Surf Academy / SurfStar International

What Surf Academy / SurfStar International does

Surf Academy is a privately held surf instruction business operating primarily out of Santa Monica State Beach (Tower 22 and Tower 24) in Los Angeles, California. Founded in 1999 by US Surfing Champion Mary Setterholm, the company offers a vertically integrated suite of surf programs for ages 5 through adult: private and semi-private 90-minute lessons ($160-$200 with staff, up to $200 with owner Marion Clark), summer surf camps including Beach Kids (ages 5-8) and Summer Surf Camp (grades 4-8), the Ocean Ambassador junior-lifeguard program, year-round surf team memberships for middle and high school students ($1,250-$2,500 annually), surf trips to SoCal and international destinations, and the Mermaid Mamas women-only group sessions.

The company's go-to-market combines direct-to-consumer online booking (via the MindBody scheduling platform integrated into surfacademy.com) with community-led growth anchored by long-standing school partnerships. Surf Academy serves as the de facto surf-team operator for several Santa Monica-area schools — Lincoln Middle School, John Adams Middle School, Santa Monica High School (Samohi), Mar Vista schools, Culver City HS, and New Roads — and has secured SMMUSD recognition for Independent PE credit through surf team participation. The Ohana Nalu Surf Contest Series (six events from November 2025 through June 2026) and the sister Surf Bus Foundation extend the brand into competitive and community-outreach domains.

Surf Academy is bootstrapped, with no disclosed external funding. It is managed by Marion Clark (Managing Partner and Beach Programs Director, daughter of the founder) and Jamie Marcellus (Co-Owner, teaching since 1999). The technology stack is intentionally lean — no proprietary platform; operations run on MindBody for scheduling/payments and Wix.com for the website. Revenue streams include unit-priced lessons and camps, annual surf team subscriptions, trip fees, and contest entry fees, all concentrated in a single Southern California market with no current geographic expansion outside the region.

Name

Surf Academy / SurfStar International

Legal name

Surf Academy

Website

https://surfacademy.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Surf Academy is a Santa Monica, California-based surf school founded in 1999, offering private lessons, summer camps, school surf teams, and contests for children, students, and adult women across multiple program tiers and price points.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Surf Instruction and Water Sports Education

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYTHAAAKAC

Surf Schools & Surf Camps

Travel & Hospitality/Adventure, Amusement Parks & Ecotourism/Adventure Sports & Activity Centers (Paragliding, Skydiving, Surf Schools)

SECONDARYTHAJAJAJ

Surfing & Kitesurfing Experiences (Lessons, Camps)

Travel & Hospitality/Tours, Attractions & Experiences/Marine & Water Experiences (Boat Tours, Diving, Snorkeling, Fishing)

SECONDARYEDALAIAF

Aquatics Programs (Pools, Swim Lessons, Lifeguarding)

Education/Student Services & Campus Operations/Athletics, Recreation & Fitness

Keywords

• Surf instruction
• Surf camps
• Surf school
• Surf team coaching
• Ocean safety education

Headquarters

HQ city

Santa Monica

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Private & Semi-Private Surf Lessons: One-on-one and small group surf instruction offered year-round, 7 days a week. Private lessons (90 minutes) with basic instructor at $160/session or with owner Marion Clark at $200/session. Multi-session packages available at discounted rates. Semi-private lessons for 2-3 people with shared instructor.
2. Surf Camps: Summer surf camps for kids ages 5-8 (Beach Kids) and grades 4th-8th. Pricing ranges from $320-$550 per week depending on program and session length. Ocean Ambassador junior lifeguard-style program at $800 per 4-week session.
3. Surf Team Memberships: School-year surf team memberships for middle and high school students. Annual membership at $2,500 with payment plan options (quarterly $625, semester $1,250). Includes unlimited practices, team uniform, and access to surf contests.
4. Surf Trips & Excursions: Regional and international surf trips including San Onofre camping trips ($800) and Girls/Boys Immersion Excursions ($800). Day-long and multi-day excursions to various surf destinations.
5. Mermaid Mamas Group Sessions: Group surf sessions for adult women, offered during summer months. Single sessions at $150, 10-pack at $1,350, or unlimited summer sessions at $3,250.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Surf Academy is a Southern California surf school that sells in-person surf instruction, multi-week surf camps, year-round school surf team coaching, women's group surf sessions, and competitive surf contests to children, teens, and adults. All services are delivered at Santa Monica State Beach (Tower 22 and Tower 24) using the company's own instructors and equipment, with bookings managed through the third-party MindBody scheduling platform.

Product overview

Surf Academy is a Southern California surf school offering a comprehensive suite of water sports instruction and team programs. The core offerings include private and semi-private surf lessons (90-minute sessions at Santa Monica), surf camps for ages 5-17 (Beach Kids, Summer Surf Camp, Ocean Ambassador, and Summer Surf Team Practices), and year-round surf team memberships for middle and high school students at Santa Monica area schools. Additional programs include Mermaid Mamas group sessions for women, surf trips and excursions (San Onofre Safari, Immersion Excursions), and the Ohana Nalu competitive surf contest series. The company also partners with the Surf Bus Foundation for community outreach. MindBody scheduling software is used for all bookings and payments.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Private Surf Lessons One-on-one 90-minute surf instruction at Santa Monica Tower 24 with a dedicated instructor. Includes use of INT surfboard, wetsuit, and rash guard. Priced at $160 per lesson with staff instructors or $200 with owner Marion Clark. Available 7 days a week year-round.
• Semi-Private Surf Lessons Group surf lessons for 2 or 3 people sharing a dedicated instructor. 90-minute sessions at Santa Monica Tower 24, priced at $240-$300 for 2 people ($120-$150 per person) and $300-$420 for 3 people ($100-$140 per person) depending on instructor. Equipment included.
• Beach Kids Surf Camp Week-long surf camp for children ages 5-8 focusing on ocean socialization and age-appropriate safety skills. Half-day ($400/week) or full-day ($550/week) options at Santa Monica State Beach Tower 24. Includes ocean awareness, bodyboarding, and supervised surfing with a 1:4 instructor ratio in water.
• Summer Surf Camp Week-long surf camp for students in grades 4th–8th (ages 9-13) at Santa Monica State Beach. AM or PM sessions (9:00-11:30 AM or 12:00-2:30 PM) at $400/week. Beginner to advanced levels welcome. Equipment provided or students may bring their own.
• Ocean Ambassador Program Junior Lifeguards-style 4-week intensive program for ages 9-17 teaching ocean safety, swimming proficiency, first aid, rescue techniques, and awareness of tides, waves, and rip currents. Two sessions available at $800 each, including a rashguard.
• Summer Surf Team Practices High school surf team sessions (ages 14-17) running Monday-Friday 7:00-9:00 AM during the summer. Focus on surf-specific drills and technique refinement for beginner to advanced surfers at $400/week.
• Surf Team Membership Year-round surf team coaching for middle and high school students. Includes weekly practices at Santa Monica beaches, access to competitive Ohana Nalu contests, and ISPE credit opportunities. Membership options range from $1,250 per semester to $2,500 annual with quarterly and semester payment plans.
• Surf Trips and Excursions Multi-day surf travel experiences including the annual San Onofre Week-long Surfari (August, $800 including transportation, meals, coaching, and camping) and Girls/Boys Immersion Excursions (August, $800) featuring intensive surf courses with yoga, culture exploration, and photography.
• Mermaid Mamas Group Sessions Group surf sessions for women featuring grounding meditation, pilates/yoga warm-up, and surf instruction. Runs summer scheduling (June 15 – August 8) with pricing from $150 single session to $1,350 for a 10-pack and $3,250 for unlimited summer access.
• Ohana Nalu Surf Contest Series Competitive surf contest series for middle and high school students. Divisions include Girls/Boys Shortboard, Longboard, and Bodyboard. Entry fees of $60-$120 depending on number of divisions entered. Six contests scheduled from November 2025 through June 2026.

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• City of Santa MonicacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1999Exclusive operating partnership for surf camps, group lessons, and private lessons at Santa Monica State Beach locations. Partnership with City of Santa Monica for beach access and program operations.
• Los Angeles County BeachescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAccess to LA County beach locations for corporate surf parties and additional instruction areas beyond Santa Monica.
• Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District (SMMUSD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchool district recognition for Independent PE (ISPE) credit for students participating in Surf Academy surf team programs. Partnership enables high school and middle school students to earn academic credit through surfing.
• South Bay Scholastic Surfing AssociationminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSurf Academy's Samohi surf team competes in SBSA events alongside other schools from across Southern California. SBSA hosts weekday competitions where students are excused from school.
• Lincoln Middle SchoolcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSurf Academy hosts and coaches the Lincoln Middle School surf team with dedicated practice schedules and team management.
• John Adams Middle School (JAMS)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSurf Academy hosts and coaches the John Adams Middle School surf team with dedicated practice schedules and team management.
• Santa Monica High School (Samohi)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSurf Academy hosts and coaches the Samohi High School surf team with dedicated practice schedules and team management.
• MindBodycoreTechnology or IntegrationMindBody scheduling and payment processing platform integrated into Surf Academy's website for customer bookings, practice sign-ups, membership management, and payment processing.
• Surf Bus FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity outreach program sister organization bringing at-risk youth to the beach for surfing instruction. Shares founder Marion Clark with Surf Academy. Collaborative community impact initiative.
• INT SurfboardsminorOthersPreferred surfboard supplier for team equipment orders. Offering 20-30% above wholesale pricing for Surf Academy families.
• Body GloveminorOthersWetsuit supplier for team wetsuit orders at wholesale cost pricing for team members.
• Local Surf Shops (Rider Shack, Jack's Surfboards, Dive'N'Surf, Bay Street Boards)minorOthersReferenced as recommended local surf shops for equipment purchases on Surf Academy's Gift Guide page. Community support for local businesses.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Zuma Surf and Swim Training: Malibu-based surf instruction outfit offering lessons and camps to children and adults on LA County beaches. Comparable to Surf Academy as a beachfront LA County surf school serving beginner and intermediate students.
• Pacific Surf School: Manhattan Beach-based surf school providing private lessons, group lessons, and youth programs on LA's South Bay coast. Comparable to Surf Academy in Southern California geography, beginner focus, and lesson-based revenue model.
• Surf Diva: Women- and beginner-focused surf school in the San Diego/Encinitas area offering private lessons, multi-day surf camps, and surf retreats. Closely comparable to Surf Academy in instructional format, female-inclusive programming (akin to Mermaid Mamas), and surf-camp structure.
• Learn To Surf: Los Angeles-area surf instruction service offering beginner lessons, kids' camps, and private coaching at local beaches. Direct competitor to Surf Academy in the LA beginner and youth surf lesson market.
• Corky Carroll's Surf School: Iconic pro-surfer-founded surf school in Huntington Beach offering lessons, camps, and group instruction. Comparable to Surf Academy as a Southern California surf school leveraging a pro-surfer brand pedigree to anchor private and group lessons.

Emerging players

• SwimJim: Los Angeles-based children's aquatic instruction provider focused on swim lessons and water safety. Adjacent to Surf Academy's Ocean Ambassador program and youth aquatics curriculum, with overlap on parent-driven children's water-sports demand.
• Surf With Amigas: Women's surf retreat and camp operator running international multi-day surf experiences. Comparable to Surf Academy's Mermaid Mamas and Girls/Boys Immersion Excursions surf-trip offerings and adult-female programming orientation.

Broad incumbents

• Aqua-Tots Swim Schools: National children's swim instruction franchise with structured lesson programs and significant scale. Relevant to Surf Academy as a comparison point on multi-site youth aquatics instruction, even though Aqua-Tots focuses on pool rather than surf.
• British Swim School: Franchised children's and adult swim instruction provider operating across the US. Comparable to Surf Academy in targeting water-safety outcomes for youth, while operating at larger scale through a franchise model.
• The Bay Club: Membership-based private sports and recreation club operating multiple Southern California locations with swimming, fitness, and youth programming. Comparable to Surf Academy in its membership-driven, multi-program youth sports/recreation model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCmYLkiBoMtJim-cd3mn0T3g
• Facebookfacebook.com/Surf-Academy-Collective-181845788561612
• Instagraminstagram.com/surf_academy
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/surf-academy

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Surf Academy / SurfStar International