Former pupil Ruby Waybourne (Longcross, 2017) has set up surfing academy Ruby's Rippers, with focuses on encouraging more girls to take up the sport. After leaving Claremont Fan Court, Ruby took a gap year to live in Australia developing her surf coaching skills working at a specialised female surf school. Ruby returned to the UK to study Economics at Plymouth University. Along her studies she continued coaching and worked at all female surf camps in Cornwall and Morocco. After gaining experience Ruby decided now was the time to set up her own surf academy.

Ruby returned to her native Yorkshire and explains here why she was inspired to set up her own surf academy in the North East.

"The North Yorkshire coast has some of the best surf in the country, but quite often I’m the only girl out there in the surf. Having grown up surfing in the North East, the lack of girls included in the surf community in the area is far too apparent. Whether this is due to the fact that surfing remains a largely male dominated sport, or it is caused by the lack of girls staying in sport through teenage years remains unclear. So, I have set up the surf academy in an effort to encourage girls into what has traditionally been the male-dominated world of surfing.

So many girls drop out of sport as teenagers because they can’t find the right one to suit them – it becomes too competitive, or it’s just not fun anymore. Surfing is a fantastic alternative to the traditional sports and it’s such a great way to find a community of likeminded active friends. It is such a good sport not just for fitness, but for mental health too
 
Ruby’s Rippers Surf Academy, accredited by Surfing England and Dexter’s Surf Shop, runs a six-week programme of expert tuition to help girls find their surfing feet and develop their confidence in the water. I am aiming to continue with the academy in the coming years and add more programmes to get girls into surfing and engaged in sport more generally."

We wish Ruby all the best with her new venture and look forward to hearing all the updates about the new generation of female surfers. If you find yourself in the area maybe you would also like to contact Ruby for a surf lesson or two!