Un Mar de Colores · El Cajon, CA
Pro Surfing Pathways for El Cajon BIPOC Athletes
California contest circuit travel covered — El Cajon families aren't fundraising for every NSSA or WSA event.
Un Mar de Colores's Surf Athletic Scholarship program supports competitive BIPOC youth and teens from El Cajon 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 OB Pier (14 miles) and Coronado Central (13 miles) (closest breaks to El Cajon). Referrals and nominations come through Cajon Valley Union School District / Grossmont Union High athletics programs and our partner community organizations.
Schedule — El Cajon Program Days
Ongoing · Completely free
You Might Be Feeling This
- —High-performance boards and wetsuits cost thousands — your teen competes on borrowed gear while peers have sponsor packages.
- —Bilingual family support matters — contest world defaults to English-only parent communications.
- —Nutrition for competitive athletes gets expensive — contest season nutrition wasn't in the family budget.
What Changes When Youth Get in the Water
- College and pro-surfing pathway counseling — NCAA, sponsorship, and alternative career navigation.
- Representation changes contest culture — BIPOC scholars from El Cajon visible in regional lineups.
- Bilingual parent communications during contest season — 32% households fully informed.
Why We Run This Program in El Cajon
El Cajon is home to one of the largest Middle Eastern/Chaldean communities in the United States and a 32% Hispanic/Latino population. Our El Cajon cohorts shuttle 14 miles to OB Pier, with cultural programming tailored to the city's unique demographic mix. Cajon Valley Union's Bostonia and Chase Avenue Elementary are our anchor partnerships.
- Population
- 106,215
- BIPOC residents
- 55%
- Spanish-speaking households
- 32%
- Distance to beach
- 14 mi
Surf Athletic Scholarship in El Cajon — What You Should Know
High-performance wetsuits and contest boards for El Cajon scholars — not beginner soft-tops. Equipment parity so athletes from El Cajon barrios compete with the same gear quality as coastal sponsor kids near OB Pier (14 miles) and Coronado Central (13 miles).
With 32% Spanish-speaking households in El Cajon, bilingual parent communications during contest season keep families informed — registration deadlines, travel logistics, and scholarship coverage explained in English and Spanish.
Why El Cajon Matters to Our Mission
Environmental justice in El Cajon isn't abstract: watershed health, beach closures, and plastic pollution affect the same communities we serve. Our programs connect surf skills to stewardship of San Diego's coastline.
With 106,215 residents, El Cajon is one of the communities where a single free surf cohort can change dozens of lives per season. Our shuttles and school partnerships make distance (14 miles inland) a logistics problem we solve, not a barrier families carry alone.
Local El Cajon Partners & Referral Sources
In partnership with Cajon Valley Union School District / Grossmont Union High and local community organizations, we recruit youth from 4+ Title I schools.
School district & Title I partners
- Cajon Valley Union School District / Grossmont Union High
- •Bostonia Elementary
- •Chase Avenue Elementary
- •Cajon Valley Middle
- •El Cajon Valley High
Community partners
- ◆Cajon Valley Union School District
- ◆El Cajon Library
- ◆Chaldean American Chamber of Commerce
- ◆Grossmont College (student volunteers)
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 El Cajon 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
Federal EIN 85-2947340. Mailing: PO BOX 232471, Encinitas, CA 92024. We operate on the ancestral lands of the Kumeyaay Nation with respect and community accountability.
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 El Cajon
Which contests does scholarship cover?+
California contest circuit events including NSSA and WSA regional competitions across San Diego — not limited to one beach near El Cajon. Coverage aligns with athlete development pathway.
Is there college counseling for El Cajon scholarship surfers?+
Yes — college and pro-surfing pathway counseling covers NCAA surf scholarships, alternative pathways, and honest industry navigation. El Cajon teens get support beyond contest heats.
Who qualifies for surf scholarship from El Cajon?+
BIPOC youth and teens pursuing competitive surfing at scholarship or professional levels. Priority for athletes demonstrating contest-ready skill and financial need — often referred from Cajon Valley Union School District / Grossmont Union High counselors or Un Mar surf lessons and camp in El Cajon. Competitive enrollment, not open beginner access.
Are surf athletic scholarship in El Cajon really free?+
Yes. All Un Mar de Colores programs in El Cajon are 100% free — including 3/2mm wetsuits, soft-top surfboards, transportation from partner schools like Bostonia Elementary, Chase Avenue Elementary, Cajon Valley Middle, and certified bilingual instruction. Funding comes from the San Diego Foundation, community grants, and individual donors. No El Cajon family has ever paid for our programming.
Where exactly do surf athletic scholarship happen in El Cajon?+
El Cajon is 14 miles inland from the coast, so our cohorts are shuttled to OB Pier (14 miles) — our nearest Un Mar teaching beach. Classroom components including curriculum, cultural arts, and tutoring happen at Cajon Valley Union School District and partner schools inside El Cajon.
What ages can enroll in El Cajon?+
We serve youth ages Youth & teens. In El Cajon specifically, our recruitment runs through Cajon Valley Union School District / Grossmont Union High — with priority enrollment for students from Bostonia Elementary, Chase Avenue Elementary, Cajon Valley Middle and 1 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 OB Pier (14 miles), supervised by instructors certified by the San Diego Fire-Rescue Lifeguard Division. Water comfort is built progressively. In El Cajon, we also run pre-cohort pool-familiarization sessions at inland pools via our Cajon Valley Union School District partnership for students who request extra comfort-building.
Are lessons taught in Spanish in El Cajon?+
Yes. All Un Mar de Colores programs are bilingual — and in El Cajon, where 32% 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 El Cajon?+
Three ways: (1) everything is free, while most El Cajon surf programs charge $50–$150 per lesson; (2) we are BIPOC-led and our coaches reflect the 55%-BIPOC El Cajon 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 El Cajon, not just those who can afford access.
How do I sign my El Cajon child up?+
Visit our sign-up page or contact us directly. Priority enrollment goes to students of Bostonia Elementary, Chase Avenue Elementary, Cajon Valley Middle and referrals from Cajon Valley Union School District and El Cajon Library. Summer cohorts fill 3–4 weeks before start, so early contact is recommended.
Ready to Get in the Water?
Free means free. No hidden fees, no gear costs, no transportation charges for El Cajon participants.
All Un Mar de Colores programs are free for El Cajon 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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