Hopefully, this inclusive policy will create a positive space entirely different from the usual surfer culture in Northern California.

Speaking to the club’s open door policy, Nefkens admits he enjoys surfing on a foamie just as much as any newbie does. 

“I started the Santa Clara Beach and Surf Club with Penn Cooper to share the sport of surfing with the students of Santa Clara University,” he said. “Surfing is great and we wanted to share our passion with our fellow students.” 

Surfing with the club is a simple process. In GroupMe, either Nefkens or Cooper will announce a plan for a trip, and they will state whether it’s a beginner, intermediate or advanced level excursion. 

Then, they will specify if interested surfers need to bring their own wetsuits and boards. With everything planned, anyone who wants can go and try to catch a couple waves.

“There’s nothing better than waking up early, watching the sunrise on the water and then going on with your day with the memory of how great you started it,” new club member Brennan Kall said.

On these trips, the club faces one of its biggest challenges: there are a limited number of spots in the cars destined for the beach, as well a finite number of wetsuits and boards.

With pending funding from the club dues, which according to Nefkins is a one time fee, the club will be able to achieve its most-pressing priority: expanding its gear offerings for club members.First, the club hopes to purchase a fair amount of thick, high-quality wetsuits and sturdy boards for anyone wanting to give the waves a go.

One seasonal challenge is that Northern California winters assault beginners with insurmountable walls of water and painful closeouts, but in the calmer spring, beginners will be able to attend the trips more frequently.

This club is the perfect opportunity for students on campus to connect with the nearby coast. 

Whether you are an in-state student who misses the beach at home, or an east coaster who has yet to see the great Pacific, as long as you have the desire and time to participate in the club’s activities, this beach and surf club opens doors to true Californian surfing experiences. 

“Coming from Los Angeles, I’ve grown up at the beach,” freshman Sammy Stahl said. “Every weekend at least was spent at Tower 26 during the summer and long into the school year. Coming to Santa Clara, I’ve missed having the opportunity to bike 10 minutes to the ocean, and joining the beach and surf club offers a way to soothe my longing for the sand and surf.”

Even people who prefer to hit the beach for a bonfire or environmentally-conscious clean-up can find a place for their interests with the club. One of the club’s major goals is to actively participate in making a difference through beach cleanups and fostering an awareness for ocean conservation.

Since the club is so young, its current members have the power to set the standard for this on-campus organization for the future. This coming year will be pivotal.

And, with more and more trips available and planned as the club continues to expand, the number of on-campus surf pros will surely increase, bringing the California dream one step closer to campus.