Association of Amputee Surfers

Our goal is simple, we want to help our disabled veterans, adults and children focus on their abilities not their disabilities. To do this we strive to Promote, Inspire, Educate, and Rehabilitate (PIER™) by providing a quality program and the opportunity for the participants and volunteers to come together and feel the joy and healing of the ocean via Adaptive Surf Therapy. AmpSurf™ has provided our Learn to Surf Clinics to hundreds of our disabled veterans, adults and children who probably never would have had this experience if it hadn’t been for our program.

Surf instruction is provided by Certified Instructor staff who have completed the AMPSURF Adaptive Surf Instructor Certification Program and are AED, CPR/First-Aid certified as well. Instruction is done on a one-to-one basis. We work to meet the needs and abilities of each and every participant. We use soft and tradition surfboards. Most participants will learn to ride solo, while others will ride tandem with their instructor. Life vests and helmets are provided and maybe required, depending on ability. During multi-day events other activities are available like Kayaking, outrigger canoeing, sailing, golf and other outdoor activities. All clinics are free for the disabled (a small refundable deposit is required to reserve a spot) and we work hard to sponsor the lodging and travel for our disabled veterans, Firefighters, police and active duty military participants.

We are able to meet are goals of sharing the healing power of the ocean via Adaptive Surf Therapy with those living with disabilities by having 4 chapters across the country in; California, New York, Oregon and New England. Each chapter runs single day and multi-day Learn to Surf clinics and serve people from all over the country and some participants come from over-seas as well.

For 18+ years AmpSurf™ has been providing our Learn to Surf clinics to serve those who need us. We have served hundreds of our disabled veterans as well as disabled adults and children who probably never would have had this experience if it hadn’t been for our program. We have had 5 participants go on to be Paralympic athletes in other sports as well.
Below is a list of some of the things we have
accomplished over the years:
2003-Present - AmpSurf California holds Adaptive Surf Clinics
each year in various locations.
2003-Present - Operation Restoration: a 4 day event held in
Pismo Beach CA, providing 3+ days surfing, kayaking,
SUP, fishing, golfing and other events with local community and
Veterans groups.
2008-2011, 2019 - National Disabled Veterans Summer Sports
Clinic, San Diego, CA: AmpSurf provided surf
instruction to 80-150 disabled Veterans per year, and their
family.
2013-Present - San Luis Obispo County Veterans Outreach, Annual Learn to Surf Clinic for local Veterans and
families. Serving 20 Veterans per year
2013 – Present - AmpSurf launches VetSurf, a weekly
program running 42 weeks a year serving 3+ veterans a
session. These sessions are not “surf clinics”, rather an
organized group of local Veterans who surf, and want to
share their love of surfing with other Veterans. AmpSurf
provides all equipment and supplies.
2010 – Present - Rockaway Warriors Weekend, Breezy
Point, New York. 4 day Adaptive Water Sports Clinic for
disabled Veterans providing them with the opportunity to
achieve success in sports, providing the foundation for an active lifestyle. AmpSurf provides adaptive surf
instruction, stand up paddle boarding and Kayaking to 50+ Veterans and family members each year. We are
the only organization to provide ongoing services for this event since the program’s inception.
2011-Present - AmpSurf New England holds 12 Adaptive Surf Clinics each year in various states including
Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Maine and New Hampshire.
2016 – Present: AmpSurf New York holds 4 Adaptive Learn to Surf Clinics each year in Rockaway NY and 1
clinic in Breezy Point, NY is for Disabled Veterans and family members only. AmpSurf provides Surfing,
Kayaking and Stand-Up Paddle Boarding at this event.
2018 - AmpSurf was invited to be a member of the International Surf Therapy Organization (ISTO), whose
mission is to promote understanding, share best practices and advocate excellence in surf therapy. I
2019 – AmpSurf held its first Adaptive Surf Therapy, Learn
to Surf Clinic in Oregon and begins the planning phases of
launching its Pacific North West Chapter in the summer of
2020. AmpSurf was also able to sponsor 10 Disabled
Veterans as they competed in contest around the world and
exemplified the benefits adaptive surf therapy, and highest
level of competitive skill in the sport.
2020 – AmpSurf is the title sponsor/partner for the 2020
AmpSurf ISA Para Surfing Championships a