TERRANCE PHILLIPS -- The Harbor Column

Scott Morlan, a math teacher at Newport Harbor High School, is

chairman of the board.

Some of the current board member standouts are Newport Harbor High

students Robert Palm, a junior; J.P. Collett, a junior; his twin brother,

Morgan Collett, a junior; Sam Schuck, a junior transfer from Hawaii; Josh

Kast, a senior; and Alex Knost, a sophomore.

Each of the students sits on the board, and they do it every morning,

beginning at first light until about 8 a.m. Then they hop into their cars

and drip dry on their way to class. The boards they sit on are made of

foam encased in fiberglass.

They are members of the Newport Harbor High School Surf Team. Morlan

is the team’s coach. The coed team of 43 practices daily. They compete

every Tuesday and Thursday morning against area schools -- Laguna Beach,

Dana Hills, Huntington Beach, Edison, San Clemente, Capo Valley and Aliso

Niguel.

“The sport is really growing, as evidenced by the city’s Parks,

Beaches and Recreation summer program, which has doubled since inception.

We now have two groups daily, which tells you the sport is gaining

interest,” Morlan said.

The sport is divided into such categories as long boards, short boards

and body boards. The judging format combines scoring into a team score,

with points earned for wave selection, ride length, spectacular maneuvers

and how the athletes work the wave.

Much like other Newport Harbor High School sports programs -- girls’

field hockey (16-0 this year), sailing team (1999 national champions),

perennial powerhouse Sailor football, volleyball, basketball, baseball,

wrestling, swimming and water polo -- the surf team is undefeated this

year.

In addition to winning, Morlan’s class is also very much concerned and

involved with the environment.

“The kids see firsthand what is happening to our waterways. Every time

it rains, I have to keep the team out of the water for a few days because

of the contamination and bacteria associated with runoff. One day we were

sitting on our boards near the Santa Ana jetty and a TV in a cabinet

floated out of the jetty. My kids pulled it out of the water and put it

in the trash,” Morlan said.

In many ways, surfing extends beyond the activity of just standing on

a stick. The activity has influenced entire new industries in dress,

sportswear, bathing suits, sunglasses and magazines. And, it is

essentially the activity behind the creation of the skateboard and

snowboard. Such companies as Quiksilver, Ocean Pacific, Oakley and the

former Maui and Sons owe much of their development to surfing and its

culture.

This is a great sport and activity that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg

to get into. That is, of course, if you stay clear of the great whites

and tiger sharks. Then the sport just might tug at your valuables. One

thing is certain, you don’t have to be the fastest surfer in the ocean to

avoid being bitten by a shark -- you just have to be faster than the last

person trying to make it to the beach!

TERRANCE PHILLIPS is the Daily Pilot’s boating writer. You can reach

him via e-mail at [email protected].