The Search for Surf — and Camaraderie
Jackson Prudhon, finance major and president of the Mustang Surf Club, rides a wave next to Morro Rock. Prudhon and his roommate co-founded the Mustang Surf Club.
As the majestic Morro Rock casts a soft shadow in the early-morning light, Jackson Prudhon quickly applies wax to his 7-foot surfboard, eager to paddle to the lineup.
The conditions look promising: Offshore winds are creating a gentle fanned-back spray on shapely 3- to 4-foot waves.
“The tide’s a little high,” Prudhon says, applying the wax in circular strokes. “But it’s going to be fun.”
He tucks the board under his left arm and heads for the water, where many surfers have already joined the morning shift, including members of the Mustang Surf Club that he co-founded.
“When I came here, there was no surf club,” he says later. “I didn’t know anyone who surfed.”
The business administration major with a finance concentration said he was able to create the club thanks to the William L. Chillingworth Scholarship he received. It is among about 130 scholarships provided by donors for Orfalea College of Business students.
With the scholarship, he can focus more on the overall college experience, both in and out of the classroom. “Otherwise, I’d have to spend all my time working, trying to make rent, getting those tuition payments in,” he said.
Prudhon is a committed student — the Scott Valley junior is a Dean’s List regular, a member of the Financial Management Club and participated in the 2022 Summer Undergraduate Research program, studying racial and gender bias in the IT field.
But he knows he needs balance to maintain a healthy mindset that’s conducive to success in college. Also a member of Cal Poly Club Baseball, Prudhon began surfing, like many others, during the pandemic.
“I’m a COVID surfer,” he said. “May of 2020 — the day I graduated from high school — I took my buddy, and we drove up to Santa Cruz, and we went to Cowell’s Beach. It took me three hours to catch my first wave, but as soon as I got that wave, I was hooked.”
Four months later when he came to Cal Poly, he and his roommate, plant sciences major Aidan Inoue from San Jose, were sitting on a couch, watching surf videos, when one noted that there wasn’t a campus surf club. Cal Poly has a competitive surf team, but it’s a select group of more advanced surfers.
“We were, like, ‘Man — I wish there was a surf club,’” Prudhon said. “And then we’re sitting there, chatting about it, and we just decided: ‘Why don’t we just make one?’ ”
Starting a club isn’t easy. Bylaws have to be written, liabilities considered. The club needs an advisor, officers, a marketing team — and a budget. The co-founders had to consider logistics — how to hook up members with boards, wetsuits and transportation — and how to fund that through membership fees, while partnering with surf shops for discounts.
The Mustang Surf Club includes social activities, including a beach bonfire that attracted a several dozen students. (Photo courtesy of Jackson Prudhon)
Luckily, Prudhon’s business school background has helped.
“Sometimes I do feel like I am a very small business owner because I have to make some sort of revenue out of the club to keep the club running,” he said. “I have to market it so that we have new people coming in.”
As they were starting the club, Prudhon said, they brainstormed about what the value would be for members.
“We had huge whiteboards full of ideas,” he said. “And so we really decided to focus our efforts on social events and lessons.”
Since many members are new to the sport, surfing lessons have been popular. The club has about 20 instructors, who use instructor handbooks. Meanwhile, the club has offered social events, including a beach bonfire that attracted 80 people.
“There’s definitely some real-world application that I’m getting out of the club, which has been super helpful,” Prudhon said. “I think it’s definitely going to benefit me in the future career-wise, and it’s been a blast just learning it all, too.”
During his Morro Bay surf session, Prudhon works to adjust to his 7-footer – he usually rides a traditional longboard — but he eventually catches a mushy wave and angles into the open face. Then, ride over, he swings his board around and paddles back to the lineup.
Jackson Prudhon waits for a wave in the Morro Bay lineup.
When the session is over, Prudhon and a small group of surf club members revel in the renewed stoke.
David Lara, a forest and fire sciences freshman from Oakland, said he just started surfing when he joined the club this fall.
“It was the best thing I ever did, he said.
Charlotte White had surfed in her native Australia and her adopted hometown in the commonwealth coastal town of Duxbury, Massachusetts. But even with a little experience, she prefers the more laid-back club.
“The surf club is welcoming to everyone,” said the landscape architecture student. “I liked the idea of having more of a community rather than a competitive team.”
Since its launch in April, the club has attracted 480 members, with around 100 really active individuals, Prudhon said. But, he said, he plans to continue recruiting.
“We’re really hoping to make this the biggest club on campus.”
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