NSA Progression Plan

Level 1 - Beginner

Learn correctly from the beginning. We will teach you board skills (in and out of the water), you will learn about beach conditions, reading the surf, safety, the rules of the ‘line up’ / surfing etiquette, equipment and how to best use it. We will teach you how to pop to your feet functionally and with style. Multiple assisted white-water rides and or tiny green waves.

Level 2 - Beginner

Still working on the above however progressing to turning left and right in the whitewash practicing correct turning technique, catch your own white-water waves, learn about weight distribution along with taking small steps up the board for speed and or back for easier turning. We will teach you how to change levels for stability and control.

Level 3 - Beginner

We’re out the back together on a softboard. You’re being taught how to safely navigate the surf. How to best deal with rips and current. You will learn the priority system along with other surfing etiquette. How to control your board safely in a crowded line-up without hurting yourself or somebody else. You will master the ‘Eskimo Role’ used to control longboards through breaking waves. Learn about correct ‘Paddle Lines’ and approach to catching and taking off on small green waves successfully unassisted forehand and backhand. Ride down the line with ease and style. Before progressing to level 4 you will safely navigate the line-up amongst others. You’re also cutting back, performing basic re-entries and or adding ‘cross stepping’ to your rides.

Level 4 - Intermediate

You may now be finding your softboard somewhat easy to ride and you’re eager to try a more High Performance design? We can help guide you in choosing a fibreglass longboard or mid-length ideal for you. We can help you master the skills of level 3 on your new fibreglass surfboard while sharpening your turning technique. Learn how to take off on steeper, small to medium size waves and gain confidence riding more critical sections. You may even feel like you’re getting barrelled but most likely you’re experiencing your first pocket rides and loving the feeling of all this additional speed. You’re officially hooked on surfing.

Level 5 - Intermediate

You’re capable of generating speed but can lose it easily too, your turns are getting bigger but look a bit funky so we will work on your style through body awareness and surfing movement exercises. You may like to try a high volume shortboard and learn how to Duck Dive? With this new equipment we’ll have to teach you how to take off on a more critical sections of the wave. We have dry-land teaching methods that have proven to fast-track progression with late take offs and barrel riding frontside and backside for both intermediate and advanced surfers. We also offer in the water tuition and or video footage.

Level 6 - Intermediate to Advanced

It’s time to be filmed from land unassisted in small to medium waves, this is all about locking in a solid foundation with ideal movement patterns so you’re able to surf well in a variety of conditions. While being guided through larger surf, we will teach you how to navigate more advanced line-ups safely without being screamed at by an angry local for doing something silly. As far as your turning technique, you’re already going big in small surf while pushing yourself to take more critical lines on medium to large waves.

Level 7 - Advanced

All your training sessions are now filmed. You’re landing small airs, reverses, can make 4-ft barrels frontside and backside. You’re trying to go vertical on 4-5-ft waves. You’re linking multiple rail turns together on point breaks with no hopping. You compress and push through your turns. We’re working on variety and adding new progressive manoeuvres to your combinations.

Level 8 - Advanced

You’re standing tall in barrels, flying out with huge amounts of speed and holding rail into huge turns! Your rail work, tempo and timing is precise and you throw large amounts of water when you hit sections. You can consistently land small air reverses and straight airs (frontside and backside) but are working on taking your ‘air game’ to the next level getting comfortable hitting bigger sections for XL high scoring air opportunities. You’re nailing all your land-based training exercises and it’s only a matter of time before you nail something in the water that would score well in a Gymnastics competition.

Level 9 - Elite

You can air drop into 6-8-ft reef breaks and stand tall without holding rail backside. You take on 10 - 15 ft anywhere in the world. Your technique is so good you can compete with the best in small, medium, and large waves around the world. You can land massive airs and go vertical at waves like Haleiwa and Sunset Beach in Hawaii. You can blow your whole board through the lip frontside and backside spinning out backwards before linking straight into another major turn ideal for that section. Your timing and decision making is incredible. Your knowledge of the ocean, equipment and waves around the world is elite. You may be on the World Tour, Qualifying Tour or Professional Freesurfer representing your hometown, state, and country on the world stage.

Level 10 - Elite

You have no weakness. If it’s 1 - 30 ft, you can perform at an elite standard. You can land giant airs in cold water. You could win the Pipeline Masters if it’s washing through from 3rd Reef. You surf with huge amounts of speed, power, variety, and skill. Critical high-risk manoeuvres always appropriate for what is ideal to that wave. You link these combinations together over and over with split second timing and correct decision making. You may be in a World Title Race, representing your country at the Olympics or kicking back as a Freesurfer making millions.

Testimonials

Bede Durbidge

Olympic Australian Surf Team Head Coach

“I have known Dean Brady (NSA Head Coach) for over 20 years. It’s been incredible to watch him go from having a great professional surfing career himself to now helping the next generation chase their dreams. Since retiring 9 years ago Dean has worked as a professional surfing coach teaching beginner to intermediate level surfers in Noosa and abroad, along with State, National and World Qualifying Series surfers. In 2019, four junior surfers training with Dean won Queensland Junior Surfing Titles. A huge result for NSA winning 50% of the QLD Junior Titles. 3 of those 4 surfers started with Dean as beginner groms. Grass roots surfing is where all Olympians and World Champions start out and what an opportunity for Noosa to have one of their own passing on a wealth of knowledge to the local surfing community.”

Mick Fanning

3x World Surfing Champion (2007, 2009, 2013)

“I’ve known Dean Brady for 25 years. He’s a big friendly giant and always a pleasure to be around. Since we first met, I’ve watched him grow into becoming one of the world’s best surfers to now a dedicated family man and businessman. Dean’s knowledge of the ocean is incredible and his patience with people makes him one of the best people to teach surfing to all levels of ability. Dean shares and ingrains the knowledge he has gained from three plus decades of surfing Noosa and abroad into aspiring surfers as I’ve witnessed him do for Noosa Boardriders Club on many occasions along with helping myself guide some of Rip Curl’s best junior surfers in Hawaii for many years at waves like Pipeline and Sunset Beach. I have noticed the abundance of young talent coming out of the Noosa Surfing Academy and it would give me great pleasure to see one of Dean’s students make the World Tour and or represent Australia at the Olympics one day. I highly recommend the Noosa Surfing Academy; I know Dean and his team would offer a high level of tuition that is not easy to find.”