National Surf School & Instructor Association

National Surf Schools & Instructors Association (NSSIA)

The Official Professional Association for the Surf School Industry
Protecting Both Industry and Students • Established 2005
AN IRS REGISTERED NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION


Huntington Beach Instructor Certification Class with Chairman Bruce Gabrielson, Director Kim Hamrock and students.	Orlando, Florida Surf Expo with directors and chairman, l. to r., Peter Pan, Bruce Gabrielson, Kali Montero	Director Gerry Kantor of Leucadia Surf School giving a beach lesson to a group of British Soldiers recently in Afghanistan.

	Surfing Product Endorsement
Surfing Product Endorsment APPLICATION VISIT OUR Endorsed Surfing Products page
Definitions
NSSIA Product Endorsement means that the manufacturer’s product has been formally evaluated by the NSSIA and the NSSIA has provided a testimonial, written or spoken statement approving the use of the product by surf schools.
NSSIA Resource Endorsement means that the web resource site contains information the NSSIA deems of interest to or useful by surf schools and new surfers.
NSSIA Sponsorship means that the manufacturer of organization has provided funding or similar services to the NSSIA during a set period of time.
Formal Endorsement Requirements Criteria
For a manufacturer of any product to be NSSIA endorsed as an “Official NSSIA Endorsed Product,” the manufacturer must agree to using NSSIA information at some level in their advertising, be willing to offer discounts to NSSIA members, and be able to supply the product free to the NSSIA Board of Directors for testing.
An endorsement may be dropped based on a Board of Director vote that the manufacturer has generated a negative impact to the surf school industry. Additionally, endorsements may be dropped if the manufacturer fails to provide any advantages to NSSIA for endorsement, such as providing significant discounts to NSSIA members, or failing to use NSSIA in its advertising.
Manufacturers must be successful in meeting the following requirements for endorsement:
1. Surfboards...soft/hard.
The NSSIA Directors must be able to test and use the product for a season, four to six months, under normal teaching/surfing conditions. Evaluation criteria at the end of testing shall be based on: • Ease of use during lessons (student training, stability, flotation, etc.) • General board condition at the end of testing (deck/bottom delaminations, tears, holes, etc.) • Repairable condition (if necessary) • Looks • Fin condition. • Competitive cost realism
2. Other hard goods used during a lesson (flotation devices, wet suits, socks, leashes, traction substitutes, rash guards, wax, sun screen, repair materials, etc).
The NSSIA Directors must be able to test and use the product for a season, four months, under normal teaching/surfing conditions. Evaluation criteria at the end of testing shall be based on:
• Ease of use during lessons (student training, comfort, flotation, etc.) • Ease of use if used after the lessons (such as repair materials) • General condition at the end of testing (doesn’t hold up, tears, holes, breakage, etc.) • Repairable condition (if necessary) • Looks • Competitive cost realism
3. Items not directly used during a lesson (board bags, racks, shoes, clothing, repair materials, etc.)
The NSSIA Directors must be able to test and use the product for a minimum of four months. Evaluation criteria at the end of testing shall be based on:
• Ease of use • General condition at the end of testing • Repairable condition (if necessary) • Looks/Perceived quality • Competitive cost realism
Director Reporting Requirements
•At the end of the test period, each director will provide a written report on how the product met the test criteria stated as well as their recommendation for endorsement. • A majority vote of the Board of Directors is required for endorsement. • All endorsements are subject to review on a yearly interval at their endorsement date by the NSSIA Directors. However, additional testing on the same endorsed product will not be required. Manufacturer Endorsement Advantages • Use the NSSIA logo in the manufacturers advertising for a period on one year from endorsement (renewable). • Be provided a link on the NSSIA web site to the manufacturer’s web site. • Be allowed to advertise at all events where NSSIA supports a formal advertising booth. • Ask surf schools to give out sample products during their lessons when the products are provided. • Re-endorsement shall carry with it an annual $50 fee,
Resource Endorsement
• Resource or information resource endorsement requires only a summary evaluation of the resource by the Board of Directors. • Non-Profit organizations supporting the surf industry or surfing activities shall be endorsed at no cost • Surf Industry Organizations shall include officially established and industry recognized organizations dedicated to enhancing the sport of surfing. Competitive organizations require a majority of Board of Director votes to be endorsed. • Surfing Activity Organizations shall include surf clubs and organized groups that promote the sport of surfing. • These activities must have at least one NSSIA certified instructor or coach as a member. • Endorsed non-profit organizations shall agree to display the NSSIA logo and a link on their website. • Non-Surf Industry specific non-profit resources may be endorsed if they represent organizations that are deemed beneficial to the NSSIA. • Selected organizations will be listed with majority Board of Directors approval. • These organizations may or may not display the NSSIA logo as they wish (Example: Red Cross). • Web sites considered, commercial or otherwise, considered rich in surfing information can be selected as endorsed resource and linked with NSSIA Board of Directors approval. • These organizations may or may not display the NSSIA logo as they wish (Example: Red Cross). • Decisions related to cost will be considered on an individual basis. • Resources owned or operated by NSSIA Board members shall be endorsed • Resource endorsement shall be in the form of a link to the resource website.
NSSIA Sponsorship
• All surf related product manufacturers or service providers can officially sponsor or endorse NSSIA activities. • Sponsorship will be annual and with cost determine by a majority vote of the Board of Directors upon recommendation of the Chairman. However, if the Director has a financial interest in the sponsor, they shall not be allowed to vote. • Sponsors shall have their logo displayed on the NSSIA website.

Always use NSSIA Accredited Surf Schools or NSSIA Certified Surfing Instructors for your surfing lessons and surf camps.

Surfing Product Endorsement