Every other day of the year, pro surfer Brett Simpson catches waves for himself.
But on Saturday, as he stayed in the knee-deep shallow water to help foster kids enjoy the waves, it was about sharing the stoke of surfing.
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![Erik Nelsen Surf Camp instructor Cole Cherney, 17, watches a student catch one of her first waves during the 2017 International Surfing Day event sponsored by the Surfrider Foundation and local nonprofit Urban Surf 4 Kids to give foster kids the opportunity to get into the water and experience surfing in Newport Beach, CA on Saturday, June 17, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)]()
Erik Nelsen Surf Camp instructor Cole Cherney, 17, watches a student catch one of her first waves during the 2017 International Surfing Day event sponsored by the Surfrider Foundation and local nonprofit Urban Surf 4 Kids to give foster kids the opportunity to get into the water and experience surfing in Newport Beach, CA on Saturday, June 17, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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![Recently adopted Malachi Donalson, 13, catches one of his first waves during the 2017 International Surfing Day event sponsored by the Surfrider Foundation, local nonprofit Urban Surf 4 Kids and Erik Nelsen Surf Camps, to give foster kids the opportunity to get into the water and experience surfing in Newport Beach, CA on Saturday, June 17, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)]()
Recently adopted Malachi Donalson, 13, catches one of his first waves during the 2017 International Surfing Day event sponsored by the Surfrider Foundation, local nonprofit Urban Surf 4 Kids and Erik Nelsen Surf Camps, to give foster kids the opportunity to get into the water and experience surfing in Newport Beach, CA on Saturday, June 17, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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![Surf instructor Erik Nelsen high-fives Hannah Donalson, 14, as fellow instructor Bobby Witting grabs her board after she caught one of her first waves during the 2017 International Surfing Day event sponsored by the Surfrider Foundation, local nonprofit Urban Surf 4 Kids and Erik Nelsen Surf Camps, to give foster kids the opportunity to get into the water and experience surfing in Newport Beach, CA on Saturday, June 17, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)]()
Surf instructor Erik Nelsen high-fives Hannah Donalson, 14, as fellow instructor Bobby Witting grabs her board after she caught one of her first waves during the 2017 International Surfing Day event sponsored by the Surfrider Foundation, local nonprofit Urban Surf 4 Kids and Erik Nelsen Surf Camps, to give foster kids the opportunity to get into the water and experience surfing in Newport Beach, CA on Saturday, June 17, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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![Professional surfer Brett Simpson, at left, gives instructions to a student during the 2017 International Surfing Day event sponsored by the Surfrider Foundation, local nonprofit Urban Surf 4 Kids and Erik Nelsen Surf Camps, to give foster kids the opportunity to get into the water and experience surfing in Newport Beach, CA on Saturday, June 17, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)]()
Professional surfer Brett Simpson, at left, gives instructions to a student during the 2017 International Surfing Day event sponsored by the Surfrider Foundation, local nonprofit Urban Surf 4 Kids and Erik Nelsen Surf Camps, to give foster kids the opportunity to get into the water and experience surfing in Newport Beach, CA on Saturday, June 17, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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![Surf instructor Leah Pakpour helps a student navigate the waves during the 2017 International Surfing Day event sponsored by the Surfrider Foundation, local nonprofit Urban Surf 4 Kids and Erik Nelsen Surf Camps, to give foster kids the opportunity to get into the water and experience surfing in Newport Beach, CA on Saturday, June 17, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)]()
Surf instructor Leah Pakpour helps a student navigate the waves during the 2017 International Surfing Day event sponsored by the Surfrider Foundation, local nonprofit Urban Surf 4 Kids and Erik Nelsen Surf Camps, to give foster kids the opportunity to get into the water and experience surfing in Newport Beach, CA on Saturday, June 17, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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![A student catches a wave during the 2017 International Surfing Day event sponsored by the Surfrider Foundation, local nonprofit Urban Surf 4 Kids and Erik Nelsen Surf Camps, to give foster kids the opportunity to get into the water and experience surfing in Newport Beach, CA on Saturday, June 17, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)]()
A student catches a wave during the 2017 International Surfing Day event sponsored by the Surfrider Foundation, local nonprofit Urban Surf 4 Kids and Erik Nelsen Surf Camps, to give foster kids the opportunity to get into the water and experience surfing in Newport Beach, CA on Saturday, June 17, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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![Erik Nelsen Surf Camp instructor Cole Cherney, 17, helps a student catch one of her first waves during the 2017 International Surfing Day event sponsored by the Surfrider Foundation and local nonprofit Urban Surf 4 Kids to give foster kids the opportunity to get into the water and experience surfing in Newport Beach, CA on Saturday, June 17, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)]()
Erik Nelsen Surf Camp instructor Cole Cherney, 17, helps a student catch one of her first waves during the 2017 International Surfing Day event sponsored by the Surfrider Foundation and local nonprofit Urban Surf 4 Kids to give foster kids the opportunity to get into the water and experience surfing in Newport Beach, CA on Saturday, June 17, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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![A student catches one of her first waves during the 2017 International Surfing Day event sponsored by the Surfrider Foundation and local nonprofit Urban Surf 4 Kids to give foster kids the opportunity to get into the water and experience surfing in Newport Beach, CA on Saturday, June 17, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)]()
A student catches one of her first waves during the 2017 International Surfing Day event sponsored by the Surfrider Foundation and local nonprofit Urban Surf 4 Kids to give foster kids the opportunity to get into the water and experience surfing in Newport Beach, CA on Saturday, June 17, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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![Professional surfer Brett Simpson, left, gives a student a high-five as she catches one of her first waves during the 2017 International Surfing Day event sponsored by the Surfrider Foundation and local nonprofit Urban Surf 4 Kids to give foster kids the opportunity to get into the water and experience surfing in Newport Beach, CA on Saturday, June 17, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)]()
Professional surfer Brett Simpson, left, gives a student a high-five as she catches one of her first waves during the 2017 International Surfing Day event sponsored by the Surfrider Foundation and local nonprofit Urban Surf 4 Kids to give foster kids the opportunity to get into the water and experience surfing in Newport Beach, CA on Saturday, June 17, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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![A student catches one of her first waves during the 2017 International Surfing Day event sponsored by the Surfrider Foundation and local nonprofit Urban Surf 4 Kids to give foster kids the opportunity to get into the water and experience surfing in Newport Beach, CA on Saturday, June 17, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)]()
A student catches one of her first waves during the 2017 International Surfing Day event sponsored by the Surfrider Foundation and local nonprofit Urban Surf 4 Kids to give foster kids the opportunity to get into the water and experience surfing in Newport Beach, CA on Saturday, June 17, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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![A student catches one of her first waves during the 2017 International Surfing Day event sponsored by the Surfrider Foundation and local nonprofit Urban Surf 4 Kids to give foster kids the opportunity to get into the water and experience surfing in Newport Beach, CA on Saturday, June 17, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)]()
A student catches one of her first waves during the 2017 International Surfing Day event sponsored by the Surfrider Foundation and local nonprofit Urban Surf 4 Kids to give foster kids the opportunity to get into the water and experience surfing in Newport Beach, CA on Saturday, June 17, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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![Students catch a wave as professional surfer Brett Simpson looks on during the 2017 International Surfing Day event sponsored by the Surfrider Foundation and local nonprofit Urban Surf 4 Kids to give foster kids the opportunity to get into the water and experience surfing in Newport Beach, CA on Saturday, June 17, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)]()
Students catch a wave as professional surfer Brett Simpson looks on during the 2017 International Surfing Day event sponsored by the Surfrider Foundation and local nonprofit Urban Surf 4 Kids to give foster kids the opportunity to get into the water and experience surfing in Newport Beach, CA on Saturday, June 17, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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“It’s been my job for nearly 15 years; I’m always out there and catching fun waves,” the Huntington Beach surfer said. But on this day, Simpson said he has more fun helping others catch waves.
Simpson was part of a joint effort by Surfrider Foundation, Hurley, Erik Nelson Surf Camps and Urban Surf 4 Kids to get a group of foster kids who come from tough backgrounds to ride waves in Newport Beach.
The event was just one of hundreds around the world for International Surfing Day, founded in 2005, a quasi-holiday celebrated by surfers as far as Australia and Japan.
The idea was simple when it was created: Take a day to get out to the ocean and enjoy the surf. But over the years, it’s evolved into much more.
Events were held along the coast Saturday, with free surf lessons happening from Newport to San Onofre. Surfrider Foundation held 60 events throughout the country, and hundreds more were happening around the world.
“We spend 364 days a year trying to protect the beaches, so one day a year we want to celebrate the beaches and celebrate surfing and just enjoy,” said Chad Nelson, CEO of San Clemente-based Surfrider Foundation. “Our theme this year is “share what you love.”
Part of Surfrider’s mission is to increase beach access – and that includes getting people from inland communities to the ocean.
“The beaches are one of the biggest open spaces in California,” he said. “We want to make sure we can get less fortunate people to the beach. We’re so lucky, surfing is such a gift, we do it all the time. But we want to make sure we give that gift to others as well.”
Nelson’s brother, Erik, quickly agreed to help, signing up his surf school to donate the day to getting foster kids in the ocean. The two brothers reminisced about when they first learned to surf, in the late 70s, as kids.
Surfing became such a big thing in Erik Nelson’s life that he started his surf school, Erik Nelson Surf Camps, in Newport Beach.
Urban Surf 4 Kids started taking inner city, underserved kids out to surf in 2009, said San Diego chapter president Craig Jenkins.
“There’s something special about the ocean. For us, it’s the only place we can clear our minds, and that’s what we want to give to the kids,” said Jenkins.
The group meets each month to give stability to the kids, as many of them bounce from home to home.
“We use water sports or surfing as a tool to help the kids heal. They’ve been through incredible emotional trauma. We found that surfing is a true way for them to release some of that,” he said. “When the kids go from placement to placement, we are always here. We’re creating a family for kids who don’t have a family.”
He smiled as a young 8-year-old caught a wave to shore, her arms spread wide and a smile on her face.
“That is the definition of stoked, seeing a smile on these kids faces and watching them let go of all that stuff, their fears, and have a good time at the beach,” he said.
“You are shredding!” he called out to the young girl before she jumped off her board.
Libby and Mac Donalson said they’ve seen a huge difference in their eight foster children after they joined Urban Surf 4 Kids about two years ago.
“When you are dealing with individuals who are so damaged and have been so beaten down, the ocean is therapeutic.” said Libby Donalson.
She’s noticed subtle differences after the kids learned to surf – in how they stood up taller, had more confidence. It gave them something to brag about.
“It changes their whole persona,” she said.
Daniel Donalson, 14, is a perfect example. He doesn’t do well with group sports because he’s never stayed in one place long enough to stay with a team. But learning to surf gave him a boost to flex his athletic ability.
“The big waves really fascinate me,” he said.
And it’s something the entire foster family can enjoy together, hitting the beach as much as possible to enjoy the waves.
“That’s all we do now is surf,” Libby Donalson said.