Dear New and Incoming Campers,
My name is Whip (Jack) and I am going to tell you about my experience(s) at
West Coast Camps and tell you why you should attend West Coast Camps. Well, I
heard about West Coast from Robbie Culp’s dad, Jeff Culp, back in 2008. At the time,
Robbie was just a camper and only had been to West Coast Camps one time (later,
Robbie becomes a coach at West Coast Camps). Jeff gave us a basic description of the
camp and instantly when he said the words, “living on a house boat for a week, tons
of fun and games, good food, and that Robbie learned a heel side back roll, tantrum,
heel and toe side 360, toe side 540, and scarecrow! It sounded like the best camp
ever and the only way to test that is to go!
It all started in the summer of 2009. Was I scared leaving home for a week?
Let me rephrase that. Was I scared of leaving home for a week to go have the time of
my life by staying on a houseboat, wakeboarding and learning tons of new tricks,
eating great food, and all around having tons of fun? What kind of question is that? I
don’t think anyone on this planet would say “Yes I would be scared to have fun”.
I’m not going to lie, it was weird not knowing anybody at camp; I’m sure all of
the other new campers feel the same way. The only person I kind of knew was
Connor a.k.a. Lyman who was a current coach at the time and still is today. Is it easy
to make friends? Heck ya! I made friends with everyone at camp on the first day!
West Coast Camps is the definition of a true camp vibe. You don’t know a true camp
vibe if you haven’t been to West Coast Camps. The vibe at camp will cause you to
open up and interact with others so, making friend’s is not something to worry
about.
If the staff wasn’t friendly and they weren’t fun to be around, this camp
would be nothing. There wouldn’t be great food if it weren’t for Becky and Monica.
Nobody would meet there potential when it comes to learning tricks if it weren’t for
the efficient wake/ surf training system created by Mike and the staff. It wouldn’t be
an all around safe camp for you if it weren’t for the staff and most of all, this camp
wouldn’t be as fun if it weren’t for the staff. The staff is what keeps this camp going!
The houseboat experience was great! There is a houseboat for the girls, a
houseboat for the boys, and usually a smaller houseboat in the middle. If you haven’t
been on a houseboat before, its quite fun! Living on a houseboat for a week is a main
factor of what makes this camp so fun. The fact that the camp is held on a houseboat
takes the camp away from reality to make it not only a camp but to make it more
like a vacation.
The food is great! Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner… It’s all good! When
everyone goes out on the boat, each boat gets a snack box where in one snack box,
each member of that boat gets to put whatever snacks they want that are in the
snack cabinets which ranges from cookies and candy to granola bars and Chex mix.
Thanks to Monica and Becky, food is definitely something to look forward to.
I have never gotten homesick out of all 5 times I have been there. I have
never seen someone homesick at West Coast Camps. No need to worry about being
homesick. One thing to worry about though is being homesick of West Coast Camps
after camp ends and you go home.
I can’t really pick a favorite part of camp. However, if I had to, it would either
be the instruction quality and how well the coaches are at teaching new things or it
would have to be the safe and fun environment.
I came to camp the first year with a heel side wake to wake and that was it.
The first year at camp, I learned heel side wake to wake more consistently, toe side
wake to wake, heel and toe side wake to wake 180’s, switch heel and toe side wake
to wake 180’s, and all 6 grabs (nose, tail, indy, stailfish, melon, and mute. That’s a lot
for just a week! Later the following years, I learned toe side backside 180’s, switch
heel 360’s, and much more. Wake surf wise I learned how to get airs and I learned
how to do surface 360’s. Next year there will be more tricks to come.
Every year on the last day on the way home, I say “ahh, best week of my life”.
The reason I would go back to west Coast camps is to get the experience of the camp
again because it is so fun! Also I would go back to learn more. There training system
for wakeboarding and wake surfing is unreal!
In the end, I leave the up-coming experience of what happens on and off the
wake at West Coast Camps for you to explore. It’s your turn to have the time of your
life!