The 2:1 Surf Coaching Ratio: Why We’ll Never Coach Any Other Way
By Vickie Mogensen, Co-founder of Waluaa
On his first retreat with us, a guest from Toronto told me about the surf camp he’d tried in Tamarindo, Costa Rica, a few years earlier. He said the instructors were more interested in picking up the female guests than teaching anybody to surf.
We laughed. Then I sat with it. Because he’d booked that camp off great reviews. And he’s far from the only guest who has arrived in Santa Catalina carrying a story like that.
He’s now been back to Waluaa three times and is well on his way to being an intermediate surfer. Not because we have secret waves. Because of how we coach.
So let me tell you why our surf coaching is always two surfers to every coach, why we match you by level, and what to look for (wherever you end up booking) so your surf trip is the one you were hoping for.
What surf camp reviews don’t always tell you
Now, there are plenty of wonderful surf schools and retreats out there. But after eleven years of chatting with guests over breakfast, I’ve heard enough stories to know a five-star average doesn’t always tell you everything.
A lovely couple told me about a camp elsewhere in Central America where the instructors turned up hungover most mornings and half the guests skipped surfing to keep partying. None of the reviews they read mentioned it.
Another guest came to us after a women’s surf camp where a coach pushed her onto a wave far beyond her level. She went “over the falls” (when the wave picks you up and throws you down with the lip) and was held under for what felt like forever. She was terrified. It took real patience, and a lot of small wins, to rebuild her trust in the ocean.
There’s a place for nudging people out of their comfort zone. That’s where progress lives. But it has to be measured, and it has to come from a coach who actually knows where your edge is.
Here’s the common thread. When one coach is looking after a big group (I’ve heard of anywhere up to eleven surfers each), the lesson becomes one-size-fits-all. Someone’s always waiting. Someone’s always missed. And the coach can’t possibly know each person well enough to push the right amount.
Two to one, but not two to one with just anyone
Here’s the bit that often gets missed. It’s not just two of you and a coach. We pair you with a surfer at a similar level to you.
That matters more than most people realize. If you’re a nervous first-timer partnered with someone who already rides green waves, one of you is always compromising. Either you’re rushed, or they’re held back.
When levels match, your coach can set up the session for both of you: the same zone, the same type of wave, the same goal for the morning. And if we don’t have a level match for you in a particular week, you get one-on-one coaching. No extra charge, no compromise.
Your coach meets you where you are on day one, then helps you progress across the week.
Safety first (always)
With only two surfers to look after, your coach has eyes on you the whole time. Every paddle out, every wave, every wipeout.
That constant attention is what lets nervous surfers relax enough to learn. It’s also what makes a measured push possible. Our coaches know when you’re ready to try a slightly bigger wave or a new spot, and just as importantly, when you’re not.
“I carry some anxiety in the ocean, and I always felt looked after.”
— Jen C., Tripadvisor, May 2026, on coaches Javier and Casey
Feedback after every wave, not at the end of the session
Here’s what a 2:1 session actually looks like in the water. You ride a wave (or don’t), you paddle back, and your coach gives you one clear thing to work on: your paddling, your positioning, your timing on the pop-up. Then you go again.
Small corrections, made straight away, before a mistake has time to become a habit.
There’s a lovely bonus too. You also hear the feedback your partner gets. Watching someone at your level work through the same problem, and hearing how the coach fixes it, is one of the most underrated ways to learn. Many of our guests tell me some of their “aha” moments came from a tip that wasn’t even meant for them.
“Javier and Casey made sure I understood the theory, practiced enough on the sand and then accompanied me during every wave.”
— Alejandra P., first-time surfer, Tripadvisor, May 2026
She stood up in her very first lesson. By the end of the week, she felt safe enough to head out into deeper water.
The camera doesn’t lie (and that’s a gift)
What surfing feels like and what it looks like are often two very different things. You might swear you’re popping up fast. The footage might gently disagree.
That’s why we film you on GoPro and upload your clips to your phone every day. We encourage everyone to actually watch them, ideally with a coffee and your coach’s feedback still fresh in your mind!
Twice a week, you’ll also sit down with our head coach, Sergio, Javier, or Casey, depending on your week, for a video review session as a group. You get detailed feedback on your own waves and you hear the breakdown of everyone else’s too. It’s often the moment things finally click.
“By far the best coaching I have ever had, even after many years of surfing.”
— Julianna D., Tripadvisor, April 2025
Julianna came to us as an experienced surfer struggling with her paddling. Sergio filmed her stroke under the water so he could show her exactly what was happening. That’s the level of detail you can only get when your coach isn’t stretched across a crowd.
A small group with a whole team behind you
We cap our surf groups at ten surfers, which means up to five coaches in the water. We spread out so nobody is on top of each other. But you’re never surfing in isolation either.
Your own coach is your main point of contact. But it’s common for another coach to call a tip across the lineup or to cheer you into a wave. And when you ride one all the way to the sand, you’ll usually hear the whole beach go off. That sense of being part of a crew is a big part of why our guests keep coming back.
Coaches who know these waves (and this community)
A low ratio only works if the person watching you really knows the water. Ours do.
Our coaches are either born-and-bred Santa Catalina locals, many with international coaching experience, or expats who have surfed and lived here for over 15 years. They aren’t fly-in instructors doing a season before moving on to the next surf town.
That local knowledge shows up in every session. They know how Playa Estero changes with the tide, which peak will be gentler on a big swell day, where the rips set up and when to move to a different beach entirely. It’s why they can put you on the right wave, in the right spot, on the right day.
They’re also part of the surf community here. The lineup knows them, they know the lineup, and you get to share the water in a respectful, friendly way rather than as an outsider. For many of our guests, that’s one of the most special parts of the week.
Surf coaching, the Waluaa Way
When Sergio and I built Waluaa, we wanted the kind of surf experience we’d want for ourselves and our friends. Not rushed. Not ego-driven. Not a party camp. Patient, safety-first coaching in small groups, so you build real confidence without being pushed past your edge.
We call it the Waluaa Way. And the 2:1, level-matched ratio sits right at the heart of how we coach the art of surfing. Combined with ISA-certified local and long-term resident coaches who know every mood of these breaks, daily video and real surf theory, it’s how a first-timer stands up on day one and a returning surfer finally breaks old habits.
Surfing is one of the ultimate mindfulness practices. It’s hard to be anywhere but the present moment when you’re watching a set roll in. Good coaching just gives you the confidence to enjoy it.
5 questions to ask before you book any surf camp or retreat
Wherever you go, these will tell you more than the star rating.
- What’s the surfer-to-coach ratio in the water? Not “small groups,” the actual number.
- Are surfers grouped by level? And what happens if there’s no one at your level that week?
- How and when do you get feedback? After every wave, or a quick debrief at the end?
- Is there video analysis? Do you get your own footage, and does someone actually review it with you?
- What’s the vibe? Read the three-star reviews too, and ask directly whether it’s a party camp or a coaching-focused retreat.
Frequently asked questions
Ready to be coached properly?
You don’t need to be fearless or super fit. You just need the right coach watching you, at the right level, in the right waves.
Choose your week on our retreat schedule, whether that’s a surf retreat or a surf and yoga retreat in Santa Catalina. Or book a call and I’ll happily talk you through which week suits your level.
See you in the water,
Vickie
