ESA Pulls Out Of Surfing America

Looks like not all is well in surfing’s amateur ranks. The Eastern Surfing Association has decided that they and their 10,000 members are no longer interested in being a part of Surfing America.

“Surfing America’s refusal to create an amateur surfing committee that included the ESA, which is in direct opposition to their stated organizational founding, created an unprecedented event that resulted in the rescinding of our inclusion in Surfing America,” stated Debbie Hodges, executive director of the Eastern Surfing Association.

Follow the jump for the rest of the story ESA’s side of the story. . .
Eastern Surfing Association Board Of Directors Votes To Leave Surfing America

Lack of communication and deviation from bylaws contributes to disillusion of Surfing America by co-founder and world’s largest amateur surfing association

Virginia Beach, VA – November 4, 2009 – Eastern Surfing Association®, the 10,000 member governing body of amateur surfing for the East Coast of the United States, today announced their immediate withdrawal from Surfing America in an October 2009 Board of Directors vote. While the Eastern Surfing Association (ESA) continues to support their members who participate in Surfing America events, the secrecy with which Surfing America instilled the Surfing America Prime Series, without the input of the ESA, led to a majority vote to leave the national governing body of surfing. In contrast to the bylaws that govern Surfing America, the ESA had no input in the conception, creation, and execution of the Surfing America Prime events- three of which are being held on the East Coast of the United States.

“Surfing America’s refusal to create an amateur surfing committee that included the ESA, which is in direct opposition to their stated organizational founding, created an unprecedented event that resulted in the rescinding of our inclusion in Surfing America,” stated Debbie Hodges, executive director of the Eastern Surfing Association. “While we would prefer to continue our involvement, the gall and lack of transparency demonstrated by Surfing America left our Board of Directors little choice in this matter.”

Surfing America’s continued refusal to provide ESA a voting stake, or input, with regards to the Surfing America Prime Series and other Surfing America-sanctioned competitions, resulted in the Board of Directors voting to remove support, contributions, and infrastructure to all aspects of Surfing America.

“As a founding member of Surfing America in 2004 our decision is not a knee-jerk reaction, nor is it one taken without significance,” stated Hodges. “The ESA believes in the foundation of a governing body for amateur surfing that is inclusive, credible and provides standards for amateurs of all ages across the nation- values that founded Surfing America. Their desire to voluntarily act in bold disregard to our involvement does not support the reasons which led ESA to co-found Surfing America and therefore, we can no longer be associated with their actions moving forward.”

ABOUT EASTERN SURFING ASSOCIATION
Eastern Surfing Association (ESA), the largest amateur surfing association in the world established in 1967, is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization, dedicated to promoting and preserving the spirit of surfing through their regional programs and through the support of 26 districts on the East Coast, Gulf Coast, Great Lakes and Puerto Rico. For more information about the ESA, please visit www.surfesa.org.

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