Un Mar de Colores · Chula Vista, CA
Free Competitive Surf Coaching for Chula Vista Youth
Nutrition and physical conditioning modules support contest-ready athletes from Chula Vista barrios.
Un Mar de Colores's Surf Athletic Scholarship program supports competitive BIPOC youth and teens from Chula Vista and the greater San Diego region. Scholarship athletes receive high-performance gear, competition entry fees, coaching, and travel support across the California contest circuit. Training sessions happen at our nearest coastal breaks including Imperial Beach (10 miles) and Coronado Central (12 miles) (closest breaks to Chula Vista). Referrals and nominations come through Chula Vista Elementary School District / Sweetwater Union High athletics programs and our partner community organizations.
Schedule — Chula Vista Program Days
Ongoing · Completely free
You Might Be Feeling This
- —Your teen has contest-level skill but every NSSA entry fee and travel weekend costs more than your Chula Vista family can sustain.
- —Your surfer is the only Brown kid at regional contests — lineup culture and judging feel stacked against Chula Vista athletes.
- —Sponsorship feels like a club for kids whose parents already know industry insiders — Chula Vista families are outsiders.
What Changes When Youth Get in the Water
- Addresses historical exclusion of Latino, Indigenous, and Black youth from competitive pipelines.
- BIPOC-led nonprofit funding model — grants and donors invest in Chula Vista athletes as movement builders.
- All competition entry fees paid — NSSA, WSA, and regional events across California circuit.
Why We Run This Program in Chula Vista
Chula Vista is California's 14th-largest city and home to one of the largest Latino populations in San Diego County — 58% Hispanic/Latino per the 2020 Census. We partner with Chula Vista Elementary School District (45,000+ students) and Sweetwater Union High to transport youth from Castle Park, Harborside, and Lauderbach Elementary to Imperial Beach and Coronado for free surf and ocean programming.
- Population
- 275,487
- BIPOC residents
- 81%
- Spanish-speaking households
- 58%
- Distance to beach
- 10 mi
Surf Athletic Scholarship in Chula Vista — What You Should Know
Judging literacy coaching teaches Chula Vista athletes how heats are scored — compete strategically, not just athletically.
Contest travel costs from Chula Vista to California circuit events — NSSA, WSA, regional qualifiers — are covered for scholarship athletes. Families aren't fundraising every weekend (10 miles inland inland adds transport costs Un Mar absorbs).
Why Chula Vista Matters to Our Mission
Cross-border watershed work matters to Chula Vista because Tijuana River pollution and coastal health don't stop at a border fence. Our education modules name that reality honestly.
The ocean off Chula Vista belongs to everyone. Un Mar de Colores exists because San Diego has spent decades telling BIPOC youth otherwise — and we're changing that story one cohort at a time.
Local Chula Vista Partners & Referral Sources
In partnership with Chula Vista Elementary School District / Sweetwater Union High and local community organizations, we recruit youth from 5+ Title I schools.
School district & Title I partners
- Chula Vista Elementary School District / Sweetwater Union High
- •Rosebank Elementary
- •Castle Park Elementary
- •Harborside Elementary
- •Lauderbach Elementary
- •Chula Vista Middle
Community partners
- ◆Chula Vista Elementary School District
- ◆Sweetwater Union High School District
- ◆Chula Vista Public Library (Civic Center Branch)
- ◆South Bay Community Services
- ◆Casa Familiar
Program Curriculum
The Surf Athletic Scholarship program supports BIPOC youth and teens pursuing competitive surfing at the scholarship or professional level. The program provides high-performance wetsuits and boards, pays all competition entry fees, covers contest travel costs across the California circuit, and provides one-on-one coaching from certified trainers. Scholarship recipients are mentored by alumni and partner professional BIPOC surfers, and the program specifically addresses the financial barriers that have historically excluded Latino, Indigenous, and Black youth from the competitive surf pipeline.
- →Competitive coaching and contest prep
- →Physical conditioning and nutrition
- →Mental performance and visualization
- →Sponsorship navigation and athlete branding
- →Mentorship from professional BIPOC surfers
- →College and pro-surfing pathway counseling
What's Included — Free for Every Chula Vista Youth
- ✓High-performance wetsuits and boards
- ✓Competition entry fees paid
- ✓Travel costs for California contest circuit
- ✓One-on-one coaching from certified trainers
- ✓Physical therapy and injury prevention
- ✓Annual contest gear package
Why Un Mar de Colores
Our coaches include graduates of the Surf Athletic Scholarship program and bilingual educators who reflect the BIPOC communities we serve. We partner with 15+ Title I schools across North County and San Diego.
What our community says
“"He used to approach new activities with extreme anxiety — to the point where sometimes we couldn't even get out of the car. Now he goes much deeper into the water."”
Frequently Asked Questions — Surf Athletic Scholarship in Chula Vista
Does scholarship include injury support?+
Yes — physical therapy and injury prevention are included. Chula Vista athletes aren't told to compete through pain because rehab wasn't budgeted at home.
Why BIPOC priority for surf scholarship in Chula Vista?+
Latino, Indigenous, and Black youth have been historically excluded from competitive surf pipelines by cost and culture. With 81% of Chula Vista residents BIPOC, scholarship rewrites who gets fees, travel, and mentorship — access as corrective justice.
Which contests does scholarship cover?+
California contest circuit events including NSSA and WSA regional competitions across San Diego — not limited to one beach near Chula Vista. Coverage aligns with athlete development pathway.
Are surf athletic scholarship in Chula Vista really free?+
Yes. All Un Mar de Colores programs in Chula Vista are 100% free — including 3/2mm wetsuits, soft-top surfboards, transportation from partner schools like Rosebank Elementary, Castle Park Elementary, Harborside Elementary, and certified bilingual instruction. Funding comes from the San Diego Foundation, community grants, and individual donors. No Chula Vista family has ever paid for our programming.
Where exactly do surf athletic scholarship happen in Chula Vista?+
Chula Vista is 10 miles inland from the coast, so our cohorts are shuttled to Imperial Beach (10 miles) — our nearest Un Mar teaching beach. Classroom components including curriculum, cultural arts, and tutoring happen at Chula Vista Elementary School District and partner schools inside Chula Vista.
What ages can enroll in Chula Vista?+
We serve youth ages Youth & teens. In Chula Vista specifically, our recruitment runs through Chula Vista Elementary School District / Sweetwater Union High — with priority enrollment for students from Rosebank Elementary, Castle Park Elementary, Harborside Elementary and 2 other Title I schools. Cohorts are age-appropriate (One Ocean for 6–12, Ocean Stewards for 13–17).
Does my child need to know how to swim before starting?+
No. We begin every cohort with ocean-safety fundamentals in chest-deep whitewater at Imperial Beach (10 miles), supervised by instructors certified by the San Diego Fire-Rescue Lifeguard Division. Water comfort is built progressively. In Chula Vista, we also run pre-cohort pool-familiarization sessions at inland pools via our Chula Vista Elementary School District partnership for students who request extra comfort-building.
Are lessons taught in Spanish in Chula Vista?+
Yes. All Un Mar de Colores programs are bilingual — and in Chula Vista, where 58% of households are Spanish-speaking, we intentionally pair at least one bilingual coach to every session. Cultural programming is delivered in both languages, and parent communications are always sent in Spanish and English.
How is Un Mar de Colores different from other surf athletic scholarship in Chula Vista?+
Three ways: (1) everything is free, while most Chula Vista surf programs charge $50–$150 per lesson; (2) we are BIPOC-led and our coaches reflect the 81%-BIPOC Chula Vista community we serve; (3) our curriculum includes environmental justice, Kumeyaay coastal history, and cultural arts — not just surf skills. We exist because the ocean should belong to everyone in Chula Vista, not just those who can afford access.
How do I sign my Chula Vista child up?+
Visit our sign-up page or contact us directly. Priority enrollment goes to students of Rosebank Elementary, Castle Park Elementary, Harborside Elementary and referrals from Chula Vista Elementary School District and Sweetwater Union High School District. Summer cohorts fill 3–4 weeks before start, so early contact is recommended.
Ready to Get in the Water?
Every Chula Vista child deserves the ocean. Start with a single conversation — we'll handle the rest.
All Un Mar de Colores programs are free for Chula Vista youth. Reach out to enroll, volunteer, or support the movement.
Un Mar de Colores is a BIPOC-led 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Oceanside, California. We provide free surf, ocean, and environmental programming for youth across San Diego and Tijuana — bridging cultures, coasts, and communities since 2018.
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