Overview:
In alignment with the ISA’s continued efforts to promote gender equality in surfing, the first-ever ISA Women’s Regional Coaching and Leadership Program took place in November 2025. Supported by Olympic Solidarity, the goal of this program is to support the development of female surf coaches and increase the number of females coaching at a national or international level, delivering ISA Courses, and ultimately coaching at ISA World Championships and the Olympic Games.
The application was open to eligible women coaches from the Americas and nine participants were selected based on a combination of experience and universality. The program took place in Playa Dominical, Costa Rica, in cooperation with Comité Olímpico de Costa Rica and Federación de Surf de Costa Rica, with participating coaches from: Barbados, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Ecuador, and Mexico.
This comprehensive program was designed to strengthen participants’ technical coaching expertise and essential soft skills for long-term career growth. Two ISA Coaching experts delivered the program, covering topics like Long-Term Athlete Development, Goal-Setting, Surf Psychology, and Leadership. The program ended with a practical coaching day in which the participants coached athletes from the local community in a mini competition.
Please stay tuned for future Women’s Coaching Program opportunities. This program will be brought to new regions in the coming years.
