College of Micronesia-FSM

Course Description.  PE 101s Surfing is designed to introduce the students to the sport of surfing.  Emphasis is placed on water safety with a thorough swim test before class admittance.  Once admitted students will receive instruction in surfing beginning with surfboard anatomy.  Basic surfing techniques will be taught such as surfboard paddling, wave selection, surf riding stance and how to catch waves on a surfboard.

Prerequisite courses: None. Students must pass swimming pretest to gain entrance to the class.

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Signature, Chairman Curriculum Committee      Date approved by Committee

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Signature, President, COM-FSM                 Date approved by President

1. Program Outcomes

   1. Students will participate regularly in physical activity
   2. Students will learn skills necessary to perform a variety of physical activities
   3. Students will be able to identify common injuries, treatment, and preventative measures.
   4. Students will value physical activity and its contribution to a healthful lifestyle

2. Course Outcomes

   Measurable Student Learning Outcomes. By the end of the course students will...
   1. Participate regularly in physical activity.
      1. Attend class regularly where this is defined by the parameters of the college attendance policy.
   2. Learn skills necessary to perform a variety of physical activities.
      1. Pass the swim test which involves treading water for 15 minutes and a ¼ mile uninterrupted swim.
      2. Identify the different parts of a surfboard, including rails, nose, tail, rocker, deck, bottom, surfboard leash plug, and actual leash and how to attach it.
      3. Identify the basic types of boards: long boards, single fin, twin fin, and tri-fin thrusters.
      4. Be able to determine what fins and boards are appropriate for what conditions.
      5. Explain appropriate attire for surfing.
      6. Identify and explain basic surf conditions as seen from shore and determine whether or not conditions appear surfable and within the skill limits of the surfer.
      7. Be able to apply a good coat of wax for traction.
      8. Perform a duck dive while paddling out through the breaking waves.
      9. Be able to bail off of a surfboard tethered to their ankle and swim under a small incoming wave to simulate a maneuver done in larger surf when a wave threatens to break on the surfer.
      10. Perform paddling down a wave in the correct position on a surfboard with the correct techniques employed to prevent pearling or stalling when taking off on a wave.
      11. Obtain a reasonably good stance either regular foot of goofy foot depending on whether the student is left handed or right handed.
      12. Maneuver a surfboard by shifting weight from left to right and side to side.
      13. Perform a basic bottom turn in order to transition from dropping in to surfing the face of the wave.
      14. Identify but not necessarily be able to perform the following maneuvers: snaps, cut-backs, tube rides, re-entries, carving bottom turns, floaters, stalls, and airs.
      15. Identify the difference between a closeout, a peak, a wall, a wave to be ridden to the left, a wave to be ridden to the right, and what waves should not be attempted.
      16. Be able to explain basic board repair process for minor dings.
      17. Define surfing terms and language including both English and Kosraen¹ terminologies including but not limited to:
          • Surfing = lalal
          • Wave = noa
          • Surfboard = mwelalal
          • Outside set = inut
          • Hang ten, pearling, goofy-foot, backside, stalling, etc.
      18. Orally give a brief history of surfing.
   3. Identify common injuries and preventative measures.
      1. Identify and explain basic local treatment of jellyfish stings, coral reef cuts, and other common surfing injuries
      2. Identify reef and surf conditions that are hazardous and could lead to injury.
      3. Explain key safety concepts such as always surfing with a partner, letting someone shoreside know where you are going to surf and when you expect to return.
   4. Value physical activity and its contribution to a healthful lifestyle
3. Required Text: Secrets of Power Surfing By Beau Emerton and Mick Moltzen copyright 1983 RIPSTIX Surf Coaching Australia.
4. Course Structure
   1. The course will start with a swim test administered before the last day to drop without record, affording students who cannot pass the swimming test the opportunity to drop the course without incurring either a record or a charge for the course.
   2. At the instructor's option, the course will meet once a week for three hours to facilitate traveling to an appropriate location to practice skills. Wherein the class meets only once a week, the College guidelines on attendance that limit absences to two weeks worth of classes will be applied: two absences from a once a week class will result in withdrawal from the course. Participation is a key part of the course. The class is activity based and is centered on learning the basic knowledge and skills through doing.
5. Evaluation: The course will be pass fail based on whether the students have achieved the student learning outcomes.
6. Attendance: As per above.

¹ While the specific inclusion of Kosraen is unusual in a College outline, to the best of my knowledge Kosrae is the only language in Micronesia with surf riding specific terms. This is apparently due to a pre-Western contact tradition of surfing that resulted from the unique topography of Kosrae. While surfing is possible elsewhere in the FSM, conditions demand skills well above that of a beginning surfer. Accessing the surf on many islands requires a long boat trip and learning to surf large and essentially dangerous barrier reef pass waves.