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Sofly Surf School uses water, connection and peace to teach beginners
(Courtesy: @soflysurfschool/Instagram)

Sofly Surf School uses water, connection and peace to teach beginners

LONG BEACH, Calif. — Sofly Surf School, owned and operated by Sahrfilli Matturi, is creating a community of surf enthusiasts in Southern California.

Matturi, who goes by the nickname Sofly, was born and raised in Long Beach. Although formerly known as “the Waikiki of the West Coast,” a breakwater was built after World War II. In fact, it’s the largest manmade breakwater in the world. So, unfortunately for surfers of the city, there are no ridable waves that hit their beaches. So how did Sofly learn to surf and begin a surf school? Well, Long Beach is perfectly situated for either driving north to Los Angeles or south to Huntington Beach to surf.

Sofly has been using the ocean to ride waves since he was little. He went to Seal Beach regularly to bodyboard.

“I didn’t buy a surfboard until I was 15. I always loved the beach and I taught myself how to surf,” he said. “I got run over by a lady on a surfboard and it made me want to stand up on a board and catch waves. I was tired of getting dropped in on just because I was bodyboarding.” From that moment on, he knew it was something he wanted to do for the rest of his life.

He meets his students on Sunset Beach, the northernmost beach in Huntington Beach.

“I wanted to spread the stoke and be a mentor to create a new opportunity for kids who look like me,” Sofly said about why he ultimately opened a surf school. The 31-year-old, who has been coaching for six months, decided to open the school to spread his love of surfing and be a mentor to create new opportunities for a community of beginners that haven’t yet had access to the ocean.

He admits that the hardest part of getting new surfers out in the water is helping them overcome mental fear and any predisposed limitation people might have to overcome. Yet, it’s all worth it once his students catch their first wave and sport a smile from ear to ear.

Sofly is a great surfer, as well as being very approachable and helpful, qualities that are important for a surf instructor. However, he transcends the standard narrative of surf coaching. He is creating a community as well. On his website, soflysurfschool.com, his written purpose says all you need to know about his level of care, his character and what he is trying to achieve.

“Our purpose is to provide those of underserved backgrounds, especially those of African descent, the opportunity to experience surfing and nature as a way to promote healthy living, spiritual healing, and joy throughout Southern California and beyond.”

Surfing was conceived by natives in Hawaii before Westerners ever arrived on the Islands. Wave riding crafts of all different kinds, whether it was canoes used to coast into the beach after fishing or a piece of wood used to practice an earlier form of recreational ocean play, have been present on the West African coast for thousands of years.

Sofly’s goal is to help the black community return to the ocean.

“Returning to the ocean is the idea of healing the mind and spirit,” he said. “The ocean is the one element that has the power to sustain mankind. So many people are afraid of the ocean because of the unknown that lies beneath. I want to reintroduce people to the ocean and its healing properties.”

It’s clear that Sofly’s students are having fun and surfing is chipping into, and maybe even taking over, their lifestyles. He teaches the fundamentals that set his students up for success out in the mystifying and ever-changing ocean.

This is an unedited user writing submission. The views, information, or opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Best Version Media or its employees.