NSSA - National Scholastic Surfing Association

The National Scholastic Surfing Association (NSSA) is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to encourage and assist its members in their interest to learn and develop the fundamentals and skills of surfing competition while competing in structured and quality events. The NSSA promotes the qualities of discipline and competitive excellence while supporting the merits of academic achievement to young surfers. The NSSA strives to provide a fun surfing experience for all of its members.

The NSSA is one of the few national youth sports organizations that require its participants to maintain academic standards in order to compete. Since 1978, the NSSA program philosophy has been that athletics and scholastics go hand in hand. More than 80 NSSA events are run nationwide that culminate with the annual National Championships which is regarded as the highest profile youth surfing event in America.


How to Compete

With more and more surfers wanting to participate in National Scholastic Surfing Association events, the NSSA continues to broaden it's program for the needs of competitive surfing.

Currently the NSSA operates nationally with eight regional conferences running contests throughout the year. The NSSA National competition season for all regional conferences runs from September through June ending with the NSSA National Championships held each June in California. Annually, the NSSA conducts over 80 surfing events nationwide which is organized into competition seasons in each of it's eight regional conferences. The competition seasons are as follows:

NSSA Open Season. The highest level of competition. Open to students only. Open Season age divisions are as follows: Mens (16&up), Juniors (13-15), Boys (12&under), Mini Groms (10&under), Womens (all ages), Longboard (all ages).

NSSA Explorer Season. An all around level of competition which provides advanced, intermediate, beginner as well as recreational and non student divisions. Explorer Season age divisions are as follows: Mens (all ages), Juniors (15-17), Boys (13-14), Menehuene (12&under), Masters (25-34), Seniors (35-44), Super Seniors (45&up), Duke (55&up), Womens (all ages), and Longboard (all ages).

NSSA Middle School, High School and College Team Seasons. Organized team events for Middle School, High School and College teams.

NSSA JR Program. A novice competitive surfing program. The NSSA JR Program's purpose is to teach and improve competitive surfing skills to student surfers grades 6-11 and to prepare it's members for competition in the NSSA Open and Explorer program.