Un Mar de Colores · Spring Valley, CA
Competition Pathways for Spring Valley Youth Surfers — Free
Commercial contest coaching charges $100+ per hour. Un Mar scholarship charges nothing to families.
Un Mar de Colores's Surf Athletic Scholarship program supports competitive BIPOC youth and teens from Spring Valley 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 (13 miles) and Coronado Central (12 miles) (closest breaks to Spring Valley). Referrals and nominations come through La Mesa-Spring Valley Schools athletics programs and our partner community organizations.
Schedule — Spring Valley 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 Spring Valley family can sustain.
- —Your teen's coach is great at lessons but has no contest prep experience — strategy, heat tactics, and mental game missing.
- —Your teen deserves contest parity — gear, travel, coaching — but the pipeline assumes Spring Valley families have disposable income.
What Changes When Youth Get in the Water
- Mentorship from professional BIPOC surfers and alumni who reflect Spring Valley communities.
- Mental performance and visualization training — contest psychology as funded curriculum, not elite luxury.
- Physical therapy and injury prevention support — athletes aren't pushed through pain without care.
Why We Run This Program in Spring Valley
Spring Valley is 53% Hispanic/Latino and 13% Black — serving one of the most culturally diverse communities in East County. Our cohorts travel from La Presa Elementary and Kempton Street Literacy Academy to OB Pier, with classroom programming anchored at Spring Valley Library. We prioritize this partnership because of the city's distance from the coast and demographic alignment with our mission.
- Population
- 29,209
- BIPOC residents
- 79%
- Spanish-speaking households
- 45%
- Distance to beach
- 12 mi
Surf Athletic Scholarship in Spring Valley — What You Should Know
Surf Athletic Scholarship for BIPOC surfers in Spring Valley covers competition entry fees, California contest circuit travel, high-performance gear, and one-on-one coaching at zero family cost. Un Mar de Colores addresses financial barriers that excluded Latino, Indigenous, and Black youth from competitive surf pipelines — funded by grants and donors.
With 45% Spanish-speaking households in Spring Valley, bilingual parent communications during contest season keep families informed — registration deadlines, travel logistics, and scholarship coverage explained in English and Spanish.
Why Spring Valley Matters to Our Mission
From Spring Valley's Title I schools to the sand, our pipeline is built on real partnerships — not generic 'serving the area' language. Every cohort names the schools, beaches, and community orgs involved.
Whether Spring Valley is on the coast or 12 miles inland inland, we treat transportation as part of the program — not an extra parents must figure out. That's how you build real access, not marketing copy.
Local Spring Valley Partners & Referral Sources
In partnership with La Mesa-Spring Valley Schools and local community organizations, we recruit youth from 3+ Title I schools.
School district & Title I partners
- La Mesa-Spring Valley Schools
- •La Presa Elementary
- •Loma Elementary
- •Kempton Street Literacy Academy
Community partners
- ◆La Mesa-Spring Valley School District
- ◆Spring Valley Library
- ◆Grossmont Union High School District
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 Spring Valley 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
Board and staff leadership is BIPOC-majority. Decisions about Spring Valley programming are made with community partners, not corporate sponsors.
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 Spring Valley
Is there college counseling for Spring Valley scholarship surfers?+
Yes — college and pro-surfing pathway counseling covers NCAA surf scholarships, alternative pathways, and honest industry navigation. Spring Valley teens get support beyond contest heats.
How is scholarship different from free surf lessons?+
Surf lessons serve beginners ages 6–17 with weekly instruction. Scholarship serves contest-ready BIPOC athletes with fees, travel, high-performance gear, and elite coaching. Many Spring Valley scholars start in lessons and advance through pipeline.
Is travel to contests covered from Spring Valley?+
Yes — travel costs for contest weekends are covered including transport, lodging, and meals. Inland Spring Valley families (12 miles inland from many events) aren't fundraising every competition weekend.
Are surf athletic scholarship in Spring Valley really free?+
Yes. All Un Mar de Colores programs in Spring Valley are 100% free — including 3/2mm wetsuits, soft-top surfboards, transportation from partner schools like La Presa Elementary, Loma Elementary, Kempton Street Literacy Academy, and certified bilingual instruction. Funding comes from the San Diego Foundation, community grants, and individual donors. No Spring Valley family has ever paid for our programming.
Where exactly do surf athletic scholarship happen in Spring Valley?+
Spring Valley is 12 miles inland from the coast, so our cohorts are shuttled to OB Pier (13 miles) — our nearest Un Mar teaching beach. Classroom components including curriculum, cultural arts, and tutoring happen at La Mesa-Spring Valley School District and partner schools inside Spring Valley.
What ages can enroll in Spring Valley?+
We serve youth ages Youth & teens. In Spring Valley specifically, our recruitment runs through La Mesa-Spring Valley Schools — with priority enrollment for students from La Presa Elementary, Loma Elementary, Kempton Street Literacy Academy. 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 (13 miles), supervised by instructors certified by the San Diego Fire-Rescue Lifeguard Division. Water comfort is built progressively. In Spring Valley, we also run pre-cohort pool-familiarization sessions at inland pools via our La Mesa-Spring Valley School District partnership for students who request extra comfort-building.
Are lessons taught in Spanish in Spring Valley?+
Yes. All Un Mar de Colores programs are bilingual — and in Spring Valley, where 45% 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 Spring Valley?+
Three ways: (1) everything is free, while most Spring Valley surf programs charge $50–$150 per lesson; (2) we are BIPOC-led and our coaches reflect the 79%-BIPOC Spring Valley 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 Spring Valley, not just those who can afford access.
How do I sign my Spring Valley child up?+
Visit our sign-up page or contact us directly. Priority enrollment goes to students of La Presa Elementary, Loma Elementary, Kempton Street Literacy Academy and referrals from La Mesa-Spring Valley School District and Spring Valley Library. Summer cohorts fill 3–4 weeks before start, so early contact is recommended.
Ready to Get in the Water?
Every Spring Valley child deserves the ocean. Start with a single conversation — we'll handle the rest.
All Un Mar de Colores programs are free for Spring Valley 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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