Richard Schmidt Surf School



Helping Richard in the water are a team of accomplished, world-class surfers. All instructors have a genuine interest in helping you acquire the necessary skills to pursue surfing on your own. All are CPR certified and have been trained by Richard. Not only will you learn basic fundamentals of the sport, but also etiquette and how to deal with potential hazards. Each instructor also brings his or her own unique approach to surfing that creates a more in-depth learning experience. So whether you're a first-timer or an advanced shredder, it's always a good idea to do a follow-up lesson with a different instructor to help get you to that next level in surfing. Here are brief bios on each coach:

		DAVID SCHMIDT Dave has been a mainstay in the Santa Cruz surfing scene for well over three decades. Through the years David and his brother Richard have shared countless days of epic surf together. In the early to mid 80's on the North Shore of Oahu, with David being a goofy foot and Richard a regular foot, there was always a constant battle on where to surf; the rights or lefts, Sunset or Pipeline. David's tall frame seemed to fit perfectly in the big North Shore surf. He was definitely one of the best at Pipeline during this period, also a standout on many days at Sunset and Waimea. On Jan. 22, 1990, Dave and Tom Powers were up at Ocean Beach (San Francisco) admiring, perfect 15' A-frame peaks going off, unfortunately with no channel to paddle out in. Jeff Clark pulled up and said, "You guys want big perfect surf with a channel? Follow me." Although Jeff had surfed Mavericks for years before this day, this was the first time he was able to share it with other takers, up until this day a hard commodity to come by. David was shell-shocked. "I saw so many waves that you could fit 18 wheelers inside of! I never imagined anything like that in California!" Jeff's comments on Dave that session: "Dave caught a beauty that day and S-turned his way all the way through to the inside rock." This happened to be the same surf that produced an epic Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational event the day before in which Dave's brother Richard placed third. According to Jeff. "That day definitely changed everything." Dave's knowledge of the ocean is invaluable to the school. His SSA's (struggling surfers assists) are the most powerful in the business. Besides teaching surfing, Dave is also very active as a real estate agent for Lighthouse Realty. He can be contacted directly for any real estate needs: cell (831) 227-3679 / office (831) 425-7355 / e-mail david.schmidt777@yahoo.com

		DAVE AVARY Dave was born in Santa Cruz and has grown up loving the beach, swimming, and being active outdoors. He started enjoying the ocean participating in junior guards at Cowells a long time ago which led to surfing. He normally ends up surfing The Lane, but enjoys surfing just about anywhere on the westside, north, and south of town. He has been surfing for 18 years and this is his 6th summer teaching surfing with the Richard Schmidt Surf School. He loves to travel and his favorite trips have been to Australia, Mexico, and Peru. Nearly every day at home begins with coffee and cliff cruise to check the waves and he ends up going surfing everyday. When he’s not surfing he enjoys mountain biking, a run on the beach, or to go for long paddles on Richard’s old long boards. He is always planning his next surf trip and working to save his money for the next adventure! He just got back from an unreal 6 month trip! His favorite waves in the world are Snapper Rocks in Australia, Chicama in Peru, and a certain spot in Mexico that he can’t tell you the name of. He really enjoys teaching surfing and to see people get stoked when they catch their first wave.

		JIMMY HERRICK Jimmy is one of Santa Cruz’s homegrown talented surfers. Growing up in a surfing family it came easy for him. In 2009 in Cayucos and 2011 in Santa Cruz he scored wins in the Volcom Totally Crustaceous Surf Series contests. He is an incredible surfer, but one would never guess this because Jimmy has a relaxed, unassuming, and always positive personality. These qualities help make him a natural teacher. He always arrives to teach with a smile on his face. Jimmy is an amazing waterman and has designed his life around the ocean. He has been a Santa Cruz beach lifeguard as well as teaching for us since 2005. He is on the Santa Cruz Harbor’s marine rescue crew and is a certified EMT. Check out a YouTube video of Jimmy surfing in Santa Cruz...

		VAN CURAZA Van and Richard became good friends in the early 90's when they lived together on the North Shore of Hawaii. They surfed many good waves together there and have been friends ever since. In 2005 Van was hired as camp counseler. His infectious enthusiasm helps push the campers to new levels in their surfing. Van hails from the central coast of California near Morro Bay. He has long been recognized as one of the top surfers in that area. The last couple of years he has opened a lot of eyes by towing into some bottomless, pitting barrels with ease. The school is fortunate to have such a top-notch surfer in the program. If you're ever in the Pismo Beach / Morro Bay area, look up his surf school for lessons. He is one of the best watermen you will find out there.

		ANUTTARA DENLAY Anuttara started working in the summer of 2005. Growing up in Malibu, CA, she is the classic "watergirl." Her water skills include coaching the Malibu High School swim and water polo teams, and teaching all levels of swimming. She spent a few years with Baja Surf Adventures. Her responsibilities included driving a 15-passenger van from San Diego into the Baja peninsula, managing food, water and electrical supplies, along with helping provide a sense of security in a remote place. Her background and solid surfing skills combine to make Anuttara an awesome instructor. We have received many compliments from students on Anuttara's positive and helpful teaching qualities.

		KENNY D'ANDREA Kenny grew up surfing in Santa Cruz. In addition to surfing he has been training in Tae Kwon Do since age 4. He graduated in 2010 from UCSC with a degree in Business Management Economics. He loves to travel and experience different cultures and surf. He has been teaching with us since 2008. He brings a light-hearted, patient approach and is always an enthusiastic and knowledgeable teacher.

		JOEY HUTSON Joey comes from a big surfing family in Santa Cruz, so it's only natural that he's one of the best surfers in town. He's worked for the school since 1999. From 2000 to present he spends 6 weeks each summer as head instructor for the O'neill Surf Academy, a program Richard started. His amiable, upbeat personality is infectious to the students. The following is Kenny Collin's description of Joey as it appeared in Surfing magazine: "Joey Hutson is the latest addition to the 'Westside Warriors' current lineup at the Lane and has definitely proven to be one of the fittest. He looks more like a body builder than a surfer, 'cause he's sooo flexed out. But it pays off in the power surfing department... Joey's full of energy, and he explodes when he hits his turns."

		TOREY RIEMAN Torey grew up in Ventura where point breaks are common and Rincon, the crown jewel of the coast was right down the road. Torey has spent many a winter on the North Shore where the waves are mean and fun. He has an "old school" style Torey's love of surfing and sports lead him to a Masters degree in Kynesiology from CSU Humboldt. Thus, his understanding of motion makes him a great teacher. His other passion is coaching. He was the coach for Humboldt's womens soccer team. Torey's experience in surfing along with his degree made him a perfect candidate for our instructor/counseler position for our surf camps. Torey has been head counseler and instructor at our camps since the summer of 1999. He thrives on being outdoors and immersed in the ocean. His coaching style is, "Don't hold back or hesitate. Give it all you've got!" After a long day of surfing listening to "Torey, the storyteller" around the fire is a great way to cap the evening.

Photo by Charlie Witmer, f8surf.com		RICHARD RODRIGUEZ Richard has worked with the surf school since the summer of 2005. He has been surfing in Santa Cruz for over two decades with Steamer Lane being his favorite haunt. He has a very functional approach with a little flair thrown in now and again for good measure. Richard’s close attention to detail makes him an excellent surf instructor. He is able to break down the basic fundamentals of surfing so students understand what is needed to learn the sport. Being in the restaurant business has given him a 5-star rating when it comes to customer service during surf lessons. The positive feedback we receive from clients on his performance flows steadily into the office. He always puts the students first and puts out 110% making sure clients walk away stoked.

		DARRY "FLEA" VIROTSKO Darryl “Flea” Virostko has an honorary masters degree in surfing. In the 90’s he was at the forefront of pushing the boundaries of aerial surfing. In addition to mastering small wave feats he went on to conquer Mavericks, one of the most harrowing waves on the planet. In the inaugural Jay at Mavericks Big Wave Invitational surf contest in 1999, He won the contest with Richard coming in second. The next two events at Mavericks he won as well coining the phrase, “Flea-peat” instead of three-peat. Darryl surfs everyday he can, and we are fortunate to have him as one of our instructors. Having a surfing resume like his is invaluable to a student looking to gain some knowledge.