The Buddina State School Surf Academy started in 2012. Since then, we train up to 25 students annually. We run surf coaching sessions weekly before school, along with gym and pool coaching sessions on alternate weeks of the school term. The academy has had a very successful training partnership with the Ocean Performance Centre (OPC) - they are the leading force for the development of junior surfers and water sports on the Sunshine Coast. The academy primarily trains children who have demonstrated surf ability in Years 4 to 6, however we have had students as young as Year 3 who show potential to join the program.
Over the past 8 years our academy students have proven to be very competitive in team surfing competitions. Since 2015 the Academy has won every team surf event held in the school surfing series on the Sunshine Coast. These were the OPC Surf Classic, Pacific Lutheran Pacific Pulse and the Stella Maris Walk on Water. They also had success in individual events such as the Billabong Parko Grom Stomps along with Queensland and National Titles. After leaving Buddina, past students have gone on to represent the Sunshine Coast, Queensland and Australia in the sport of surfing.
The Buddina Surfing Academy is the only primary school surfing program on the Sunshine Coast recognised by the Queensland Education Department as an Excellence Program. It still has a fantastic relationship with the OPC and they continue to work together to produce high level junior athletes.
Here are some of our impressive results over the years:
- champions in the Buddina State School OPC Surf Classic: 2013 to 2019
- champions in the Stella Maris Walk on Water: 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017
- champions in the Pacific Lutheran Pacific Pulse: 2014 to 2022
- champions in the Surfboard Empire Classic: 2021
- champions in the Coolum Frother Cup: 2021, 3rd place 2022