History
Chris and Genevieve Kendall started Coolum Surfing School in 2001 with a dream to become one of the coasts most prestigious and professional surf schools. Offering lessons from beginners to advanced surfers, all levels of fitness and available from sun up to sun down. We specialise in private tuition and have made it affordable to encourage all people, young and old, individuals and families to experience this fun, active and iconic sport.
Chris has lived in Coolum since he was 2yrs old and had a love of the beach from a young age. Chris gained experience through seven or so years as a Coolum nipper and then started surfing. Chris joined the Coolum Boardriders and quickly advanced due to his ocean knowledge and confidence. Chris was a very competitive grommet and was a representative for the Coolum Boardriders, the region and the state before becoming an open surfer and winning the club championship in 1997 and then again in 2007 both the Senior and open club titles.
Chris has always continued a path of surfing in one form or another and would like all students to have a safe fun time riding waves. Chris then worked in the hospitality industry when he sustained a ongoing back injury, he was told to change careers and find a new job and through back rehabilitation and career rehabilitation Chris guided himself towards a surfing orientated job. Chris and Genevieve both under took a certificate IV in business and management as they started to prepare themselves for the opening of the Coolum Surfing School. We were also accepted into the Government NEIS program, (New Enterprise Incentive Scheme) where we gained invaluable business knowledge and experience and from there Coolum Surfing School began.
We started with just two surfboards and heaps of enthusiasm and determination. We then became the Surfing Australia licence surf school and operate from Maroochy River through to Peregian Beach. CSS have gone from strength to strength over the past 9 years. CSS prides itself on service, teaching participants learn to surf, and surf awareness and body boarding.
CSS offer a wide variety of beach team building activities, while ensuring everyone has loads of fun. We now own a truck load of surfboards in all sizes and shapes, stacks of body boards and have a wide variety of hire surf board’s available. We have employed up to 18 staff at one time and when taken large groups of up to 120 students at once.
CSS have recently been a finalist in the 2009 Sunshine Coast Excellence in Small Business Awards for Tourism.
CSS have designed surfing programs for groups such as Apex, Total Adventure, Rustic Pathways, Luther heights, QLD state of Origin team, Stockland, Nalco, Hyatt Coolum and Twin Waters just to name a few. CSS has worked toward and is a well respected business in the community and we look forward to taking you all surfing soon. Enjoy the day.
