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Captain of UCSD Surf Team Brings Home National Title
Christine Clark | July 13, 2009
During last year’s national college surfing contest, UC San Diego senior Marty Weinstein had delivered a near-perfect 9.75 (out of 10) score on the first of his attempts in the semifinal heat when he fell hard in the finals, severely tearing his ankle.
“It was really frustrating,” said Weinstein, who had to stay out of the water for the rest of the summer. “Returning to the National Scholastic Surfing Association (NSSA) Championships was always on my mind this year. I knew I wanted to win.”
Last month, Weinstein got his second chance, demolishing the competition and winning the NSAA men's college championship at Salt Creek Beach in Dana Point, Calif. on June 17.
UC San Diego’s nationally ranked Surf Team at Black’s Beach.
Weinstein, captain of the UCSD surf team, started surfing at age 7, when his mom sent him to the Endless Summer Surf Camp in San Clemente. Throughout middle and high school, the Santa Ana native’s parents drove him to the beach every weekend to compete in surf contests. "Surfing has become a way of life for me,” he said. “I truly believe that you need to experience it to fully appreciate it.”
He said he chose UC San Diego because of its proximity to the world renowned Black’s Beach and because of its academic prestige. “I applied to UC Los Angeles and UC Santa Barbara and got in,” said Weinstein. “But I liked the programs at UC San Diego and it was always a dream of mine to live by the beach.”
UC San Diego has been consistently ranked a top surfing school based on its location, academics, surf quality, cost, and lively student life.
Weinstein is a human biology major who plans to attend dental school upon graduation next year. He has been a part of the UC San Diego Pre-Dental Society and has interned at their Dental Clinic, helping to serve those in need. He starting volunteering at the clinic during his sophomore year and now manages the clinic in Pacific Beach every Wednesday. “It has been a really eye-opening experience,” he said. “There is a lot of poverty, even in San Diego, and there are too many people in need of care who don’t have access to it.”
The UC San Diego surf team practices every week at Black’s Beach throughout the academic year.
For the past two years Weinstein has been captain of UC San Diego’s nationally ranked Surf Team. The team has made it in the National Scholastic Surfing Association’s (NSSA) national competition every year for more than 30 years, winning six national titles.
Unlike other schools competing in the NSSA National Championship, UC San Diego students have to balance a rigorous academic workload with a difficult surfing schedule. The team meets at first light at Black’s Beach throughout the school year. “These are serious students who have to compete in the classroom and in the water,” said Tyler Callaway, coach of the surf team.
Weinstein said he’s met some remarkable people at UC San Diego, but some of his closest friends are on the surf team. “We all hang out together and surf together; we’re all really good friends,” he said.
Weinstein helps organize the team practices and coaches some of the surf sessions. Although he’ll still have a leadership role, next year Weinstein will step down as captain so that another student can have the experience. “Next year I just want to surf and help the team out,” he said. “Winning the men’s division was great, but I really want my team to win. If anything, I hope my title pumps the team up for a really great season.”
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